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L.I. Against Domestic Violence

April Manis with the Long Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence in Michale Malett’as health class. Photo by Julianne Mosher

Students at Earl L. Vandermeulen High School have been welcoming special guests this month in Michael Maletta’s health classes to cover real-life issues, while taking notes on preventative measures for bad situations.

On Monday, Oct. 18, April Manis, an educator with L.I. Against Domestic Violence, presented a lesson that’s timely and serious for young people — what is and isn’t normal in a relationship.

While Maletta said he’s been hosting guests on a variety of topics over the last two decades, Manis said that there has been a county-wide increase in inquiries from LIADV since the disappearance and murder of Bayport native, Gabby Petito. Petito went missing last month while on a cross-country road trip with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie. Last week, her remains were found in Wyoming and Laundrie – who is a person of interest — has not been seen in weeks.

“With the pandemic, we haven’t been doing programs as much in-person — we still have been doing a lot of virtual — but it’s not the same. I love to see the students faces and the participation is so much better in-person,” she said. “I do feel like they get a lot out of it, and nobody teaches people how to be in a relationship, so it’s important to hear some healthy tips.”

The health class helps to cover and address differences between caring, supportive relationships and controlling or abusive relationships in an interactive program. Manis played a game called “Stay or Go?” which consisted of several real-life experiences that show unhealthy relationship traits, focusing on power dynamics, patterns, boundaries and compromises that often arise in relationships.

“I try to keep them awake and engaged,” Manis said. “And even if they just remember one or two things, then we did something.”

Maletta said that LIADV has been coming into his class for more than 20 years and he asks them to visit because the reality is that students will be in relationships and learning about healthy habits in those relationships is important.

“I tell my parents in back-to-school nights that I want to be an advocate for them. What are some of the concerns that they have for the child because I can there for their concerns,” he said. “Fortunately, health class is wide-reaching, and we talk about things like depression, stress, bullying, suicide, drug abuse, drug use, relationships, contraception — all these different real-life situations that they’re going to go through.”

Maletta added he tries to do different things to get through to his students.

“Although the district currently provides the required mental health education by New York State Education Department, the program was initiated by health teacher Mike Maletta, as part of a series of social-emotional instruction and resources to further expand on the mental and social-emotional health of Port Jefferson \students,” said Director of Health, Physical Education, Athletics and Nursing Adam Sherrard.

Earlier this month, Response of Suffolk County spoke to students about depression, anxiety, stress and suicide, while this week the Suffolk County Police Department will be speaking about cyber law and safety. 

In December, Outreach House will speak about drug addiction through the eyes of recovering teenage drug addicts that live at the facility.

Colleen Merlo, left, is presented with a check for $9,000 from United Way of Long Island. Photo courtesy of LIADV

L.I. Against Domestic Violence recently received a $9,000 Community Partner grant from United Way of Long Island.

The funding will support education and prevention programs for at-risk youth and community members of Suffolk County, as well as provide self-sufficiency and health resources for the survivors the agency serves.

“LIADV is very grateful to be a community partner with the United Way and to benefit from the generosity of donors. This funding allows us to reach youth, giving them tools to make healthy relationship choices. The program is vital to ending relationship violence,” said Colleen Merlo, executive director of L.I. Against Domestic Violence.

“We couldn’t do the work that we do without our community partner agencies and the contributions they make to the residents of Long Island,” said Theresa A. Regnante, president and CEO of United Way of Long Island. “By providing funding to these organizations, it shows that they meet the highest standards of excellence in the not-for-profit sector.”

To learn more about L.I. Against Domestic Violence, visit www.liadv.org.

An i-tri girl crosses the finish line of the marathon. Photo from i-tri girls

Nonprofits are working toward creating stronger support for females.

L.I. Against Domestic Violence provides a range of services to Long Island adults and children, helping them escape from abusive relationships and build new lives. I-tri girls, a free program, works to raise the self-esteem of middle school-aged girls on the Island’s East End by training them for a triathlon.

“[We need] to bring young girls into this discussion and to recognize that this isn’t just happening to us in our 20s and 30s and 40s, but this is happening to our 10-year-olds and our 12-year-olds, it’s so important,”
said Cindy Morris, chief operating officer of i-tri girls.

Many of the children in the program don’t know how to swim or ride a bike.

“We not only teach them how to set a goal, but we teach them how to work toward a goal,” Morris said. “And when you have done something that you think is impossible once, you are so likely to see yourself capable of doing that [again].”

Bethpage-based The Safe Center LI, Islandia-based Victims Information Bureau of Suffolk, and The Suffolk County Crime Victims Center all work to help victims of domestic abuse.

County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) said nonprofits are vital in educating young people and women. Many provide educational programs in schools.

“Women and children should not be afraid to speak up,” Anker said. “I think it’s really important presentations start in schools.”

Executive director of LIADV, Colleen Merlo, said in a phone interview local legislators are receptive to receiving advice on taking measures to end domestic and sexual abuse.

“This is the start of what’s going to be a years-long process to try to bring Long Island to a place that really is safe,” Merlo said. “Where men and women can feel safe from sexual assault. It’s going to take more work.”


• L.I. Against Domestic Violence — www.liadv.org / 631-666-7181

• i-tri girls — itrigirls.org / 631-902-3731

• Suffolk County Crime Victims Center — www.parentsformeganslaw.org / 631-689-2672

• The Safe Center LI — www.tscli.org / 516-465-4700

• Victims Information Bureau — www.vibs.org / 631-360-3730