October 15, 2008
TWC Employees Leah Walsh (left) and Chelsea Gulling provide information about Domestic Violence in the hospital lobby on Oct. 8.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Silence won't stop domestic violence
by Michelle DeWitt, Tundra Women's Coalition Executive Dir.
Family violence. Interpersonal violence. Domestic violence. Enelgutkellriit uvitacurlalallrat. Many names describe this problem which causes harm to so many people that we care about.
The month of October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and it gives each of us an opportunity to reflect on how family violence affects us, our friends, co-workers, loved ones, and our communities.
And this is important because silence surrounding domestic violence is what allows that abuse to thrive. We hear people say things like "I don't want to get into their business," or "I don't want to get involved." And with those responses, domestic violence flourishes, sometimes hidden and other times ignored.
But there is simply too much at stake to allow domestic violence to be hidden, or to be ignored. Too many lives are at risk. Too many children are growing up in violent, unhealthy homes. Too many victims are isolated, must receive care at the Emergency Department, must flee to the shelter or a relative's home seeking safety or are verbally abused.
What do those numbers look like for Tundra Women's Coalition?
TWC's emergency shelter took in 203 adults and 230 children in FY08-the majority of them fleeing domestic violence. The shelter hosted a total of 5,139 nights-meaning that on average every night that year, 14 people were living in the shelter. Many, many other services were also provided to victims of domestic violence (protective order assistance, hundreds of crisis calls, emergency transportation, etc.).
The trend over recent years in TWC's shelter is younger parents coming from multigenerational cycles of violence, increased shelter nights and an overall increase in people served from year to year. This population receiving services reflects regional demographics: the YK Delta is a young, growing area.
Breaking the Cycle
Melanie Fredericks, Shelter Manager, recently completed her certification in Rural Human Services. She interviewed several young women fitting the trend previously mentioned who were using TWC as a shelter resource. What she found is that many of these young parents had grown up in homes with abuse and are now experiencing an array of issues (substance abuse, homelessness, domestic violence, etc.) as opposed to experiencing one main form of abuse (domestic violence) as their parent had. This illustrates the effects violence in the home has on children-though it's not an excuse for adult behavior, as many adults who grow up with domestic violence make choices to break those cycles.
What is important to remember is that domestic violence is not a hopeless issue. With the care and support of people in all roles-family, friends, co-workers, Tribal systems, non-profit organizations, state and municipal systems-it is possible to stop these cycles.
But each entity must find a way to decrease barriers, not establish them. So often, victims encounter barrier after barrier when they finally ask for help. When Elena Aluskak, CAC Program Manager at TWC, was asked to discuss the main barriers facing victims of domestic violence in the Delta her response was "nowhere for victims to go, problems getting help from agencies, misinterpretation of advice and cultural beliefs, and the lack of mutual understanding between justice systems and Tribal people." Organizations and service providers must find ways to partner and help families experiencing abuse. It will take those partnerships to create the environment for positive change.
Communication a Key to Prevention
Domestic Violence Awareness Month also gives us a chance to think about prevention. Communicating about domestic violence, teaching our young people to watch out for the signs of abuse, screening patients, hanging posters, role-modeling nonviolence-each of these are simple things we can do to send messages that family violence is not acceptable and we don't want it in our communities. Each of these small things, and many more, break the silence that allows domestic violence to thrive.
How to Respond
Many people say they want to help someone they are worried about, but they don't know how to bring up the issue of family violence. These statements can help people feel supported without confrontation:
I'm worried about you. If you ever need to talk, I'll be here to listen.
I've noticed some signs that make me worry about the safety of you and your children. Please feel free to talk to me whenever you want.
If you make a statement like this, hold up your end of the bargain. It may be weeks, months, years or never, but the person who is being abused won't forget what you've said, and they may ask for the support you've offered. Help them create a plan for safety. Help them brainstorm lists of resources.
Most importantly, don't give up. Change takes time. People don't find a way to live without violence overnight. TWC is often approached by people who were helped two decades ago-who finally today have had the strength to make permanent changes.
Poem written by a TWC program participant:
You say Me
You lose your keys, who's to blame
You say Me
Things go wrong for you at work, who's to blame
You say Me
We argue when I disagree, who's to blame
You say Me
I lay in isolation to keep the peace, who's to blame
You say Me
You drag me out of bed while sleeping, who's to blame
You say Me
Watch you nearly stab a man, who's to blame
You say Me
You put a gun to my head, who's to blame
You say Me
Screaming with terror you try and suffocate me,
who's to blame
You say me
A Foundation for Care of Victims of Violence
by Colleen Palacios RN, SANE-A, SART Member
Any violence, and especially domestic violence, has immediate health consequences and can also result in life-threatening conditions that affect victims and survivors throughout their lives.
Screening, identification and treatment of abuse victims is a preventative health care strategy.
Recent studies have shown experiencing violence puts victims at a 70 percent higher risk for heart disease, an 80 percent higher risk for stroke, a 60 percent higher risk for asthma and a 70 percent higher risk for heavy drinking. Victims are more likely to need a cane or wheelchair and they engage in more heath risk behaviors such as smoking and overeating compared to people who have never experienced violence. Violence is a public health issue as it is the leading cause of death and disability globally.
No one deserves to be abused
Every one person out of four people in Alaska has either been in a violent relationship or knows someone who has been. We know that coordinated approaches are the best way to stop violence and to hold offenders accountable.
The SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) is a community collaboration among services including Bethel Police Department, Alaska State Troopers, Tundra Women's Coalition and YKHC Medical and Social Services. This partnership enhances the ability of victims to access immediate comprehensive care to minimize trauma and it encourages victims to utilize community resources. The SART process can also facilitate the criminal investigation and prosecution of offenders.
October 8 was designated as "Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day." A table of materials for medical professionals and for the public was set up in the hospital lobby. "Safety Bear" from the Troopers greeted the children and the young at heart. Various SART members were available to help educate our community on the effects of violence.
Purple awareness ribbons are October's theme as the color serves to remind us of the bruises victims receive. SART members are delivering posters and other educational materials to work areas.
Everyone has a right to live free of violence. By joining forces with other community partners the SART members can help improve the Health Care System's response to violence. SART members can be activated at any time through the Emergency Department to assist with any patient or staff needs.
