Awareness helps put an end to domestic violence
There is an issue that affects the health and well being of millions of Americans every year, young and old, rich and poor, married and single, regardless of race, creed, or background. The issue is domestic violence.
Domestic violence is not an easy subject to talk about, or even read about. This month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, sheds light on a topic that many of us ignore, hoping someone else will do something about it.
According to a recent report from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), at least one in every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Right here in Idaho in 2003, there were 14,836 reports of domestic violence statewide. Since most incidents regarding domestic violence go unreported, this figure indicates a serious problem.
There are many types of domestic violence, but the common thread is that most of its victims are women. Domestic violence is often characterized by physical battering or sexual assault on the victim, with the batterer usually being a spouse or intimate partner. The violence may start slowly, escalating over time, which has the unfortunate affect of conditioning the victim to their situation. In some cases, domestic violence finally leads to death, with suicide or homicide ending the cycle of abuse for good.
Within a home environment, abuse filters down to every member of the household. Though a husband may beat his wife and not his children, the children can still be seriously affected by the violence surrounding them. They may become withdrawn at school, depressed, or angry. Older children and adolescents may act out through risky or anti-social behaviors. And since children learn through observation, these children may grow up violent, thus repeating the cycle.
In nearly 50 percent of cases, however, men who abuse their wives or partners also abused their children. Children who are abused carry the scars for the rest of their lives. They will have a difficult time functioning in school and social situations, and often turn to drugs, alcohol or sexual promiscuity at an early age.
Though domestic violence seems to occur equally in both rural and urban areas, lack of resources may limit intervention for victims who live in more isolated areas. Outreach organizations provide resources for those in need. For example, VAST, the Victim's Advocate Services Team based here in Sandpoint, is a major resource for domestic violence and abuse victims in Bonner County.
Before victims seek help through services like VAST, however, they often require external intervention of some kind. They may go for years, pretending that everything is OK on the outside, but inwardly living in fear of the next attack. They may feel alone and powerless in their suffering, not realizing that people are there to help. That's where we come in.
If you know someone who is being physically or sexually abused, or know of children who are being abused or neglected, it is your responsibility to report it. Though it may be easier to look the other way, helping to stop an abusive situation is our duty as citizens of this community. It may take some courage, but someone's mental and physical health, possibly even their life, may depend on it.
Our area has a wealth of caring and effective resources, including:
? VAST, (208) 265-3586
? Bonner General Hospital Social Services, (208) 263-1441
? Child Protection Services (CPS), (208) 265-4523
? Bonner County Sheriff's Office, (208) 263-8417
? Sandpoint Police Department, (208) 265-1482
? Emergency, 911