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By Cheyenne Taylor (from all of us at BOHCC)  Over the last nine years, Sandy Ziebold has led Beacon of Hope Crisis Center. She has molded this nonprofit into an organization with a proud legacy of inclusion, accessibility, and true support for survivors with unique needs and situations. We have all learned valuable lessons, with her setting the bar for excellence. Sandy has built personal relationships, made us feel seen and heard, and has made strides in supporting survivors and amplifying their needs. Sandy has never been afraid to create unique solutions to prevalent problems with limited answers in our communities. From our Foster Pet Program to our incorporation of Recite Me Accessibility Tools on our website, Sandy has embraced the need to look outside the box to get things done. She recognizes that all victims, human and pet alike, deserve to have a voice and have access to advocacy services that are free and confidential. She not only ensures that the survivors we serve are receiving timely and adequate services, but that our team is equipped with the tools, education, and compassion to serve. She provides support, education, and continuous guidance to her team as a servant leader. She is an example of a compassionate, dedicated, and deserving leader. After nine years of creating life-changing decisions for our agency and for the survivors we serve, we could not be more grateful to have Sandy as our CEO. Thank you, Sandy, for everything you have done and everything you will continue to do. Happy Nine years!
By: Cheyenne Taylor
A message from our CEO
Message from our CEO: Sandra Ziebold  This month, we are placing a heightened focus on educating as many people as possible about the reality that domestic violence is a public health issue. In too many cases, it is often also a medical emergency. Domestic violence is about power and control and is highly stressful. When you are stuck in fight or flight mode from long-term trauma, it can cause the stress hormone cortisol to reach very high levels. In stressful situations, your adrenal glands produce more cortisol. Sustained high-stress hormones can increase the risk of severe health problems. Thank you for helping us amplify our messaging this October during Domestic Violence Awareness Month and beyond. Your supportive shares, donated items, and financial gifts that enable us to help many, mean the world to us. The work that our victim advocates do every day is critical to helping those in need connect the dots to achieve safety and a future free from the grip of domestic violence. That knot of fear in a victim's gut can shrink and heal. Victim advocates are skilled at identifying lethality risk, and we want anyone living in emotional or physical fear because of violence to reach out and lean on us. We can help mitigate the barriers that seem impossible. In September alone, we served 102 new victims, and at the same time, our small, amazing team of victim advocates also provided 1,670 case management services to existing survivors. Out of the 102 new clients that requested assistance, eleven disclosed that they were homeless, ten disclosed a disability, twelve had limited English proficiency, three disclosed being in a same-sex relationship, one disclosed being deaf, six disclosed being immigrants, and four disclosed they were pregnant. Forty out of the one hundred and two cases had children living in the home, and sixteen of the one hundred and two cases had DCS involvement where the child/children were the victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault or witnessed the violence. Among the 102 new victims were 14 cases of stalking/harassment, one kidnapping, four violations of protective orders, and 22 victims of strangulation. The level of violence and the complexity of the situations are alarming among those we are serving, and we need your help to join in this fight with us to help so many suffering in this way in our community right here in central Indiana. Yes, this is happening in our neighborhoods. You may wonder why they don't just leave, but in many of these high-lethal situations, it is hard to get away, and letting anyone know could bring harm to the victim, as there is an increased threat to their lives as they seek to flee. According to the Violence Policy Center, research shows that state laws restricting those under domestic violence restraining orders from accessing firearms and laws allowing the warrantless arrest of those in violation of domestic violence restraining orders are associated with reductions in intimate partner homicide. Murder-suicides are horrific and violent events that often involve families, intimate partners, and children. The impact this violence has on survivors and communities is significant and all too often unacknowledged. Please continue to help amplify this message. Will you join us and help in whatever way is comfortable and within your time and financial means? This task is large, and we need you. References:
https://vpc.org/revealing-the-impacts-of-gun-violence/murder-suicide/ By: Deni O'Brien  Domestic violence itself is a threat to the safety of a victim, but some aggravating circumstances increase their risk of being greatly harmed or murdered. It's important to recognize these warning signs and educate victims on the threat this poses to them and the importance of fleeing. A couple of main indicators of a high lethality risk in abusive relationships are strangulation incidents and weapons in the home.
When a victim of domestic violence calls our crisis line for help, there are typically several things they are trying to solve at once. Often, they call about resources for shelter, long-term housing, employment, childcare, financial support, or filing for a protection order. Because a victim's health is often the last thing on their mind when fleeing and trying to tackle so many other things, we, as Victim Advocates, must take the time to address this with victims and assess for any health needs. When discussing the different types of abuse a victim has experienced, we listen carefully for any disclosure of strangulation or head injuries. Any history of strangulation puts a victim at higher risk of homicide at the hands of their abuser. Of women who experience intimate partner violence, 68% will experience near-fatal strangulation (Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention). The chance of homicide increases by 750% for victims who have experienced strangulation, compared to victims who have never been strangled (Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention). Strangulation means the obstruction of airflow and blood vessels in the neck, meaning loss of consciousness can happen within seconds, and death can occur in minutes. When a victim survives an incident of strangulation, they may experience damage to their throat tissue, memory loss, vision issues, psychosis, brain damage, and even death weeks after the incident due to respiratory complications or blood clots. Typically, victims and their loved ones are unaware of just how seriously strangulation should be taken and that their lives are at risk. Assessing if a victim has experienced strangulation from their abuser and educating them on the impacts can be a matter of life or death. A second thing Victim Advocates are on high alert for is if there are any weapons in the home. As Victim Advocates, we are not just asking if the abuser has threatened the victim with weapons. We want to know if the abuser even owns or has access to firearms. The presence of a gun in domestic violence situations increases the risk of homicide for women by 500%. More than half of women killed by gun violence are killed by family members or intimate partners (National Domestic Violence Hotline). Even after a victim has successfully fled abuse, people willing to commit homicide against their victims often will not be stopped by a protection order. Once we hear any mention of a weapon, safety planning is of utmost importance to protecting the lives of victims and their loved ones. A victim is not able to address something they are unaware of. The more knowledge they have, the better they can understand what this means for their health and safety. If you or somebody you know is experiencing domestic violence, we highly encourage you to reach out to our crisis line and connect with a Victim Advocate. We are here to educate victims, assist with their needs, and change the course of their lives. We want to see every victim we encounter become safe, healthy, and self-sufficient. By: Cheyenne Loper  If you have ever taken a psychology or sociology class, you may be familiar with the term “ACES.” Even if you are unaware of its meaning, it is something that can affect you or those you love. ACE stands for “Adverse Childhood Experience.” This is a concept that was a result of a study conducted in 1995-1997 by Kaiser Permanente. The study found that traumatic or adverse childhood experiences can result in health complications later in life, such as engaging in risky behavior, heart disease, or even early death. They are more likely to start smoking, drinking, or socializing with unhealthy people. Due to the seriousness of the effects of traumatic childhood experiences, a questionnaire was created to determine a child or adult’s ACE score. The score would indicate a person’s risk for future health complications. The questionnaire screens for things like abuse in the home, household challenges, or neglect before eighteen years of age. If you are a parent experiencing domestic violence, the impacts on your children may be long-lasting. The current impacts they may already be experiencing are PTSD, difficulty in school, or being more mature than other children their age (often by 7-10 years). In the future, they are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, commit violent crimes, or become a victim of domestic violence in their future relationships.
Domestic violence affects everyone in the household. A victim may want to believe that despite everything, their partner is a good parent. The evidence shows us otherwise. A child who sees a parent abused will experience adverse effects. If you or someone you know is being abused, please reach out to us today. Our advocates can assist with keeping victims and their children safe by creating safety plans, filing protection orders, or providing resources to help them become self-sufficient. If you or someone you know experienced abuse or neglect as a child and are still trying to heal, we can offer help connecting to counseling, support groups, or other mental health resources. To speak with a trained Victim Advocate, call our confidential crisis line at (317) 731-6140. In the case of an emergency, call 9-1-1. Reference: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/about.html By: Cheyenne Taylor  We were thrilled to meet with our law enforcement partners for this year's National Night Out events on August 6th. We joined many families, community members, and businesses in sharing information about our agency and our partnerships with law enforcement, eating great food, playing games, and connecting with the community and officers. Each year, we connect with more individuals and learn about the resources available for survivors in our community. This event not only allows our agency to share about our services and the great partnerships we have with law enforcement, but a chance to interact with community members who are victims themselves or know someone who is. Being a part of this event helps to bridge gaps and strengthen lasting partnerships. We want to thank our law enforcement partners for their part in continuously protecting the community and for being wonderful hosts. We are grateful to be a part of a community that cares.
By: Carol Whiteman, Vice-Chair BOHCC Board of Directors  Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention is for All Ages The month of June brings awareness to the vitally critical issue of elder abuse. June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month and World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is June 15th. We should take great concern in the care and treatment of our parents, grandparents, and other loved ones as they age through the final chapters of their lives.
There comes a point where the people that took care of us when we were young experience a role reversal and we take care of them at the end of their life span. I have personally lived through this with my own mother. I was not fortunate enough to be able to medically care for her in my home, I had to rely on the expertise and kindness of professionals in a skilled facility. Relying on others is the case for many of us that have had to witness the decline and loss of our parents. Nothing had prepared me for relying and trusting on the kindness of others for her care. I consider myself and my siblings very blessed that our mom was in great hands in the skilled nursing setting that she was in. Not everyone is blessed with an exceptional story though. There are countless examples of elders being abused in their own homes, and in facilities where they are placed. The elderly are taken advantage of too often. Scam artists and family members target the elderly for fraudulent requests for money and credit card information. Only 1 in 44 cases of financial abuse is reported, according to the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA). Sometimes we hear of caregivers taking advantage of and being physically or sexually abusive to the elderly. 90% of abusers are family members or trusted others (NAPSA). There are even abuse situations that involve the elderly that are called into our crisis call line. We all have to do our share to make sure these things do not happen. If it does occur, report it immediately and seek the help of a victim advocate if a loved one is impacted by domestic violence or sexual assault. We have to take action to protect and care for the elderly. If we do not take action, who will? By: Sandra Ziebold
Your support keeps our programs moving forward to help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault become self-sufficient by providing them with safety, education, and support.
Our focus in 2024 is on resiliency, and continued enhancement of safety, education, and support surrounding the risk and impact of traumatic brain injury which can result from blunt force head trauma and strangulation victimization amongst those we serve. We will continue to build on our strengths, providing outstanding human services advocacy programming, collaborative partnering, and evidentiary understanding that domestic and sexual violence are often a medical emergency. By: Cheyenne Taylor  Similarly to child abuse, we trust that our loved ones are safe in the hands of those closest to them; however, that is not always the case. Elder abuse can manifest in many ways, such as withholding food, not changing diapers, not bathing or showering, committing health care fraud, misusing funds, abandonment, or physical, sexual, and emotional violence1. This abuse can happen at the hands of a loved one, a hired caregiver, or even a stranger. It can occur in their home, a relative's, or a nursing home [1].
Warning Signs Include:
While some ailments might excuse these signs of abuse, they should be of concern if they come on suddenly or frequently without justifiable cause. It is critical to keep in contact with your elderly loved ones to be able to make note of these types of changes. Support victims of elder abuse by spreading awareness about this issue. If you have concerns about the care of an elderly loved one, talk with them and then report concerns to Adult Protective Services. If you or a loved one is experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, our agency can help you. To speak with a trained victim advocate, call our confidential crisis line at 317-731-6140. In the case of an emergency, call 9-1-1. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/elder-abuse/spotting-signs-elder-abuse |
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