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By: Cheyenne Taylor and Sandra K. Ziebold  When discussing crime and prevention in domestic violence, we must discuss escalation. Escalation describes when abuse intensifies, either suddenly or gradually. It can also include perpetrating another form of abuse. Victims might stay with their abusers because they believe they can "handle" the abuse. They think things will improve and be how they used to be or blame themselves. When abuse escalates, victims might start realizing they do not have control and feel trapped in the relationship. Escalation also occurs when victims are considering leaving or have attempted to end the relationship. Reports show that 75% of all serious injuries in abusive relationships happen when the victim ends the relationship (National Domestic Violence Hotline). Identifying abuse is happening is the first step to getting help, but finding the courage to leave with limited self-confidence can be extremely challenging. We encourage victims to connect with supportive services to plan their exit, discuss the abuse to build their network, speak with professionals, and take necessary belongings when fleeing. Abuse thrives behind closed doors. Perpetrators of domestic violence rely on the silence of their victims to keep them trapped in the cycle of violence. As allies, we can all be there to listen and believe victims who come forward to report, seek help, or talk about their experiences.  Our efforts here at Beacon of Hope Crisis Center are heavily focused on those most at risk of violent domestic violence victimization. In partnership with law enforcement, we are helping to reduce violence and the chance of felony assaults and domestic homicides by working to intervene early before domestic violence escalates. Providing victims with intervention and prevention services helps to reduce crime in our community. It can take approximately seven attempts before a victim permanently leaves an abusive partner. Many factors are at play, and the risk of death is highest when fleeing. The earlier we can intervene and provide mitigation options for all the barriers facing these victims before the violence escalates, the better for us all. The harm to pets, children, and primary victims is exponential, and with each passing day and traumatic incident, the damage compounds. It's more than the horrific long-term trauma, physical life-altering harm inflicted on many and the risk of death; it is also the shaping of the minds and behaviors of the silent witnesses to these crimes. Many children are at significant risk because they witness this model of unhealthy relationship behavior, and sadly, many then become victims or abusers. We must do all that we can to help break the cycle. By intervening early, we can help the primary and secondary victims by giving them the chance for a new, safe life free from the grip of domestic violence. When we can intervene early and get victims safe before domestic violence escalates, we are helping to reduce violence and the chance of felony assaults and domestic homicides. Beacon of Hope Crisis Center served 1,430 new victims of crime in 2022. While serving those new victims, we provided 35,580 case management services and 12,022 follow-ups to existing survivors seeking services. To better serve those in need in our community, we continue to enhance our services, intake process, and accessibility. Out of the 1,430 new victims that requested assistance, two hundred and three disclosed that they were homeless, thirty-four that they were in a same-sex relationship, one hundred and twenty-seven had a disability, sixty-eight had limited English, twenty-eight were undocumented, six were deaf, six were veterans, and forty-eight were pregnant. Six hundred and eight out of the one-thousand four-hundred and thirty cases had children living in the home, and two-hundred and three of the one-thousand four-hundred and thirty had DCS involvement where the child/children were the victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault or witnessed the violence.  Domestic violence is not just physical. It can be emotional, verbal, financial, psychological, sexual, spiritual, and social. Often, in the cycle of abuse, as abusive situations escalate, things do become physical. The prevalence of head trauma and events of strangulation are unfortunately high in this population. It makes screening for brain injury in the intake process when working with individuals who have experienced domestic violence crucial. Too frequently, this is not identified or not identified timely and prolongs the suffering of those who have sustained this trauma. As mentioned earlier, we continue to improve our intake process. This is very exciting because we are asking the right questions, and we need to ask them to intervene in a timely manner. This means that our enhanced intake process is identifying those who have sustained head and neck trauma and strangulation victimization faster. When a victim meets the criteria for critical medical imaging and potential brain injury assessment, we educate them about the medical emergency and refer them for critical medical services. This is a life-saving measure, and we are so proud of this innovative approach! In addition to our intervention and prevention services giving victims access to safety and services and helping to reduce the escalation of crime by abusers, it also can lead to reduced runs by law enforcement to 911 domestic calls. Every time an officer responds to a domestic, the risk of harm to the officers increases with each repeat call because violence escalates. Additionally, men who strangle women are the most dangerous men on the planet. Data shows that cop killers and mass murderers almost always have a history of strangling victims. According to Casey Gwinn, President and Co-Founder of Alliance for Hope International, “Domestic violence stranglers, usually after being trauma-exposed children, are the why of mass murders, and guns are the how." We must intervene as early as possible; we must continue to try to intervene as many times as needed. We must offer prevention services and provide access to everyone; that is critical to mitigate barriers. In 2022, our agency served 301 new victims who reported strangulation victimization in one year. We continue to see a high monthly average of those we serve reporting strangulation victimization. Our intervention and prevention services unequivocally are vital to crime reduction, and a collaborative multi-disciplinary approach is how we best serve those in need.  One of the main ways we intervene and prevent further violence is by educating victims on escalation, dangers of strangulation, safety planning, and much more. The more knowledge a victim has in their pocket, the better they can anticipate their abuser's actions, what that means for their safety, and how to respond accordingly. Victims unaware of the dangers often experience multiple strangulation events and think they are OK. They might experience behavior changes, headaches, vision issues, and other symptoms due to the trauma to their head and neck. Victims often turn away the option of seeking immediate medical care due to a lack of education and knowledge about the risks they are facing. We are here to help victims learn, access help, and change the course of their lives. In many cases, we prevent felony assaults and domestic homicides.  Make a Financial Contribution to Help Victims of Crime By Katie Foley  Life is full of unexpected changes and we often recognize those changes when it happens to those closest to us. What happens if you start noticing negative changes in a loved ones life? What are the signs of these changes?
Maybe you’ve noticed bruises on a friend or maybe they are constantly negative and showing you a significant change in their confidence. Maybe you’ve even noticed a change in their attitude or personality. Their scarf collection is growing. They don’t laugh anymore. They are always checking their phone and letting their significant other know where they are. While you thought they were always happy, you’re now beginning to question if something is wrong. Reality: domestic violence and abuse can happen to anyone. Sometimes, though, problems are pushed under the table or even denied. Noticing the signs of an abusive relationship can be the first step to ending it. If you immediately think of someone in your life that relates to the points below then we encourage you to take the first step and reach out. There is available help and no one should ever live in fear. Change in habits When someone becomes obsessive about updating their partner on their location or daily activities this may be a sign that something is wrong. Other changes in daily routine and habits may bring light to something more going on behind closed doors. For example, your sister used to always put on makeup, get manicures, and workout. Now, all she does is sulk around and seems to have lost self-confidence. It is possible those changes are the result of domestic violence. Constantly on edge Do they fear their partner all of the time? Do they try everything in their power to never make their partner angry? Are they always complaining of never doing anything right? If answering “yes,” then it is time to step in and help them realize that they aren’t helpless, but that they are worthy of help. Physical wounds Bruises. Scratches. Black Eyes. Jammed Fingers. Lacerations. Above are “obvious” giveaways of physical abuse. Realize that abusers are smart, so these wounds could possibly be in hidden places. Take notice and start asking questions. They’re not communicating While this may seem superficial, it’s important to start noticing how they are communicating is it via text, phone calls, and social media. If they no longer are on social media or even less active – you may have your first sign. If you also notice that your loved one has a “phone manager” and isn’t texting you as often or maybe isn’t even allowed to talk to certain people, then it might be time to talk. Faking emotions “You’ll never find someone else that will love you.” The lie above is a sign that your loved one is being manipulated to stay in a bad situation. If you are noticing that they are forcing smiles and laughs – then it could be time to take action. The more they are faking and lying, the more they will be manipulated to a point of serious abuse. If you or a loved one are a victim of feeling these emotions – it’s time to take back your life. At Beacon of Hope Crisis Center, we are committed to breaking the cycle while empowering victims and survivors to take back their life. From providing emotional support to safety planning, let us be your advocate. For more information, contact our hotline at: (317) 731-6140. By Savannah Tipton  Domestic violence is present in all communities regardless of age, race, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, religion, or nationality. Despite its prevalence we still have a hard time talking about it. We cannot begin addressing the problem if we cannot have a conversation about it. What can you do? It’s simple, you can start by learning more about domestic violence today.
Domestic violence is a systematic pattern of power and control in any intimate relationship. Abuse can be physical, emotional/psychological, verbal, financial, spiritual, or sexual. There may be no physical marks that someone is abused and each situation is unique. Since the effects of domestic violence can be hidden, we need to stand together and speak up against domestic violence. The cycle of abuse helps us to understand the patterns of domestic violence. It starts with tension building, a period that might include verbal abuse as the abuser becomes agitated or critical. That is followed by a violent outburst. After the outburst, the abuser is very apologetic and may ask for forgiveness. The cycle is not set on any designated time frame and can change over the course of a relationship. Understanding the cycle of abuse can help victims along with their families and friends identify abuse. Victim Advocates at Beacon of Hope Crisis Center are here to help. If you are a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault Contact Us today to get help. If you are in a life-threatening situation, call 9-1-1 immediately. Share statistics, resources in your area, stories, and more to help the victims in your life. |
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This blog is about our domestic and sexual violence crisis center, Beacon of Hope. We hope you find it full of helpful information, motivation, creativity, serious facts and positivity. We hope that it will help you know what is happening in our center, in our community and with our events. We hope you follow our blog in support of our organization and our mission. Archives
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