Informational session raises domestic violence awareness

An advocate from Bradley Angle came to campus Tuesday night to share how to identify an abusive relationship and support loved ones who’ve become victims of domestic violence.

Suzzane Cawthra gave an hour-long presentation on the different types of abuse, the cycle of abuse and how to help loved ones in need.
Chris Gorsek, interim dean of social science and a retired Portland police officer, facilitated the meeting and interjected facts from the law enforcement side of domestic violence and explained that dating violence is also a concern in the realm of abuse.

Cawthra started by saying what Bradley Angle (4548 N. Albina Ave., Suite 101, Portland) offers as services. She said they have transitional housing, clothing, employment or job training, help applying for financial assistance, parenting support, health services, drug and alcohol support, connections to mental health counseling and domestic violence and life skills support groups.
Cawthra said that on average, it takes a survivor leaving seven times before leaving an abuser for good. She also said that the seventh time is the most dangerous time to leave an abuser and that’s when it’s important for members of a victim’s support system to be most available.

Asked how a family member or friend can be helpful in a situation involving domestic violence, Cawthra said, “We would never suggest intervening without the permission or by request of a victim because they are most aware of their safety level.”

At this point, Gorsek said, “Many times domestic violence calls are made by neighbors or outside parties and the victims are just as upset about the police being their as the abuser because police can only hold onto the abuser for 24 hours and they fear the repercussions of that process.”

Asked how arrests work when responding to a domestic violence call, Gorsek said, “If an officer has probable cause that a victim has been abused or menaced in some way, then they have no choice but to make an arrest regardless of what the victim wants. Sometimes both parties end up getting arrested if the officer can’t decide who initiated the contact.”

Cawthra said this is a result of the cycle of abuse since abusers often try to make the situation seem like they are the ones being hurt.

Gorsek and Cawthra explained the different types of abuse. Cawthra said that unfortunately the most visible type of abuse is physical but it reaches far beyond that. There are several different ways an abuser can control their partners: they can be initiating physical, sexual, emotional, economic abuse or abuse through isolation.

If concerned about a loved one who seems to be keeping the details of their relationship private, Cawthra said to watch if they are behaving differently.

Are they normally a bubbly person but seem subdued or emotionally catatonic? If they are showing a lack of emotion or are generally scared, then it may be time to check with them to see how they’re doing.

Gorsek said many people think of domestic violence as being within a household and between a man and a woman, but it can go much further than that. It can exist in same sex couples or in dating relationships.

Cawthra said that men being abused is estimated to be grossly under reported, oftentimes because there are fewer resources for men and because society doesn’t accept men being put in a position of weakness within a relationship.

Cawthra and Gorsek said they don’t know of any East County shelters and that the closest resource center, (although not a shelter) is the Gateway Domestic Violence Center at 10305 East Burnside St. Although it doesn’t have shelter facilities, it does offer food boxes, utility assistance, law enforcement, legal assistance, batterer intervention programs, and a 24-hour crisis line.

Asked how women should proceed if they’ve decided to leave their abuser but have no place to go, Cawthra said when advising a survivor she always asks first if they have a safety plan. Have they found shelter space or a family member’s home to go to? She also said that unfortunately, all shelter spaces are usually full on any given night. Bradley Angle only has openings once every five nights.

Bradley Angle also has vouchers to cover seven days of hotel costs, but those run out by the 15th of each month. She said budget cuts have severely depleted their funds but it’s also because the need for assistance has grown substantially.

She said that if the need for assistance through domestic violence assistance were to drop to zero and she was out of a job, t she would be very happy.

Those who are worried about their safety within their relationship are encouraged to call the Portland Women’s Crisis Line at             503-235-5333      .
A session on the legal aspects of domestic violence will be held by Gorsek Tuesday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Room 1005.

Types of Abuse:

Isolation
-An abuser may prevent their victim from accessing their support system by finding fault with the victim’s friends and family and cutting connections. One may also become angry, needy, or sick when the victim has plans with someone else.

Sexual
-This may manifest with pressure to have sex. The abuser’s actions may involve sulking, nagging, or anger to manipulate the partner into compliance. They may disregard or “forget” agreed boundaries. They start having sex with victim while they’re asleep. The abuser may demand sex from a tired or ill victim or withhold sex as a form of control. They may also lie about HIV/AIDS test results or refuse to share information.

Physical
-Punching, slapping, biting, pinching, pushing, throwing objects at victim and physical restraint are all forms of physical abuse. Anything that physically threatens a victim is considered abuse.

Emotional
-This may come in the form of belittling or insulting victim. Making victim feel bad about himself or herself or making the victim think he or she is crazy. It could also be by playing mind games, humiliating victim or making he or she feel guilty.

Economic
-Abuser may provide victim with an allowance or deliberately destroy the victim’s credit to limit future financial options. This forces the victim to rely on the abuser for living situations and major purchases such as cars and property. Abuser may also not allow victim to get or keep a job or take the money earned by the victim.
Gathered from Bradley Angle

Additional Information:

Every nine seconds a woman is assaulted or beaten in the U.S.
Studies suggest that up to 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence every year.
Nearly one in five teenage girls who have been in a relationship said a boyfriend threatened violence or self-harm if presented with a breakup.Men who witness domestic violence by their parents growing up are twice as likely to abuse their own wives than sons of nonviolent parents.
Everyday in the U.S. more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends.
Gathered from domesticviolencestatistics.org
Six things to say to someone in a violent relationship:

I am afraid for your safety.
I am afraid for the safety of your children.
It will get worse.
There is help — you are not alone.
You deserve better than this.
It’s not your fault.
Gathered from materials posted in the Social sciences department

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