MONROE, La., (KNOE 8 News) - Domestic violence is running at high levels in Northern Louisiana according to a recent report.
In 2011, law enforcement reported documented domestic and dating violence cases in the fifteen Northeast LA parishes were running over three times the national average.
The statistics show that, in her lifetime, 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence against them, based on the generally accepted definition of the act: Domestic violence is a pattern of coercive, controlling behavior that escalates in severity and danger over time. Domestic violence can include physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, or financial abuse.
It's also worthwhile to note that men and couples in same-sex relationships can also become victims of domestic violence.
Costs of intimate partner violence against women alone in 1995 exceeded an estimated $5.8 billion. These costs included nearly $4.1 billion in the direct costs of medical and mental health care and nearly $1.8 billion in the indirect costs of lost productivity. This figure is generally considered to be an underestimation, because the costs associated with the criminal justice system were not included.
Children are particularly vulnerable as both victims and witnesses to domestic violence. Children exposed to violence are more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs, and/or run away from home. Men exposed to domestic violence as children are twice as likely to abuse their own partners and children when they become adults. (Strauss et al, 1990)
Domestic violence is a blow to all of us! According to the CDC in Atlanta, death or injury may be a direct result of the physical violence. Other results are damage to the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, endocrine and immune systems through chronic stress or other mechanisms.
The good news in all this is that services are available at the Family Justice Center in Monroe or any Wellspring office. These can include:
Food
Clothing
Hospital/medical care
Counseling and support groups
Housing referrals
First month's rent and utility deposit
Assistance getting benefits
Financial literacy and empowerment
Relocation
Transportation
Child care
Protective orders
Job search, continuing education or job training
Parenting training
Court advocacy
Community referrals
For Those in the Community
24-hour telephone crisis intervention
Safety planning
Counseling and support groups
Financial literacy and empowerment
Community referrals
Community education and awareness
Teen dating violence awareness
All services are free and confidential.
Also, it's important to note that there are six things you can do if you think someone you know is experiencing domestic violence:
1. Call the police if you see or hear violence in progress.
2. Learn about domestic violence services in your community like those provided by The Wellspring and Family Justice Center (info at wellspringalliance.org).
3. Give time, resources or money. Distribute domestic violence awareness materials at your workplace, school, or church. Arrange for informational and educational presentations or training for your church, civic, social and professional groups.
4. If you have a friend or co-worker who is afraid of his or her partner or who is being hurt, offer your support and refer them to The Wellspring.
5. Model a respectful attitude toward your spouse in your home, with your family, and in your workplace. Avoid behaviors that demean or control others.
6. Build support among your colleagues and neighbors that abusive behavior and language is not tolerated in your neighborhood.
For more information or for help or advice you can call the Wellspring helpline at (318) 323-1505 or 1-800-716-7233, 24/7.
