Domestic Violence Headlines for the Week of March 3

Another week, another set of headlines that show domestic violence isn’t going anywhere. Here’s what you may have missed.

Louisiana Police Ask Public for Help Finding Abusers 

The Shreveport Police Department issued warrants on Wednesday for four men wanted for separate domestic violence incidents that occurred over the past several months. 

“We urge the public to come forward with any information regarding their whereabouts,” says the SPD. 

The suspects they’re looking for include:

• Cesare Rusel Pratt, who strangled a woman with whom he shares children in front of said children in February.
• Tradarren Mills, who struck a woman in the face who was suspected to be his girlfriend. This happened inside a Kroger grocery store in January. The survivor was three months pregnant at the time and reported she hugged a male coworker before Mills assaulted her. (Jealousy and possessiveness are red flags of domestic violence.)
• Dekeyun Gilyard, who struck his girlfriend several times in the face at their home in January. Four children under the age of 13 were present at the time. 
• Akil Smith, who strangled his girlfriend while her children were present last June.

Abusers who strangle are considered by many experts to be the most dangerous abusers. “When a woman is trying to get away from a strangler she’s in the most danger of her life,” says Casey Gwinn, JD, President of the Alliance for HOPE International. “If the system fails in holding him accountable, she could die.”

When children witness domestic violence, it doesn’t matter their age—the trauma will have an effect on them, from behavioral issues to chronic health conditions to being at risk of being with an abusive partner or becoming an abusive partner as an adult. An estimated 15.5 million children in the U.S. live in a household where partner violence has occurred at least once in the last year, with 7 million of those children witnessing severe violence. For ideas on how to best support children who have experienced abuse at home, read, “18 Ways to Support Children Who Witness Domestic Violence.”

The SPD can be reached at 318-673-7300.

Source: KSLA News

Radiologists Targeted to Identify Domestic Violence

Domestic violence survivors are found to undergo more imaging than those who are not being abused, says a report released this week in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. Researchers say that radiologists are in a unique position to help identify survivors of abuse who may not feel safe disclosing this to a doctor, possibly intervening to help them find support. 

Other observations radiologists may notice with survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) include:

•   IPV victims are more likely to cancel routine mammograms. 
•   IPV victims are most often seen in emergency departments, during overnight shifts and on weekends. 
•   Injuries are more common among women who report IPV, particularly cranial, facial and thoracic injuries. 
•   These women more often present with multiple injuries during a single visit or have numerous encounters with unique injuries at each visit. 

Domestic violence can present in a doctor’s office as some common injuries, many of which survivors will explain happened by accident. They include an ulna fracture survivors get from holding their arm up to protect their face from a hit and a traumatic brain injury (TBI) from strangulation. Survivors may not feel comfortable disclosing abuse for several reasons—they may feel like it’s somehow their fault (it’s not), they aren’t ready to admit that they’re being abused, their abuser is with them at the appointment and they’re afraid of repercussions, or they may fear they won’t be believed. 

For more information on how to report domestic violence if a healthcare professional doesn’t take your concerns seriously, read “What If Your Doctor Doesn’t’ Believe You?”

Source: HealthImaging.com

Ohio Wants to Make a DV-Only Court

Officials in Columbus, Ohio are in the early phases of creating a domestic violence-only court with hopes that it’ll make the process easier for survivors. Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein calls it “a win for public safety,” telling the local news station that a court dedicated to hearing domestic violence cases “not only helps victims turn their lives around and be protected and be the moms and dads they want to be, but it also promotes accountability for the abusers, getting them off the street, making sure they’re away from their families so they don’t victimize again.”

Victims of domestic violence can feel overwhelmed by the complexities of court—where to go, who to talk to, what forms to fill out depending on what they need. This can be a deterrent for many survivors who may not have the time or financial means to travel to multiple places seeking safety and justice. Not to mention, retelling one’s story of abuse to multiple court officials can be traumatizing. 

“The fear that they have experienced … and understanding who [they] can trust is really hard,” says Dr. Maria Houston-Beck, executive director of Lutheran Social Services CHOICES, which operates the only domestic violence shelter in Franklin County, Ohio.

This idea of a dedicated court for survivors of intimate partner violence is similar to what Family Justice Centers around the world are doing. Also known as an FJC, this singular location is where survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking and elder or dependent adult abuse can find all of the services they may need. The Centers focus on reducing the number of times survivors have to tell their stories and the number of places they must travel for help.

Court can be especially daunting for survivors with children. To learn more about the best way to prepare for court, read “Moms: Protect Yourself in Court.”

Source: NBC 4