Family Violence Issues Need Attention
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October is domestic violence awareness month in Alaska.
Cynthia Maughs, strangled. Rachel Peace strangled and burned. Mona Edwards, shot. Maela Crabtree, shot. Susan Bailey, beaten to death. And the list goes on and on.
For eighteen of the last twenty-five years Alaska has too often led the nation in violence against women and children. From domestic violence and sexual assault to child abuse, the devastating effects are being felt from Alaska’s smallest village to its largest city.
Last month the Violence Policy Center ranked Alaska number one for the rate of females murdered by males in the single victim/single offender category. In addition, between 1999 and 2004, there were over 18,000 domestic violence related charges statewide.
In Anchorage, a recent draft report released by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Anchorage Police Department shows our community facing the same trends as the rest of Alaska. On average, APD responds to eleven domestic violence calls per day.
Between July 2004 and July 2005 a new incident of domestic violence occured every 90 minutes in Alaska.
Why?
Domestic violence is a complex social problem that is aggravated by Alaska’s high rate of alcohol and drug abuse. The root causes come from factors such as trans generational behavior where children of abusive parents believe violence is acceptable. Isolation from extended family in both rural and urban communities as well as skewed societal role models that lead batterers to believe it’s okay to control their partners with physical, sexual, verbal, emotional and economic abuse.
Statewide averages show roughly 80% of victims are female and 20% are male. Given the reality that women traditionally earn less than men, female victims routinely show up at local shelters with little or no resources and usually with children.
Economics is just one of the reasons why victims endure an average of seven domestic violence incidents before they leave the abusive relationship. Other factors of why victims stay include fear of losing child custody, cultural attachment to strong family values, fear of harm to family pets and yes -even love.
Caught in the crossfire are children. According to statistics, roughly 60% of domestic violence calls involve children witnessing the incident. Studies have shown that this is the strongest risk factor for transmitting violence from one generation to the next.
Statewide, the number of victims seeking refuge at domestic violence shelters is growing.
At the Abused Women’s Aid In Crisis Center (AWAIC) in Anchorage, they reported over 16,000 shelter nights last year. In the Mat-Su Valley, an area that has ranked at the top of a growing trend of domestic violence, the local crisis center provided 4,600 shelter nights last year.
So what can we do?
Alaska is blessed with a dedicated group of professionals committed to serving the needs of domestic violence victims. But in order to finally turn the corner on this destructive behavior, they need a stronger commitment from the state to hold offenders accountable.
An overburdened court system combined with a crime that sometimes yields limited evidence allows offenders to plead down. Offenders who plead down are commonly sentenced to anger management courses rather than certified batterer intervention programs. However consistent research shows anger management courses do very little to address domestic violence. Anger management deals with momentary outbursts of anger; domestic violence is far more calculated.
State laws need to be strengthened to mandate offenders attend a certified batterers intervention program; increased training for law enforcement and child custody investigators, greater data gathering and the biggest impact would be a dedicated domestic violence court program similar to the highly effective alcohol & drug courts.
In short, state government must begin to recognize that stronger sentencing and greater accountability will bring immediate relief. In addition, making adequate investments in prevention and education through the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and Alaska Legal Services will help mitigate the rising expense domestic violence creates through increased health care, law enforcement, court and corrections costs.
October is domestic violence awareness month in Alaska.
Gwendolyn Iyatunguk shot. Doris Folger shot. Gail Dorr shot. Brenda Wallner stabbed in front of her 8 year old. Susan Willams shot in front of her 6 and 3 year old.
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