Thank you, Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation

Oct 14, 2021 | News

Rainbow House receives a grant from the Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 13th, 2021

 

“October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and the timing of the Bond Foundation’s support of our agency couldn’t be better”, says Courtney Olson, Executive Director.   Rainbow House Domestic Abuse Services received a $12,750 grant from the Leon H. and Clymene M. Bond Foundation.  This grant supports the expansion of our Oconto Secure Digital Imaging Forensic Evidence camera collaboration with Law Enforcement.

 

Strangulation has been identified as one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence and sexual assault: unconsciousness may occur within seconds and death within minutes. When domestic violence perpetrators strangle their victims, not only is this felonious assault, but it may be an attempted homicide.  Strangulation is an ultimate form of power and control where the batterer can demonstrate control over the victim’s next breath: it may have devastating psychological effects or a potentially fatal outcome.

Responding Oconto County Law Enforcement Officers ask each victim a series of eleven questions, known as the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) when called to the scene of an act of domestic violence.  In our community, over 40% of victims surveyed indicated that their partner has strangled them.  While strangulation is one of the few automatic felony charges in domestic violence cases, it’s difficult to prove.  That changed this year, when Rainbow House responded to this local problem by acquiring a Secure Digital Forensic Imaging camera.  Officers have been trained, and the District Attorney is working with a Forensic Nurse Examiner as Expert Witness to testify in such cases.

The Bond Foundation grant further enhances our system offering an encrypted online data system.  Unlike a crime scene that can be taped off and held for forensic photographers, forensic nurse examiners and officers must take legal court-ready digital pictures of living individuals.  This means there’s a limited amount of time to collect and capture evidence that resides on the victim or their clothes. The sensitive nature of these pictures demands the highest level of security, beyond what is typically expected.  This grant allows for the expansion of our system, so that court evidence is permanently and securely stored.

“We are so grateful for the Bond Foundation”, said Associate Director Jessica Honish.  “We could not accomplish our mission without such strong community support”.

For more information on how to help someone experiencing domestic violence, please visit our website at www.therainbowhouse.us  or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RainbowHouseDomesticAbuseServices/  Help us available 24/7 at

(715) 735-6656 (crisis line) or (906) 290-9081 (text) line).  All services are free and confidential.

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PO Box 1172, Marinette, WI 54143 (800) 956-6656. 1530 Main St, Marinette, WI 54143 (715) 735-6656   fax: (715) 735-7293 1008B Pecor Street, Oconto, WI 54153 (920) 834-5299    fax: (920) 834-5330 www.TheRainbowHouse.us

Advice: How to Help a Friend

Sep 28, 2021 | News

From One Love Foundation:

With all the news coverage around Gabby Petito’s disappearance and murder, you may be feeling like many of us at One Love. Sickened and saddened to see another young life lost; wishing that something could have been done to prevent this. Gabby’s death is a tragedy and our hearts are broken for her and those who loved her.

And yet, Gabby is one person and her death is one tragedy. As part of the One Love community, you likely know the statistics – that three women a day are killed by their partners in this country, and more than 1 in 3 women, nearly 1 in 3 men, and 1 in two trans or nonbinary people will be in an abusive relationship in their lifetimes.Unhealthy relationships occur among all races/ethnicities and socio-economic classes. According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), 51% of American Indian/Alaska Native women and 41.2% of black/African American women have experienced physical violence by an intimate partner during their lifetime. It’s these statistics that drive us to do this work – helping young people understand the signs of an unhealthy relationship before it becomes abuse. Before the worst possible thing can happen.

Reading the accounts of those who knew Gabby, we can see they saw some signs, but they likely didn’t know what to do or how to respond. Over the last seven years, the question we get asked repeatedly from young people is, “How do I help my friend in an unhealthy situation?” In our workshops, we share tangible steps and advice on this, and today, we are bringing that advice right to your inbox. If you think something might be off in a friend’s relationship, we encourage you to use the tips below to start a conversation with your friend.

We are committed to helping everyone recognize the warning signs of an unhealthy relationship to prevent this story from repeating itself. Y
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How to help a friend in an unhealthy relationship

If you’ve noticed signs that a friend’s relationship may be off, you’ve probably wanted to approach them about it. But you may wonder: If I speak up will it push them away? Or worse, will I lose them altogether? While it’s natural to struggle with thoughts like these, know that your support could be exactly what your friend needs to take steps to safely exit their relationship. And remember, always trust your gut – if you think something is off, it probably is. So don’t be afraid to speak up or get help – you could save a life.

1️⃣ Start the conversation on a calm and positive note by being friendly, not preachy. Be supportive and let your friend open up about the situation on their own terms. If you’re having trouble starting the conversation, try using examples from TV shows or movies. It can be easier to talk about unhealthy behavior among fictional characters versus real life.

2️⃣ Focus on the unhealthy behaviors you’ve seen rather than their partner. Don’t label their partner as abusive as it might be hard for them to see their partner that way or cause them to shut down. Instead, ask questions about how a behavior you witnessed made your friend feel. For example, instead of saying “I think your partner is being a jerk, why do you put up with that?” ask “How does it make you feel when they won’t let you go to a party?

3️⃣ Don’t place the blame on your friend. Help your friend understand that what they are experiencing isn’t normal and that it’s not their fault.

4️⃣ Give your friend a list of options and resources to empower them to make their own decision about what to do next. While we can give advice, we can’t force anything. Some of these options include visiting the school counselor or the campus violence prevention center, talking to trusted adult, or even calling the National Domestic Violence Helpline. Ask a trusted adult for help if you aren’t sure what to do. And never try to force your friend into a decision – by demanding that they leave their partner or admit to abuse, you are mimicking the same type of controlling behavior they already experience from their partner.

5️⃣ Expect more conversations in the future. The goal is to let your friend know you care and are available when they need to talk. It’s unlikely that the situation changes from one conversation, so be prepared to have more talks like this in the future.

6️⃣ Remember to take care of yourself too – if you need to distance yourself a little bit, that’s okay. It can be taxing on you, which is why there should be a support system of other people involved. You might need to find someone else to talk to about the situation, like a counselor.

If you aren’t comfortable talking 1:1 with them, consider talking to another friend or parent who might be noticing these behaviors too, and ask them for help with approaching the situation.
For more support please visit the resources on real-time resources page.

Thank you, Greater Green Bay Community Foundation!

Sep 17, 2021 | News

On behalf of the survivors of domestic violence we serve, Rainbow House is grateful for the support of the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation.  Rainbow House received $19,721 through the Funds for Greater  Green Bay to acquire a forensic evidence camera and software system dedicated to our Oconto community.  The camera system can detect evidence such as bruising, gun powder residue, and bodily fluids not visible to the naked eye.  Such evidence helps ensure that victims get the medical care they need, and that perpetrators are legally held accountable for their actions in domestic violence cases.  More than 40% of Oconto victims of domestic violence report having been strangled or “choked” by their partners.  Yet in most instances of this high-risk crime, there is no visible evidence to prosecute this felony charge.  As a result of this new technology, law enforcement is better able to document evidence when responding to such calls.

The Greater Green Bay Community Foundation has also provided an additional $12,000 through their Women’s Fund of Greater Green Bay to offer the counseling services of a Licensed Clinical Therapist in our Oconto County Outreach Office.   As always, all services offered by the Rainbow House are completely free and confidential.

Stronger Together: How GGBCF Strengthens Our Community

Charitable funds at the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation award grants to more than 500 community initiatives and award more than 125 scholarships to students each year. These grants and scholarships are made possible by generous donors who have established or contributed to funds at the Community Foundation.

Our mission of connecting caring people with solutions that strengthen our community is alive and thriving – and evident in our grant and scholarship programs.