Nov 17, 2019 | News
Are you interested in a quick way to support survivors of domestic violence? Rainbow House now has a wish list:
Click here for Amazon Wish List!
Nov 2, 2019 | News
Thanks to a generous donation from Banfield Foundation, Rainbow House is able to assist qualifying survivors with veterinary care for their companion animals. You do not have to be a resident of Rainbow House to qualify. Outreach clients receiving services are eligible to apply as well.
The Safer Together Initiative
The Banfield Foundation is committed to raising awareness of the link between domestic violence and animal abuse by committing to invest agencies such as the Rainbow House through its new
Safer Together initiative. The program was designed to help create a world where victims of domestic violence and their pets can find safety together.
Research suggests up to 89 percent of pet-owning domestic violence victims report their abuser has either threatened, injured or killed the family pet1. As many as 48 percent of victims remain in an abusive relationship because they fear for the safety of their pet2. However, with a mere estimated six to ten percent of domestic violence shelters allowing animals onsite (Rainbow House has an onsite kennel!), the need to create and grow support for pet-friendly programs feels both critical and urgent to protect the human-animal bond and ultimately, save lives.
“Through our work and the work of other outstanding organizations, we hope to create a world where victims never have to choose between their own safety and the safety of their loved ones, including their pets. Victims often remain in a dangerous environment because they do not have access to a pet-friendly shelter or program, and we believe saving the life of a pet can save the life of a human,” said Kim Van Syoc, Executive Director, Banfield Foundation. “Pets play an essential role in families, particularly during crises, and that includes domestic violence. Keeping pets safe and healthy helps ensure they remain a vital part of their family support system, which we believe will lead to better outcomes for both people and pets.”
The foundation’s new Safer Together grant program enables qualifying nonprofit organizations, such as the Rainbow House, to apply for funding as they increase their capacity to help people and pets escaping domestic violence. Rainbow House’s grant funding will largely focus on ensuring pets have access to preventive and emergency veterinary care.
“Veterinary care is essential to providing comprehensive services to human and animal victims of domestic violence. Because domestic violence is about power and control, many victims are prevented from seeking veterinary care for their pets by their abuser,” said Myra Rasnick, Executive Director of Ahimsa House, the first and only domestic violence foster program in Georgia. “Approximately 95 percent of pets entering our program require some form of veterinary care whether preventive or emergency to treat injury or illness due to abuse and neglect. Veterinarians play a crucial role in not only treating these pets, but also recognizing the signs of animal cruelty. Making the connection between animal cruelty and domestic violence makes veterinarians a lifeline for victims of domestic violence, providing earlier intervention that can help save both animal and human lives.”
Oct 21, 2019 | News
A huge thank you to Procter and Gamble Paper Products of Green Bay for filling our shelter with paper towels and baby wipes at the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month! Thanks to Theresa Sobieck, our local TJ Maxx Representative, and her wonderful husband who works at Procter and Gamble.
RAINBOW HOUSE PLANS TO PROVIDE CELLULAR PHONE SERVICE PLANS TO SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30th, 2019
Rainbow House Domestic Abuse Services received $350 from the Women’s Giving Circle Endowment Fund held at the M&M Area Community Foundation. These funds will support survivors of domestic violence in being able to connect with essential services.
Many people donate used cell phones, with the understanding that these items support victims of domestic violence. While these phones help, without a service plan, the only number that can be dialed is 911. However, there are so many more resources that a survivor needs to access in order to develop safety long-term. For example, victims of domestic violence may need to establish and maintain contact with community support, healthcare providers, the court system, attorneys, schools, employers, and Rainbow House.
“We are grateful to the M&M Community Foundation Women’s Giving Circle for providing this funding, as it will purchase ten thirty-day unlimited data plans to survivors of domestic violence”, says Jessica Honish, Lead Advocate.
Our mission is simple. We believe: No one deserves to be abused be it emotionally, physically, or sexually. Our prime service is the safety and empowerment of all victims and their children.
We Will: Provide prevention, education, and information to communities, families, and schools.
If you would like to support our efforts to break the cycle of domestic violence, please call our shelter at (715) 735-6656 or visit us online at https://therainbowhouse.us/. Our 24/7 services are free and confidential.
Sep 30, 2019 | News
https://ncadv.org/blog/posts/domestic-violence-and-the-lgbtq-community
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Domestic Violence and the LGBTQ Community
Because the majority of the domestic violence awareness movement has focused on heterosexual relationships, members of the LGBTQ community have been largely left out of the movement. However, recent research shows that LGBTQ members fall victim to domestic violence at equal or even higher rates compared to their heterosexual counterparts.
9 Quick Statistics about Domestic Violence and the LGBTQ Community
- 43.8% of lesbian women and 61.1% of bisexual women have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime, as opposed to 35% of heterosexual women.
- 26% of gay men and 37.3% of bisexual men have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime, in comparison to 29% of heterosexual men.
- In a study of male same sex relationships, only 26% of men called the police for assistance after experiencing near-lethal violence.
- In 2012, fewer than 5% of LGBTQ survivors of intimate partner violence sought orders of protection.
- Transgender victims are more likely to experience intimate partner violence in public, compared to those who do not identify as transgender.
- Bisexual victims are more likely to experience sexual violence, compared to people who do not identify as bisexual.
- LGBTQ Black/African American victims are more likely to experience physical intimate partner violence, compared to those who do not identify as Black/African American.
- LGBTQ white victims are more likely to experience sexual violence, compared to those who do not identify as white.
- LGBTQ victims on public assistance are more likely to experience intimate partner violence compared to those who are not on public assistance.
Types of Domestic Violence Affecting the LGBTQ Community
Unique Elements of Abuse in LGBTQ Community
There are several aspects of intimate partner violence which can be unique to the LGBTQ community. “Outing” or threatening to reveal one partner’s sexual orientation/gender identity may be used as a tool of abuse in violent relationships and may also be a barrier which reduces the likelihood of help-seeking for the abuse. Prior experiences of physical or psychological trauma, such as bullying and hate crime, may make LGBTQ victims of domestic violence less likely to see help.
Transgender Intimate Partner Violence
Transgender individuals may suffer from an even greater burden of intimate partner violence than gay or lesbian individuals. Transgender victims of intimate partner violence are more likely to experience threats or intimidation, harassment, and police violence within intimate partner violence. Specific forms of abuse occur within relationships where one partner is transgender, including:
- Using offensive pronouns such as “it” to refer to the transgender partner
- Ridiculing the transgender partner’s body and/or appearance
- Telling the transgender partner that he or she is not a real man or woman
- Ridiculing the transgender partner’s identity as “bisexual,” “trans,” “femme,” “butch,” “gender queer,” etc.
Why It Matters
Domestic violence is not limited to heterosexual relationships and can affect individuals of all sexual orientations and genders. WIthin the LGBTQ community, intimate partner violence occurs at a rate equal to or even higher than that of the heterosexual community. LGBTQ individuals may experience unique forms of intimate partner violence as well as distinctive barriers to seeking help due to fear of discrimination or bias.
Although the response to LGBTQ victims of domestic violence is gradually improving, the LGBTQ community if often met with ineffective and victimizing legal responses. Forty-five percent of victims do not report the violence they experience to police because they believe it will not help them. Further more, members of the LGBTQ community may be denied assistance and domestic violence services as a result of homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia.
Barriers to Seeking Services/Receiving Assistance
Several barriers exist to addressing LGBTQ intimate partner violence. These include:
Helpful Resources for LGBTQ Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence
Everyone, including members of the LGBTQ community, deserves to live a life free from abuse.
If you or someone you love is an LGBTQ victim of abuse, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline for someone to talk to and referrals to local services.
If you have questions about your legal rights as an LGBTQ victim of domestic violence, read this helpful guide from the American Bar Association.
These organizations are working with the intersection of domestic violence and LGBTQ victims and survivors.
Sep 17, 2019 | News
Signs Video
We’re excited to share that we teamed up, once again, with Serena Williams on a new PSA called “Signs”. The video aims to educate the public on the signs of financial abuse and encourage conversations with victims.
Sep 9, 2019 | News
Domestic Violence is a crime. It is not a personal matter. It is not a private family issue. We need to not look the other way. If you suspect someone you know is being abused, call the Rainbow House for resources. We can suggest ways you can reach out. If we can predict violence, we can prevent it. If you hear an incident occurring, call 911. The time in which a victim decides to leave a relationship is the most volatile. Most domestic violence incidents happen during or in the weeks to follow the end of a relationship. There are key things police officers can do to help survivors: validating their experiences, providing appropriate referrals, helping start the protective order process and arresting and/or charging the abuser.
Domestic violence is a pattern of sexual, physical, psychological, and/or emotional abuse used by one partner to gain control over the other. Women are more commonly victims of domestic violence than men, but both can experience domestic violence and abuse. Domestic violence occurs as frequently in LGBTQ relationships as in heterosexual relationships. Only about half of domestic violence incidents are reported to authorities. Whether you need to speak up on your own behalf or call on behalf of a loved one, reporting domestic violence is the first step to breaking its power.