A huge thank you to Procter and Gamble  Paper Products of Green Bay

A huge thank you to Procter and Gamble  Paper Products of Green Bay

Oct 21, 2019 | News

Image result for Procter and Gamble

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.

Domestic Violence and the LGBTQ Community

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. In a study of male same sex relationships, only 26% of men called the police for assistance after experiencing near-lethal violence.
  4. In 2012, fewer than 5% of LGBTQ survivors of intimate partner violence sought orders of protection.
  5. Transgender victims are more likely to experience intimate partner violence in public, compared to those who do not identify as transgender.
  6. Bisexual victims are more likely to experience sexual violence, compared to people who do not identify as bisexual.
  7. 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.
  8. LGBTQ white victims are more likely to experience sexual violence, compared to those who do not identify as white.
  9. 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.

 

Signs Video – Serena Williams

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.

Speak Up! 50% of DV Incidents go unreported

Speak Up! 50% of DV Incidents go unreported

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.

How Police Are Trained to Respond to Domestic Violence

Mar 9, 2019 | News

The protocols for responding to domestic violence can help survivors know what to expect

Domestic violence has been found to constitute the single largest category of police calls in some cities. When police officers respond, they know the situation can be volatile for both them and the abuser’s victim. That’s because the killer in almost one third of female homicides is an intimate partner, and 22 percent of officer “line of duty” deaths in recent years occurred while responding to domestic violence calls.

“What the [police death] stats don’t really capture is all the law enforcement officers that are killed in the line of duty on traffic stops, serving protection orders or serving warrants [to domestic violence offenders],” says Michael P. LaRiviere, a police officer who does domestic violence training for national organizations, including the National Sheriffs’ Association.

“I’ve seen a connection between offenders who murder police officers and a record of domestic violence,” LaRiviere says. “They’re dangerous people. They’re about power and control, and law enforcement officers represent the authority to take away their freedoms.”

This explosive combination has led 95 percent of law enforcement agencies to develop policies that officers are asked to follow when responding to domestic violence calls, and 85 percent also require officers to participate in specialized domestic violence training. Nearly half of the departments now have separate units devoted to domestic violence cases.

What Police Are Trained to Do

While policies differ from city to city, it can be helpful for survivors to understand the common threads for how police are trained to respond. The first concept is to treat domestic violence calls as a high priority or a life-threatening situation. Because of this perspective, and importantly for survivors to know, many departments will continue to respond even if the victim cancels the request.

Next is to approach carefully, meaning officers are trained to apply discretion when using emergency lights and sirens and to observe and listen before announcing their presence. This can improve everyone’s safety and also expose important evidence, such as an active confrontation.

Sending two officers is a best practice as well. On occasion, balancing the need to urgently respond and having two officers arriving on scene simultaneously can be a challenge, especially in areas where units are positioned far apart. Dispatching two officers can make quickly juggling a multitude of tasks more manageable, such as checking arrest warrants and prior history, and identifying and separating the victim and perpetrator.

Once on scene, keeping the abuser and victim out of sight and hearing of each other can increase the odds of each person speaking candidly without the influence of the other. It also helps officers determine if firearms are on the premises and to remove them; 79 percent of cases in a study of 358 police law enforcement agencies by the Police Executive Research Forum involved finding and confiscating firearms.

Collecting evidence is another priority. Many agencies require officers to take pictures of the victim’s injuries and the crime scene; interview and obtain written, audio or video statements from the parties, neighbors or witnesses; and create detailed occurrence reports whether or not an arrest is made. Nearly 9 in 10 agencies record incidents by location and 7 in 10 record them by individual to help officers of future investigations understand the history, according to the same study.

Receive new and helpful articles weekly. Sign up here.

Conducting a risk assessment to determine the level of danger for the victim, and whether a safety plan should be encouraged, is required by 42 percent of agencies. Of course, if you’re experiencing violence, a safety planis always something to consider developing, regardless. Some agencies train officers to provide victims with community resources and the protocol for some includes making follow up visits.

Mandatory Arrest

Many agencies require officers to make an arrest under certain conditions, such as evidence of an assault, violation of a protection order and other offenses where physical evidence exists or that an officer witnessed. This is known as a mandatory arrest policy and it can be valuable for a survivor to know in advance whether local authorities use this practice.

Debate over mandatory arrest exists. Some say it gives the victim a break from the violence and time to consult with advocates. Others point out the all-too-common reality of domestic violence: where seemingly positive steps to address the violence can backfire, in this instance the possibility of an arrest leading to escalated violence at another time.

“It’s normal for a victim to be fearful about telling us what’s really going on,” LaRiviere says. In his jurisdiction, victims’ advocates help officers to understand and address the barriers to reporting the extent of domestic abuse. However, if a survivor isn’t ready to speak up, and in the absence of witnesses or clear physical evidence, officers might leave without making an arrest.

How a Survivor Can Help

The information that officers receive before they arrive on the scene helps them to be prepared. If it’s safe for you to do so, tell the dispatcher if the abuser has:

  • Past criminal record
  • History of restraining orders (active or expired)
  • Access to weapons
  • Made specific threats of violence (including suicide)
  • Been violent to you or your children in the past

Not all the guidelines apply universally, but it’s helpful to know generally what to expect from a call for help to the police, and what to expect from the police. While there are countless examples of victims not being satisfied with police response including this recent DomesticShelters.org survey, evidence of improved training in recent years is helping officers better recognize and respond to the needs and fears of recipients of domestic abuse. “We have a much more victim-centered approach,” LaRiviere says, “but if you’re not getting the help you need, you can always talk to a supervisor.”

More information about domestic violence training for officers and call takers is available on the National Sheriffs’ Association website or by visiting Wynn Consulting. You can read more about how former police officer Mark Wynn helps law enforcement around the world learn how to better respond to domestic violence in “Domestic Violence From an Officer’s Perspective.”