DCJS Victims Services News:

Domestic Violence Awareness Month Edition

October 2021

Victims Services Manager's Message

DCJS Victims Services Manager, Kristina Vadas, offers a special Domestic Violence Awareness Month video message.

What can other events teach us about helping survivors during COVID-19?

Chrissy Wengloski, Victims Services Program Specialist

At DCJS we share local advocates' understanding that domestic violence has drastically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. All of our grantees have come up with innovative ways to continue serving victims throughout the pandemic. While COVID-19 is undoubtedly unprecedented, there are other situations our field can examine to help us determine ways to continue to serve victims during the pandemic and beyond.

One useful comparison is the parallels between the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters; these events also typically see large increases in domestic violence. The increases are understood to be the result of lost resources, increases in stress, and isolation from support systems. The impacts of these stressors often will continue beyond the rest of life “returning to normal.”

Given research on natural disasters, an article by Andrew M. Campbell (2021) gives us three ideas to implement well beyond COVID-19. In his research, Campbell says the most important thing is to limit opportunities to abuse. When that is not possible, three actionable ideas are:

Increase non-traditional reporting sources. This idea includes expanding the list of trained individuals to receive a report of abuse from a survivor. Essential employees that the victim may interact with, even during isolation, may be good candidates. This might include mail carriers, grocery store employees, or home repair workers.
Increase partnerships with hotels: many of our Virginia agencies are already doing this and know that it takes relationship building to find hotels who are willing to house victims. Putting more effort into building these relationships in our community continues to open opportunities for socially distant emergency shelter.
Provide victims the ability to report violence and receive services through text messaging. This method would add an additional option for victims to report when they are in close proximity with their abusers. Texting would allow quick and silent reporting, which could even be done while the abuser is asleep.

Source:

Andrew M. Campbell, Improving prevention of family violence during (and after) disaster: Lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, Forensic Science International: Reports, Volume 3, 2021, 100179, ISSN 2665-9107, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsir.2021.100179.

Be About ABILITY

Dione Bassett, Victims Services Program Specialist

I recently attended a training titled, “Innovations at the Intersection: Centering Survivors with Disabilities in the Movement” by the Vera Institute of Justice. The most impactful statement was “I’m not a decoration.” I appreciated the honesty. Inclusion is not just an invitation. It is actively engaging and providing support. As advocates, we have the opportunity to make things easier for these amazing people by being knowledgeable, asking questions, and listening.

The Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence provides a good overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in their toolkit for self-advocacy:

https://www.kcsdv.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/201130-Kansas-Believe_Self-Advocate-Accommodation-Toolkit_Final.pdf

It says, “What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? The ADA is a civil rights law that was passed in 1990 to protect people with disabilities from discrimination, or being treated unfairly. It makes sure people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else in all areas of public life including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the public.”

There are five Titles to the ADA: 1) Employment, 2) State and Local Government, 3) Public Accommodations, 4) Telecommunications, and

5) Other requirements and definitions. The toolkit also explains why the ADA is important by saying that people with disabilities “are often limited by many different kinds of barriers.” Some of the barriers include physical limitations, difficulty with communication, and being judged by others.

Please see the resources below to help improve supports for individuals with disabilities.

https://www.endabusepwd.org/resource/innovations-at-the-intersection-supporting-survivors-of-sexual-assault-with-a-survivor-support-packet/

https://www.endabusepwd.org/resource/serving-survivors-with-mental-health-disabilities/

https://www.endabusepwd.org/resource/serving-survivors-of-sexual-assault-with-intellectual-and-developmental-disabilities/

https://www.endabusepwd.org/resource/just-ask-a-toolkit-to-help-advocates-meet-the-needs-of-crime-victims-with-disabilities/

https://www.endabusepwd.org/resource/supporting-crime-victims-with-disabilities-online-training-toolkit/

Domestic Violence Awareness Month Resources

Domestic Violence Awareness Month Video. This short video presents an overview of the impact and prevalence of domestic violence.

Domestic Violence Fact Sheet –This downloadable fact sheet contains statistics and resources related to domestic violence.

DVAM Fact Sheet

Mindfulness Apps for DVAM Self-Care

Erin Osiol, Victims Services Program Specialist

October’s recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) provides an opportunity for us to not only educate the public about this critical issue, but it also serves as a call for us to recommit to both the work we do every day, and the self-care necessary to sustain it. Remember –

a better world starts with the best version of you.

Mindfulness is just one strategy for self-care, and lucky for us there’s no shortage of mindfulness and meditation apps these days, promising to help you combat anxiety, sleep better, hone your focus, and more. In fact, the Wall Street Journal reports that more than 2,000 new meditation apps launched between 2015 and 2018, and offerings have only increased as a result of higher demand during the pandemic.

Free (or low cost), quick (guided meditations for as little as 5 minutes!) and portable (right on your phone, which is in your hand anyway!), here is a short list of some of the most popular and effective mindfulness apps available today.

Buddhify – a mindfulness and meditation app that is built around you. Buddhify is perfect for those who are ready to incorporate meditation and mindfulness into their day, with meditations that target every aspect of your life, from sleeping, to traveling, to being online. There are 80 different guided meditation tracks, ranging from five to 30 minutes.

Calm – Calm starts you out with a seven-day program. Choose between options for sound and length of time, as well as scenes from nature to focus on while you meditate. Other features include multiple guided as well as unguided sessions. Also features a seven-day sleep program for people who have difficulty sleeping.

Headspace – makes it easy for people just learning the art of meditation. Their level one course features easy, 10-minute sessions that will help you get into the habit of meditating regularly. There are reminders, and you can choose to focus on aspects like foundation, health, and performance. Once you have mastered level one, you can purchase a subscription that allows you to access more features and options.

Insight Timer – is a simple app which, as the name suggests, is a timer. It also tracks how many times you meditate and for how long, and provides access to thousands of guided meditations. At the conclusion of your sit, it tells you how many other people the world over were also meditating using the app along with you.

For Your Ears: Podcasts by, about, and for Survivors.

Andrew Kinch, Victims Services Program Specialist

A quick reference to podcasts about Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence

EXPOSED The Podcast –https://exposedthepodcast.com/

Hosts LaVerne Badger and Natalie Hayden are two domestic violence survivors turned advocates based out of Milwaukee. Badger and Hayden connected over their shared experience and felt a need to speak up to help others by creating awareness of domestic violence. While neither work as direct service providers, they have produced the podcast since July of 2018 to be “the Voice for the Voiceless.”

Partnered With a Survivor – https://safeandtogetherinstitute.com/blog/podcast/

Safe & Together Institute staff members and partners, David Mandel and Ruth Stearns, host the show discussing their professional and personal experience with abuse and violence. Ruth, a domestic violence survivor and former teacher/trainer, and David, a licensed counselor and founder of the Safe & Together Institute, talk with direct service professionals, authors and experts. There two seasons of episodes as well as two special short-run series regarding Police Officer-Perpetrated Domestic Violence and Domestic Violence in the pandemic.

Patchwork – https://www.justice.gov/ovw/podcast

Patchwork is a Podcast produced by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), which appears to have been created in the past year and has a handful of episodes. This features a variety of guests and topics pertaining to the use of Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grant programs throughout the country. “Patchwork threads together stories from over 25 years of federally funded efforts to serve victims and hold offenders accountable.”

Upcoming Trainings

October 15–

"The Safe Havens for Pets of Domestic Violence Survivors Partnership"

October 19–

"The Intersections of Intimate Partner Homicide, Firearms, and Mass Shootings"

October 21and 28–

"Leading through Mindfulness and compassion: Skills to Build Individual and Collective Wellness in the Workplace"

November 10–

"The Role of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Board Leadership

and Development"

November 18 and 19–

"Interpreting for Social Justice"

Click Here To Learn More or To Register

Courthouse Dogs

Chrissy Smith, Victims Services Program Specialist

Courthouse dogs can help ease anxiety for victims during court proceedings. In this article, Chrissy Smith, Victim Services Specialist, discusses the use of courthouse dogs in Virginia and spotlights some of these very special canines.

Read more about the courthouse dogs of Virginia by clicking the button below.

Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) Updates:

Fall 2021

Chad Felts, Victims Services Program Specialist

The Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) is an innovative evidence-based strategy designed to prevent domestic violence and intimate partner homicides and serious injuries. The program provides law enforcement agencies and their community partners with an easy and effective method of identifying victims of domestic violence who are at the highest risk of being seriously injured or killed by their intimate partners, and then providing those victims with access to help and assistance. LAP consists of a standardized questionnaire that helps first responders identify and assist these high danger victims by putting them in contact with local domestic violence service providers.

In Virginia, the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), and the Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance make up the statewide LAP Team. Currently, across the Commonwealth of Virginia, there are approximately

48 law enforcement agencies and

26 domestic violence service providers that participate in LAP. This number will continue to grow as the statewide LAP team conducts train-the-trainer events for new LAP partners that have expressed an interest in participating and have completed the application process to prepare for program implementation.

Virginia’s LAP protocols and procedures are based on the original program created in Maryland and currently managed by the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence (MNADV - https://www.mnadv.org/lethality-assessment-program/lap-program-overview/). To date, the “Maryland Model” has been implemented in 39 states across the country, encompassing 872 law enforcement agencies and 209 domestic violence service providers. MNADV continues to embrace the evidence-based approach of LAP, updating policies and training protocols to reflect current trends and new research in the field of domestic violence prevention.

You can find more information about LAP through the Office of the Attorney General website: https://www.oag.state.va.us/programs-initiatives/lethality-assessment-program or by contacting the OAG LAP Coordinator, Morgan Abbate, at MAbbate@oag.state.va.us.

Strangulation: The Hidden Risk Factor

Jennifer Kline, Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program Coordinator

Strangulation is one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence. Unconsciousness may occur within seconds, temporary or permanent brain damage within 30 seconds or longer, and death within minutes.

Strangulation is an important indicator of homicide. Victims who reported even one incident of strangulation are 750% more likely to be murdered by the offender. A study of Lethality Assessment Protocols (LAP) showed that almost 80% of victims reported some form of strangulation by the offender.

When we think about domestic violence, we often think of visible physical injuries such as black eyes or broken noses. But strangulation often does not leave any visible injuries. 50% of strangulation victims lack visible injuries and 35% had physical injuries too minor to photograph. Instead, injuries could be internal. Victims might have hoarseness or a sore throat, discomfort swallowing, shortness of breath, or laryngitis. Because of a lack of oxygen to the brain, victims may lack memory or appear inconsistent or combative. In fact, it’s often the offender, not the victim, who has visible injuries because the victim has fought for their life during the strangulation, leaving defensive wounds on the offender’s face or upper body.

Anyone responding to victims of interpersonal violence should be trained to use a screening tool for domestic violence risk factors, such as LAP. In addition, the Strangulation Supplement is a tool for first responders and investigators to specifically identify asphyxiation-related violence, and allows officers to better identify the credible party and results in a more complete investigation that no longer relies solely on visible injury.

Training on strangulation for all the responders who interact with victims is critical to ensure a comprehensive strangulation response. Documenting the response in protocol can lead to safety for the victim and prosecution of the offender. Response protocols should include:

An evidence-based assessment such as the Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP) to assist first responders to identify high-risk victims and victims of strangulation, and to accurately determine the predominant aggressor.
An immediate medical examination for all victims who say they have been strangled or “choked.”
Clear identification of the ongoing responsibility of multiple service providers to ask about strangulation at different times after an assault, as the victim may not recall being strangled due to trauma and lack of oxygen to the brain.
Safety planning and follow-up contact for victims, including information on strangulation being a risk-factor for homicide, delayed symptoms of strangulation, and resources to empower victims to track symptoms.

Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention, n.d., Strangulation: What We Have Learned [DVD]. Retrieved November 22, 2016

Strangulation Resources:

Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention: www.strangulationtraininginstitute.com

Forensic Nursing Strangulation Toolkit: https://www.forensicnurses.org/page/STDocs

To request a copy of the Strangulation Supplement: https://www.respondagainstviolence.org/resources

Faith and Domestic Violence

Tierra Smith, VSTOP & VSDVVF Grant Program Coordinator

Information from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence suggests that on average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States (NCADV, 2021). Given the significant prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) within this country, it is common for victim service providers to regularly serve individuals and families with spiritual beliefs. Nearly eight out of ten Americans are affiliated with some religion (FCADV, 2017). Religion serves as a critical cultural and personal influence for many and cultural competence in practice is essential. Field based professionals must recognize the importance of this influence in the lives of survivors.

Spirituality, or the practice of faith, is an important aspect of culture (FCADV, 2017). Victim service organizations have the opportunity to expand victim-centered practices to address the needs of survivors by respecting their spiritual beliefs just as they honor their language and other customs. Information from the Pew Research Center acknowledges that many survivors endorse that their spiritual beliefs are a critical source of survival and healing (FCADV, 2017). With this in mind, victim service professionals may consider taking additional steps to ensure optimal victim services to meet spiritual/religious needs of survivors.

Please click the button below to continue reading this article.

The Clothesline Project

Andi Martin, Sexual Assault and Intimate Partner Violence Program Coordinator

In 1990, a group of women on Cape Cod, Massachusetts thought up a way to bring awareness to domestic violence. According to http://www.clotheslineproject.info/, members of the group “learned that during the same time 58,000 soldiers were killed in the Vietnam War, 51,000 U.S. women were killed by the men who claimed to love them.” The visual they created was decorated t-shirts hung on a clothesline, each shirt representing a survivor of domestic violence. Please click the button below to read more about this project.