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Professionals who assist domestic violence survivors say success stories involve clients who feel free to communicate with anyone they want, without looking over their shoulder, or who can land a new job. Photo from Adobe Stock.
Fall is typically the time of year when prevention experts raise awareness about domestic violence. In North Dakota, outreach leaders are getting ahead of the game.
The Center for Rural Health teamed up with the North Dakota Domestic and Sexual Violence Coalition on a late-summer event. Speakers wanted to get the public up to speed on the latest numbers, along with red flags in troubled relationships.
Kayla Jones, survivor services director with the coalition, said during her career, it has been rewarding when a survivor Jones assisted can escape a dangerous situation.
“It could be a huge win. Like she got away, the abuser was prosecuted, and it has consequences. But then also I loved the other wins, like they started counseling and then they attended sessions,” Jones said.
Jones said domestic violence involves patterns of threatening behavior where the abusive partner wants power and control. That includes preventing the other partner from working or controlling their social interactions.
The coalition says last year, North Dakota advocacy centers served more than 6,200 new victims. It’s now working to train advocates to better assist survivors who suffered a brain injury, such as with modified safety plans.
Jones said it’s important for the public to learn about terminology, like intimate partner violence. Jones said it’s often used in the same scope as domestic violence, but the latter has a broader definition.
The two terms carry their own significance when identifying the correct legal or support interventions, or for data collection. Training law enforcement and other professionals can help avoid missteps in working with a survivor.
“Sometimes the systems that victims come in contact with, like the legal system or social services, sometimes victims are misunderstood,” Jones said.
Jones said that was a difficult aspect of the job when Jones worked directly with survivors.
Nationally, the coalition says 1 in 3 women experience violence by a partner at some point in their lives. For men, that number is 1 in 10.
