Forum Looks At Domestic Violence
October 11, 2011
By Sarah Eddington

Lynn Brown knows firsthand what it means to be a victim of domestic violence.

"I was in an abusive marriage for 15-and-a-half years," said Brown, who works as a client services advocate at The Wellspring Alliance for Families and Children. "Domestic violence is one of the most dehumanizing, most humiliating and most degrading issues that one can face."

Brown was one of several representatives from various local agencies who gathered for a public forum at the Family Justice Center on Monday to help raise awareness and promote the prevention of domestic violence in the region.

"For every victim of domestic violence, every day is a struggle because even though the violence may not be prevalent everyday, we are constantly waiting on the ball to fall," she said. "We know that there's a certain look, we know there may be a certain word that may trigger the violence."

Although Ouachita Parish continues to have a significantly higher rate of domestic violence than the national average, the rate of domestic violence in the parish has dropped 47 percent since the opening of the Family Justice Center in 2005.

In 2010, the most recent statistics available, parish law enforcement documented 1,513 domestic and dating violence calls, which yields a rate of 11.9 per 1,000 persons more than the age of 12. That is five times greater than the national rate of 2.3 reports of domestic violence per 1,000 people more than the age of 12.

"We've done great work, but we have a ways to go," said Judy Bell, president and CEO of The Wellspring.

The Family Justice Center of Ouachita Parish calls itself a "one-stop information and service center" for people seeking assistance in domestic violence situations, for sexual assault or stalking.

Numerous agencies are actively involved with the center, including The Wellspring, the 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office, Monroe Police Department, Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office and the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

Bell said coordination among all the various agencies involved in the effort is at an all-time high, which she said is the key to having a real impact on ending the cycle of violence.

"Our community response goes back as far as 1988," she said. "We have seen a huge impact since we first began."

On average, the FJC receives around 623 victims each year.

"There's still a lot of work to do because of the prevalence of domestic violence and sexual assault in our area," Bell said. "It's even more alarming how only about 25 percent of cases are ever reported because of fear, lack of resources, funding and lack of awareness that help is available."

Tammie Slawson, Partnership Development Coordinator for Seeker Springs faith community, said it's important for victims to be aware that help is available to them.

"The problem is that many times, these things happen in the privacy of people's homes so we don't know about them a lot of times. They never walk through the door of the FJC," she said. "Instead what they might do is go to their best friend or go to their hair dresser or clergy. They are going to go to someone they trust."

Slawson said that's why it's important for those confidants to refer the victims to the FJC, where they can provide a "safety net of support."

While the prevalence of domestic violence cases in the region remains at a staggering level, 4th Judicial District Attorney Jerry Jones said the numbers reflect a more effective reporting process.

"Ouachita Parish is the No. 1 reporting parish of domestic violence in the state of Louisiana, which is the No. 1 state for domestic violence in the nation, and I think that's good news," he said. "It's because of reporting in Ouachita Parish that if you commit a domestic violence offense, it is reported as domestic violence, not disturbing the peace and not simple battery."

Jones said there were 85 domestic violence cases in the month of August alone, which is more than the number of DWIs for that month.

"It is a serious, serious crime," he said. "We have a division that does nothing but domestic violence, probably the only one in the state."

Jones said Louisiana has the "harshest, most severe penalties for domestic violence in the nation."

Michelle Anderson, assistant district attorney and domestic violence prosecutor, said the agency has proposed a law that makes it a felony for someone to point a gun at a victim in a domestic violence altercation.

"Utility workers are getting this same protection," she said "Why shouldn't victims of domestic violence receive the same protection?"

Brown said her biggest piece of advice for victims of domestic violence is to report whenever an altercation occurs.

"I never had any documentation during my abusive marriage and I only called the police once," she said, adding that a person shouldn't be afraid to ask for help. "So often we are hesitant about coming forth with what we've gone through, and certainly it's humiliating to tell other people that the person you love is actually the one who's hurting you. That's why raising awareness is so important."