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Show Hinckley Journal of Politics Autumn 1998 about building healthy, violent-free relationships. Because school personnel are the most likely adults, other than parents, to suspect that a child is witnessing violence at home, we must also establish school-based programs to identify children living in violent homes and refer them to services. Health Care Experts in Utah estimate that more than 50 percent of women and children who visit emergency rooms do so for injuries inflicted intentionally at home. We don't know the exact number, since usually no one even asks about the broken bones, the bruises, even after the fourth or fifth visit. The physical abuse often begins with a woman's first pregnancy: 15 to 25 percent of pregnant women are battered (Stark and Flitcraft 1996). Yet many ob/gyn physicians do not even inquire about abuse. Not every domestic assault requires a trip to the emergency room. But even in the most obvious cases, physicians are sometimes reluctant to assist a victim or are unsure about reporting procedures. Efforts to identify victims are also sporadic; doctors ask routine questions about a person's diet and physical activity, but they rarely ask about family violence, which poses a very real threat to a person's health. While many hospitals do have a protocol for treating domestic violence victims, they do not always contain the information needed to assist physicians in properly reporting incidents or assisting the victim. Again, there are questions that must be answered: Whom does a doctor call to report a case of abuse? What should be done if a physician suspects abuse but the patient denies it? How can physicians distribute resource information to patients without putting them in danger? Health care's response to domestic violence must include a specific, uniform protocol for reporting and referring all cases of domestic violence, as well as the established practice of routinely inquiring about family violence, and educating patients to prevent future victimization. The Private World: Systems with No Government Role The private world is where we spend most of our time: at work, at church, and in our neighborhoods. It is where we develop our closest relationships with people, and where there is the greatest potential for identifying family violence and helping victims and their families. Yet this is the area where the least is being done to stop family violence, because much of the Private World considers this issue a "private matter." That code of silence prevents the majority of domestic violence from ever reaching the criminal justice system. Churches Many families dealing with abuse and violence have active affiliations with their church. According to the Governor's Commission study, 21 percent of women would turn to cler- gy first for help, but most clergy, lay and professional, are at a loss as to what to do, and advice can often be devastating: "Go home and try harder" (GCWF 1997, 43). Telling a victim that "the most important thing is to keep the family together," means a victim and her children are condemned to bear the brunt of abusive conduct. According to the study, some women stated that clergy tend to minimize the problem or feel uncomfortable discussing it and want to "brush it aside." One woman stated that her husband abused her because she didn't keep the house clean enough, and her religious advisor encouraged her to keep the house cleaner (GCWF 1997, APP. B). Church leadership is moral leadership, but what could be more immoral than abuse and violence toward a family member, toward a child? Silence and discomfort from religious leaders suggest that abuse and violence at home may not be immoral, or that it may be a "private family matter," which means that it should remain a family secret. It is time to change those perceptions by asking what a church can do to help families struggling with family violence: What specific training does a church provide to its clergy about domestic abuse? Do churches have support groups for their members? Do members of the clergy know where to refer victims for services? An example of a road map that must be established in this area follows: What percentage of Utah religious units have designated a trained family violence resource person from the congregation? HOW TO: Training, Model Manual, Hotline Access COST: Mlnimal/Donated HERE (Where We Are) Current Effectiveness THERE (Where We're Going) Maximum Effectiveness 100 80 Statf 60 1 3 40 u "o 20 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Current Effectiveness The above road map identifies current effectiveness at about zero (where we are), maximum possible effectiveness at 100 percent, and "how to" steps of training, manuals, and hotline access to reach maximum effectiveness in six years, at minimal cost. For employed victims, domestic violence can dramatical- 91 |
