ARLINGTON COUNTYDEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES- BHD

VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services

Araceli Covarrubias, MAMental Health Therapist

VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM

Who we are:We are experts in the field of domestic violence and sexual

assault. We work with survivors, friends, and family members.

We provide:Individual & group counseling for victims/survivors

Crisis Intervention/Safety PlanningSupport and Information

Joint Protective and Violence InterventionSpanish Speaking Counselors

Outreach/Community education for adults and adolescentsTraining/consultation for allied professionals

Group counseling program for Abusers (Spanish/English)Court and/or Hospital Accompaniment

Services are Confidential

VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAM

Staff:Maurice Hendrix, Coordinator (703) 228-1513

Araceli Covarrubias, Bilingual Therapist/Spanish (703) 228-1516

Marie Michaud, Therapist(703) 228-1517Ilene Segal, Therapist & Volunteer Coordinator (703) 228-

1514

Front Desk: (703) 228-1200 8:30am – 6pm

After Hours & Weekends: (703) 228-4848www.arlingtonva.us/vip

2100 Washington Blvd. 2nd Floor, Sequoia PlazaArlington, VA 22204

OVERVIEW

Introduction to Domestic Violence

Prevalence Types of Abuse Dynamics of

Abuse Cultural

Implications

Red Flags/ How to recognize potential DV victims

Intervention Strategies

Safety Planning Community

Resources

PREVALENCE- STATS FROM VA ACTION ALLIANCE

Domestic Violence Services 1/1/11 - 12/31/11 Emergency Shelter

Adults in Emergency Shelter 3,825 Children in Emergency Shelter 2,784 Nights of Emergency Shelter Provided to Adults

109,765 Nights of Emergency Shelter Provided to Children

93,260 Total Nights of Emergency Shelter Provided 203,025 Total Requests for Shelter When Shelter Was Full 3,100

Transitional Housing Services Number of Adults Housed 174 Number of Children Housed 175 Nights of Housing Provided to Adults 47,729 Nights of Housing Provided to Children 48,449 Total Nights of Housing Provided 96,178

TYPES OF ABUSE

PhysicalEmotionalEconomic

Sexual VerbalLegal Status

POWER AND CONTROL WHEELUSED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROJECT,

DULUTH, MINNESOTA

EQUALITY WHEELUSED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROJECT,

DULUTH, MINNESOTA

Denial & Hope

CULTURAL POWER & CONTROL WHEEL USED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

INTERVENTION PROJECT,DULUTH, MINNESOTA

WHY DO WOMEN STAY INFORMATION FROM WWW.DOMESTICVIOLENCE.ORG AND

WWW.TURNINGPOINTSERVICES.ORG

He will threaten to leave me.

He said he will, “ Hunt me down and kill me.”

He will kidnap the children and disappear.

He will spread horrible rumors about me.

I will never be safe, I might as well live with him.

She will “out” me at work or to my family.

Roles Culture Forces Upon Women:

Guilt I will ruin his life if

I leave. He will lose his job

if I report this. He will start

drinking again. I will disappoint my

family. I have to take care

of him.

WHY DO WOMEN STAY INFORMATION FROM WWW.DOMESTICVIOLENCE.ORG AND

WWW.TURNINGPOINTSERVICES.ORG

Economic Dependence He has all the money. I have never had a good job. How will I care for kids

alone? Better to be beaten up at home that to be on the

street. I would rather die than be on welfare.

Subordination I am afraid to be on my own. Who will protect me? I fear that I will never be in a relationship again. He gives me a sense of security. I don’t want to be a divorced woman.

EFFECTS OF DV ON WOMEN

Depression Anxiety Substance abuse Eating disorders Emotionally numb Sleep disorders Suicide attempts Unable to respond to their children’s needs Feelings of hopelessness/helplessness

EFFECTS OF DV ON CHILDREN

HOW TO RECOGNIZE POTENTIAL VICTIMS- RELATIONSHIP QUIZ

Do you feel nervous or fearful in your relationship? Are you afraid of your partner's temper? Do you have to be careful to control your behavior to

avoid his/her anger? Do you feel like you are always “walking on eggshells”?

Are you afraid to say “No” to sex? Do you feel powerless in your relationship? Are you scared of disagreeing with him/her? Are you afraid to break up with your partner? Does s/he criticize you, or humiliate you in front of other

people? Has s/he ever scared you with violence or threatening

behavior? Does s/he tell you what to wear, or how to do your hair? Does s/he prevent you from going out or doing things you

want to do?

RELATIONSHIP QUIZ- CONT’D

Does s/he check up on you or question you about what you do without him/her?

Does s/he act controlling? Does s/he repeatedly and wrongly accuse you of seeing

other guys/women? Does s/he tell you that if you changed s/he wouldn't

abuse you? Does s/he act jealous of the time you spend with other

people? Does s/he make you feel like you are wrong, stupid, crazy,

or inadequate? Does s/he call you names? Does s/he ignore your feelings? Has s/he ridiculed your most valued beliefs, your religion,

race, class or sexual preference?

RELATIONSHIP QUIZ- CONT’D

Do you feel that, with him/her, nothing you do is ever good enough?

Does s/he say that s/he will kill or hurt herself/himself if you break up with him/her?

Does s/he make excuses for his/her abusive behavior by saying it's because of alcohol or drugs or because s/he can't control his/her temper, or that s/he was 'just joking'?

Does s/he hate spending time with your family and keep you from seeing your friends and family?

Does s/he withhold approval, appreciation or affection as punishment?

Has s/he manipulated you with lies? Has s/he taken your car keys or money away? Has s/he subjected you to reckless driving?

RED FLAGSUSED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION

PROJECT,DULUTH, MINNESOTA

• abuse alcohol or other drugs.• have a history of trouble with

the law, gets into fights, or break and destroy property.

• don’t work or go to school.• abuse siblings, other family

members, children or pets.• put down people, including

your family and friends, or call them names excessively.

• are always angry at someone or something.

• try to isolate you and control who you see or where you go.

• accuse you of flirting or “coming on” to others or accuse you of cheating on them.

• don’t listen to you or show interest in your opinions or feelings. . .things always have to be done their way.

• lie to you, don’t show up for dates, maybe even disappear for days.

• blame all arguments and problems on you

• threaten suicide if you break up with them.

• experience extreme mood swings -tell you you’re the greatest one minute and rip you apart the next minute.

• tell you to shut up or tell you you’re dumb, stupid, fat, or call you some other name (directly or indirectly).

Question a relationship with partners who:

RED FLAGS (CONT’D)USED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION

PROJECT,DULUTH, MINNESOTA

• you feel afraid to break up with them.

• you feel tied down, feel like you have to check-in.

• you feel afraid to make decisions or bring up certain subjects so that the other person won’t get mad.

• you tell yourself that if you just try harder and love your partner enough that everything will be just fine.

• worse over time.

• you find yourself crying a lot, being depressed or unhappy.

• you find yourself worrying and obsessing about how to please your partner and keep them happy.

• you find the physical or emotional abuse getting

Some other cues that might indicate an abusive relationship might include:

INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

Provide Pyschoeducation- DV 101 Let the client know that the Domestic

Violence is NOT their fault Provide information on Safety Planning &

their options (e.g. shelters) Do not tell the client to leave, but explore &

assess risks frequently Do not talk poorly about the aggressor Teach coping skills, encourage self care,

encourage independence (financial, etc) Validate their experience Provide education on depression, anxiety and

potential PTSD

RISK ASSESSMENTDR. CAMPBELL’S DANGER ASSESSMENT TOOL

COPYRIGHT 2004 JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF NURSING

This tool was developed in an effort to try and predict which domestic abuse situations could be lethal.

There are 2 components to the danger/lethality assessment tool: 1.) Completing a calendar for the past year using

the scale as indicated on the tool to denote the degree of violence

2.) Completing the list of 20 questions

See Danger Assessment forms

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SAFETY PLANNING

Talk to people you trust about the violence you are experiencing

Tell neighbors about the abuse and ask them to call 911 if they see/hear the abuse occurring, develop a signal, such as flicking the porch light or saying a code word that can alert neighbors/friends to call 911

Gather important documents, such as birth certificates, social security cards, insurance information, legal papers, children’s school records, bank account information.

Put money aside in advance Pack extra clothing for yourself and your children;

include a few of your child’s favorite toys Teach children to phone 911 when or before violence

starts

RESOURCESNORTHERN VIRGINIA

Alexandria Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Program- Hotline: (703) 746-5030, Residential Shelter, Emergency Accompaniment

Arlington County Violence Intervention Program- Hotline: (703) 228-4848, Emergency AccompanimentDoorways Domestic Violence Program-

Hotline: (703) 237-0881

Court Advocate , (703) 244-5165, M-F 9-5 Fairfax County Office for Women Domestic &

Sexual Violence Services- Hotline: (703) 360-7273, Residential Shelter, Accompaniment

Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, (800) 838-8238

RESOURCESDISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence, (202) 299-1181

Asian/ Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (DVRP), (202) 464-4477

Survivors and Advocates for Empowerment (SAFE), (202)408-1476

House of Ruth, (202) 667-7001 My Sister’s Place, Inc, (202) 529-5261,

Residential Shelter Ramona’s Way, (202) 561-3000 Deaf Abused Women’s Network (DAWN),

(202) 559-5366

RESOURCESMARYLAND

Abused Persons Program, Hotline: (240)777-4195 (days), (240)777-4673 (After Business Hours), Montgomery County

Family Crisis Center of Prince George’s County, Inc, Hotline: (866) 382-7474 or (301) 731-1203

Questions?