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Domestic Violence Undoing the 'Just Leave' Stigma Victims Face Certainly, any traumatic situation can contribute to anxiety, depression, acute trauma issues and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some people who have experienced abuse notice that their symptoms decrease whenever they return to a sense of safety. The symptoms were a result of being in a very unsafe environment. Other people may have longer lasting effects, especially if they had any pre- existing symptoms. Each individual is different, and may need different things to help them return to a level of functioning that feels 'right' to them. Q: Please explain what role PTSD plays with some women who have been abused? A: PTSD is a diagnostic label that mental health professionals use to describe a grouping of symptoms someone may experience after a traumatic event. A trauma can be any situation in which a person feels like her or his life has been threatened or they feel they are at risk for serious injury. This situation can be experienced firsthand or witnessed. The person may feel intensely fearful and helpless. Some symptoms of PTSD are: remembering things at inconvenient times, having nightmares, acting or feeling like it is happening all over again, feeling distressed by things that may remind the person of the trauma, trying to avoid reminders of what happened, having problems concentrating, being irritable, feeling like the person may have to 'keep an eye out' so other bad things don't happen and sleep problems. If you or someone you love is experiencing these symptoms, it's important to consult with a mental health professional. These symptoms can make it very difficult to function. However, we have excellent treatments that are very effective in helping. Q: Is there a stigma associated with women who have been abused? A: People who experience intimate partner violence also, unfortunately, face a lot of stigma due to misconceptions about the issue. Many times I hear people say, 'Why doesn't she just leave?' Many people don't understand that attempting to leave can be one of the most dangerous, sometimes life threatening, things that someone can do. People also have to weigh cultural and religious values that promote keeping families intact. Also, sometimes people have a difficult time leaving due to financial situations. Asking people who have experienced abuse at the hands of their significant other this question implies, again, that they are at fault for the violence they are experiencing. Q: How are children impacted by watching their mother be abused by an intimate partner? A: Children witnessing violence can be impacted in many ways. Previously, when discussing PTSD, I discussed that one type of trauma is witnessing a traumatic event. Watching an assaultive interaction between people who are supposed to be protecting the child can make them feel very unsafe and can result in PTSD. Children could start showing some of the same accessHealth News talks with Dawn Scarborough, MSW, LCSW at Pathways Community Health about the challenges, stigma victims face. Q: What would you say to people who think domestic violence victims suffer from self-worth issues? A: It is important for all of us to understand and realize that domestic violence is not caused by characteristics of the victim or problems in the relationship. Domestic violence is the physical assault, battery, sexual assault, emotional abuse and/or other abusive behavior perpetrated by an intimate partner against another. Domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, occurs due to actions of the person who chooses to be violent. People assault their partners to get them to do what they want, and to have power and control in the relationship. The person engaged in the abusive behavior is attempting to condition their partner to do what they want. Oftentimes, we, as a society, try to look for something in the person who is being victimized to try to convince ourselves that this act could not happen to us or the people that we love. Q: For adult women, what are some common mental health disorders that result from long stints of abuse? A: Any abusive behavior, long term or short, can have negative consequences on a person's mental health and behavior. When any person feels unsafe, their stress levels rise. That is a natural reaction to a threat. Many times women and men who are battered are told they are 'crazy' by their violent and abusive partners. Again, this is a tactic of control. This is an attempt to try to convince them that they are the problem, not the abusive and/or abusive behavior. symptoms as the adult person who is abused. It is also not uncommon for children to become more unruly and aggressive themselves. Again, it is important to remember that children are individuals, too. Not every child will respond the same to trauma, and each individual will need different things to heal and feel safe again. Q: Can abusers unlearn abusive behavior? A: There are programs to assist those who have abused their significant others. The most effective programs are coordinated efforts between mental health and the criminal justice system. People who use abuse to control their loved ones need to be held accountable and taught how to behave differently. Many times people who abuse their significant others do not attend these programs on their own, but are referred by the criminal justice system. A good program will also work with victim advocates to ensure the safety of the person who was abused. It is important to note that anger management is not a good treatment for someone who abuses their significant other. It is also important to note that attendance or completion of a 'batterer's intervention' program does not ensure that the person will not continue to be abusive. Q: Do abusers inherently suffer from a mental disorder? A: People abuse their intimate partners because they want power and control in a relationship. To quote the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, 'Men batter because battering works. It is a socially supported behavior. It is learned through our culture, families, schools and peer groups. Domestic violence is not caused by illness, genetics, substance abuse, stress or behavior of the victim. ' Q: Is domestic violence a public health issue? A: Yes. I do consider domestic violence a public health issue. The National Violence Against Women Survey found that approximately 1.5 million women are raped or physically assaulted by intimate partners each year. About 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. Dawn Scarborough also serves as a behavioral health consultant at Live Well Community Health Centers in Waverly and Concordia. Need help? Call 816.HOTLINE. National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1.800.799.7233. National Sexual Assault Hotline 1.800.656.4673. National Teen Dating Violence Hotline 1.866.331.9474. 9/ accessHealthnews.net Winter 2014