Preventing abuse
It was 3 a.m. when a woman and her children showed up at the Hillyard Fire Station several years ago. She pounded on the door, seeking refuge from her abusive husband who was determined to harm her.
Spokane Fire Department Lt. Greg Borg was working at the station at the time. He remembers it well. “He came stalking her. It was good that we were able to come between them.”
That time the firefighters were able to provide prevention and protection, rather than attend to the physical hurt a victim has already suffered.
Spokane Police Chief Roger Bragdon agrees that it’s all about prevention. “We’ve got to get in front of it. By the time the blue uniforms get to the house it’s too late.”
Bragdon and Borg joined community leaders, clergy and representatives of Spokane County Domestic Violence Consortium and Under One Roof for the recent kickoff of a new campaign, “Safe Haven of Hillyard” on Oct. 20 at the Northeast Community Center.
Businesses in Hillyard are invited to participate in the program by placing a sign designating their place of business as a “safe haven” for victims of domestic violence.
“We’re not asking people to be shelters. We want people to know that we understand that intimate partner violence is an important issue, and we’re not going to turn a blind eye. And if you need to use a phone you can do that, and we’re not going to ask questions or shame you. This sends a message and says that we’re paying attention and we care,” said Debbie DuPey, Spokane County Domestic Violence Consortium education specialist.
Victims can go to these businesses and call law enforcement, service agencies, or maybe family or friends to assist them in finding a safe place for themselves and their children.
“We’ll provide technical support for businesses who want to participate,” said DuPey.
Eventually the Safe Haven program will be expanded throughout the city.
Karen Kearney, chair of Under One Roof, a program participating in the Safe Haven project, said that Hillyard was chosen as the pilot program because currently the majority of domestic violence and child protective service calls are in the 99207 and 99217 ZIP codes, areas with many economically challenged single parents.
Under One Roof was founded last year by a group of concerned citizens when 10 area children were killed between 2000 and 2004 at the hands of nonrelated males.
According to Kearney, 75 percent of kids suffer physical and sexual abuse in homes where their mothers are abused. “Children can be protected by making a difference in their mother’s life,” said Kearney.
“Intimate partner violence is the number one indicator of child abuse. Essentially, what happens in the home spreads like cancer. The kids begin to hurt each other, they hurt animals, and they become bullies at school. We know that kids are impacted psychologically, often physically, and cognitively when they’re living at home with domestic violence,” said DuPey.