Crisis Line
1-800-270-1620 or 641-673-5499

	Empowering Our Community
Volume VII, Issue 2		July 2007

[ Upcoming Events | Celebrating CIS 10th Anniversary | Safety Zones Better Protect Children | Domestic Violence Counts: National Census | Central College and Oskaloosa Christian School Participate in Service Days | Effects of Domestic Violence on Children | WPU Works to End Violence | CIS History at a Glance | Financial Stability Needed | Prevention Program Outcomes | Iowa Domestic Abuse Death Review Team Findings | Self-Injury | Human Service Needs Assessment Coming Soon! | GoodSearch | Pre-Tax IRA Deduction]

Upcoming Events

• Aug/Sept, Volunteer Advocacy Training
• October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
• Domestic Violence Awareness Month Walks on the square from 12-1 pm:
• Oct 1 Chariton
• Oct 8 Knoxville
• Oct 15 Pella
• Oct 22 Sigourney
• April 5, 2008, Purple Ribbon Auction, Knoxville
• June 21, 2008, Golf Tournament, Harvest Point Golf Course

Celebrating CIS 10th Anniversary

Crisis Intervention Services would like to thank all of you for your support. You have enabled us to provide quality services to victims of abuse over the last ten years. When CIS opened in 1997, we served 107 victims of crime and last year, we served 731 victims. We have served 2,827 victims of crime since we opened our doors. We are planning several events throughout the year to say “thank you” for your support.

• June 22 Attending Friday After 5 in Oskaloosa
• July 19 Sponsoring pre-band event of the Oskaloosa Municipal Band Concert

We are also planning other activities to show our appreciation throughout the year.

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Safety Zones Better Protect Children

A study conducted by Minnesota Department of Corrections (April 2007) found that housing residency restrictions would not have deterred any of the 224 sex offenses committed by convicted sex offenders between 1990 and 2002. The results clearly indicated that sexual recidivism was not impacted by residential proximity but by social or relationship proximity. For example, one of the most common victim-offender relationships found was that of a male offender developing a relationship with a woman who has children. They used the relationship to gain access to the children. It was also common for offenders to gain access to victims through babysitting for an acquaintance or co-worker, or living with friends who had children. When offenders did establish direct contact with children they only did so in neighborhoods other than where they lived to decrease the chances of being recognized.

This report gives further evidence that safety zones are a better alternative to residency restrictions to protect children from sex offenders. Safety zones would prohibit registered sex offenders from being near day cares and schools, regardless of where they live.

Parents are also responsible for ensuring that they are knowledgeable about how to protect their children from sex offenders. We should always screen potential babysitters, roommates, friends, and romantic partners before trusting and allowing them access to our children. A good place to start is searching www.iowasexoffender.com. Your local Sheriff’s Office can assist you as well.

Crisis Intervention Services provides free and confidential services to children who have been sexually abused, and to non-offending parents.

Domestic Violence Counts: National Census

On November 2, 2006, 1,243 of 2,016 domestic violence programs (62%) throughout the United States participated in the first National Census of Domestic Violence Services. This survey was designed to address the safety and confidentiality needs of victims while collecting an unduplicated count of adults and children who received critical services during the 24-hour survey period. Because only 62% of domestic violence programs, such as Crisis Intervention Services, participated, this provides a powerful glimpse but remains an undercount of the actual number of victims who actually sought and received services.

During the 24-hour survey period 22,277 victims of domestic violence received housing services from a domestic violence program, either in emergency shelters or transitional housing and 25,587 victims received advocacy services nation-wide. A total of 47,864 victims of domestic violence were served in a 24-hour period throughout the U.S.

In Iowa, 664 adults and children were served.

• 257 adults and children found refuge in emergency domestic violence shelters
• 68 adults and children were living in transitional housing programs, designed specifically for domestic violence survivors
• 272 hotline calls were answered, more than 11 hotline calls every hour

There was a considerable unmet demand for services in Iowa due to a lack of resources.

• 11 unmet requests for emergency shelter
• 27 unmet requests for transitional housing
• 2 unmet requests for outreach services

And, unfortunately, there is even more tragic news. From 2002 – 2006, there was a 38% increase in domestic violence homicides in Iowa. Last year, there were 18 fatalities due to domestic violence, the most fatalities Iowa has seen since the Iowa Attorney General’s Office starting tracking this data in 1995.

Most programs operate with too few staff while serving an average of five counties because of funding difficulties. In Iowa,

• 27% domestic violence programs employ less than 10 staff
• 45% employ 10-20 paid staff (including CIS which provides outreach services, shelter, and transitional housing in four counties)
• 18% employ 21-40 staff
• 9% staff numbers not provided

Central College and Oskaloosa Christian School Participate in Service Days

Crisis Intervention Services would like to extend our appreciation to all the volunteers who donated their time, tools, and plants during recent community service days.  In April faculty and students from Central College joined with CIS, Vermeer, Bank of the West, and master gardeners to landscape the yard around the shelter. The landscaping was critical to containing high lead levels in the soil. Volunteers spent an estimated 30 hours completing the project, which included removing three truck loads of landscaping rock, installing new brick edging and adding six inches of new top soil around the shelter for the new raised plant beds. Inside the house the volunteers helped staff strip wallpaper to prepare the interior walls for painting. These are some of the final steps that were needed to finish the shelter restorations. In May, the Oskaloosa Christian School 7th grade class, with teacher Vickie DeJong and parents, planted annuals at both the shelter and the transitional housing apartments. The kids learned from board member/master gardener Sandi Fell the difference between annuals and perennials and how to plant the impatiens they donated to beatify our new raised beds. The kids themselves did the hard work of digging the holes, setting the plants and watering. The CIS Building and Grounds Committee was responsible for coordinating the project, while Central College and Oskaloosa Christian School made the arrangements for providing the volunteers. The staff at CIS would especially like to thank board member Sandi Fell, for all of her hard work involved with the planning of these successful events.

Effects of Domestic Violence on Children

Are you in an abusive situation with a partner or a spouse? Do you know someone who is? Do you think the children are being affected? Most of the time the children are aware of exactly what is going on, in fact 90% of the time they know. These are just some of the possible symptoms to watch for in children affected by domestic abuse:

• fears of going to sleep, nightmares, insomnia
• headaches, stomachaches, asthma, arthritis, ulcers
• anxiety about being hurt or killed, hyper vigilance about danger
• fighting, hurting other children or animals
• temper tantrums
• withdrawal, listlessness, or depression
• suicide attempts, dangerous behavior
• fear of going to school or separating from mom
• frozen watchfulness or excessive fear
• acting perfect, overachieving, behaving like small adults
• disruption in relationship with primary caregiver
• shame, guilt, ambivalence
• worrying, difficulties in concentration and attention
• bedwetting, regress to earlier developmental stages
• eating problems
• identification with the aggressor
• school behavior problems, absenteeism
• isolation, loneliness
• substance abuse
• sexual irresponsibility
• running away
• delinquency, stealing
• dating violence perpetration

This long list is just a start to what happens with children of DV abusers. Now for some startling statistics:

• Children of abused mothers are six times more likely to attempt suicide, 50% more likely to abuse drugs and/or alcohol, and are at high risk for running away
• Children raised in violent homes are 74% more likely to commit assault
• 63% of imprisoned children between ages 11-20 were doing time for killing their mom’s abuser
• Over 25% of batterers use visitation as a way to control and harass their partners after separation

For children to be safe and secure and out of harms way, we need to get them help, create a safety plan for them, and assist them through this difficult time of recovery. Things critical to their recovery include a sense of safety; structure and predictability; a strong bond to their primary caretaker; feel that the primary caretaker is healing; have contact with non-custodial parent if it is safe; and close monitoring of visitation.

Everyone has the right to be safe and feel safe in their lives. We, as adults have choices to make. Children do not. We must make the choices for them. It is our responsibility as parents to keep our children safe. If you need help in any way, for yourself or someone you know, please call us at 800-670-1620 or 641-673-5499 anytime night or day.

WPU Works to End Violence —by Melissa Klein

William Penn University and Crisis Intervention Services (CIS) have had a long tradition of working together for positive change. Having just completed my first academic year as Counselor at William Penn, and as a Board Member for Crisis Intervention Services, I'd like to share my perspective of the challenges and accomplishments of 2006-2007. Increasing student awareness about available resources and making safe and healthy choices for prevention of domestic violence and sexual assault has been and will continue to be a top priority of mine. To accomplish this task, the Penn Counseling Center has elaborated on the already annual event, October's Finding Your Voice Week, in addition to designating an Alcohol Awareness Week in March and a Sexual Responsibility Awareness Week in April.

In October, CIS set up the silent witness display and hung the Clothesline project in our Student Union to educate students on the impact of violence. We offered special presentations from the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault experts, a self-defense class, a coffeehouse discussion, and held an essay contest on how violence has affected our students' lives. Students tye-dyed "Finding Your Voice" t-shirts in purple, providing them with a fun outlet and a way to show their support of ending violence. Finally, the Walk-a-Mile-in-Her Shoes activity gave students the experience of all the obstacles that face a battered woman.

This April, I designated a week to specifically educate students about date rape, sexually transmitted diseases, available community resources, and how college students can stay safe. The weeklong event included informational booths staffed by Crisis Intervention, free "Don't be a Dum Dum" cards with suckers and facts, sidewalk chalk statistics, and new posters all over campus. I held a mocktail party with fresh homemade smoothies and incorporated a lesson on how easily a date rape drug can be slipped into your drink. A nurse practitioner answered students' questions about sexual health during a Residential Hall Activity and "Bladder Chatter" was posted in men's and women's restrooms throughout campus with information on all of the above topics.

Next year's activities are already planned and being improved upon to reach more students in new and unique ways. Collaborating with CIS has been a joy, and all of Penn's students benefit from their information, resources, and services. Thank you, CIS, for making our community and campus a safer place!

CIS History at a Glance

1997

• Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non profit organization
• Staffed small outreach office with three full-time and one part-time advocates
• Served 107 victims of abuse in Mahaska County

2000

• Opened 24-bed emergency shelter
• Increased staff to five full-time and four part-time advocates
• Served 258 victims of abuse

2001

• Began serving Keokuk County
• Created Violence Prevention Program for community youth
• Served 325 victims of abuse

2002

• Served 401 victims of abuse

2005

• Opened Transitional Housing Program
• Opened Outreach Office in Pella
• Began serving Lucas & Marion counties
• Served 514 victims of abuse
• Increased staff to nine full-time and eight part-time advocates

2006

• Served 731 victims of abuse

Financial Stability Needed

Many of you know that CIS is dependent upon grants to fund our services. State and federal grants support almost 85% of our budget with United Way, County Boards, donations, and fundraising providing the remaining 15%. Last year, one of our grants received a funding cut even though the contract had been signed and the money had already been spent. We had to send back a check for over $500.

In the last ten years, Crisis Intervention Services has worked hard to ensure that we provide quality services to meet the needs of our communities. We have created new services when the need is there and funds are found to support the services. When funding decreases, we have to eliminate or decrease some of our services to people in need. Payroll and benefits are 78% of our budget; this is our greatest operating expense due to two reasons. First, we are a service organization and the services cannot be provided without the advocates to provide them. Second, we receive tremendous community support with in-kind donations of supplies, rent, and other things which keeps many of our expenses lower than otherwise. So, when a service is eliminated, a job is lost to an advocate. Our goal is to create long-term financial stability for CIS. Realistically, we will never be able to live without grants, but long-term financial planning, and investing in an endowment fund, could stabilize our programs despite the fluctuations of grant funding. This would prevent chaos in programming (sporadically creating or eliminating critical services). Our Board of Directors is in the planning stages of creating an endowment fund and we hope to begin fundraising soon. We will still need your contributions to our operating budget, and we will be asking for donations to our long-term security as well. Thank you for supporting CIS!

Prevention Program Outcomes

This year, CIS provided prevention programs to 84 students in six schools throughout Keokuk, Lucas, Mahaska and Marion Counties using the Safe Dates curricula. The schools that choose to participate in this program include Oskaloosa High School, Oasis Alternative School, Pella Christian High School, Russell High School, Trabert Alternative School, and Sigourney Alternative School. The program is provided to schools at no cost and is funded by the Rape Prevention Education grant through the Center for Disease Control and the Crime Victim Assistance Division of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.

Our goal was to decrease youths’ attitudes and beliefs that condone violence. To evaluate the effectiveness of the program, we used pre- and post-tests to measure student knowledge and opinions about violence. The majority of the students (male, 45%; female, 55%) were in 11th and 12th grades (88%) with the remaining in 9th and 10th grade. Here are some of the results:

• Music, TV, movies, and video games are too violent these days (44% agreed).
• I know someone whose friendships have changed because of a partners’ jealousy (84.5% agreed).
• It’s not a big deal if your boy/girlfriend chooses who you can hang out with (88.1% disagreed).
• I’ve seen someone be verbally abusive to a dating partner (71.4% agreed).
• I personally know someone who has been abused (81% agreed).
• I have had the experience of worrying about a friend or family member who was being emotionally or physically hurt (76.2% agreed).
• Children and teens are affected by living in a violent home (84.5% agreed).
• I’ve seen members of my family let their anger turn to violence towards one another (61.9% agreed).
• If someone stays in an abusive relationship, they have no one to blame but themselves (53.6% disagreed).
• Spreading a sexual rumor about someone may damage their self-esteem for a long time (94% agreed).
• Guys put a lot of pressure on each other to see how far they can get with girls (89.3% agreed).
• If someone doesn’t say no, tell you to stop, or push you off, then they have given you the green light for sex (75% disagreed).

Iowa Domestic Abuse Death Review Team Findings

from domestic abuse and recommend strategies for prevention. Team members represent the fields of law enforcement, prosecution, corrections, judicial system, victim advocacy, health care, human rights, mental health, substance abuse treatment, child protection, and education. The team is staffed by the Iowa Department of Public Health. The members of the Iowa Domestic Abuse Death Review Team recognize the tragic impact that these deaths have on the family members who survive. In memory of those who have died, they offer their findings and recommendations for the prevention of future deaths in Iowa.

From 1997-2003, 42% of the cases reviewed (22 out of 52) were murder-suicides. Of the 86 deaths, more than two-thirds were homicides and the remaining were suicides. 95% of those who were murdered were victims of abuse, children, or other family members or acquaintances. Even though domestic abuse perpetrators were almost one-third of those who died, they were largely a result of suicide. And, while eleven children were murdered, there were another 39 children present at the scene who survived the death of one or both parents.

Domestic abuse deaths, like domestic assault in general, are crimes of gender violence. The predominant perpetrators are men and the victims are women.

In 63% of the deaths, a firearm was used. Eleven of the cases involved in those 54 deaths were subject to Protection Orders that would have prohibited the perpetrator from possessing firearms at the time the death occurred. The other methods of death were beating, stabbing, strangulation, or other method.

The most common circumstances immediate to the death involved the female partner ending the relationship. In 62% of the cases, the victim had recently ended or threatened to leave the relationship. Other factors present in 13% or less of the cases included alcohol or drug use, mental health problems (primarily depression), financial problems, custody conflicts, or the discovery of a new partner. Moreover, of those cases involving a separation, 50% of the homicides occurred within one month. A third of them, however, occurred seven months or more after separation. There was evidence of a prior homicide or suicide threat in more than a third of the cases. A commonly held belief is that domestic abuse homicides are “crimes of passion”. While some may be perpetrated in tandem with high risk circumstances (such as alcohol use), they are also an extension of the batterer’s attempt to intimidate and control the victim.

There was evidence of prior contact with community resources, which can provide an opportunity for community professionals to identify those at risk, assess danger, plan for safety, and reduce social isolation of potential victims. In cases where perpetrators had prior contact with the criminal justice system, there was not clear evidence that they were consistently held accountable. Fifteen of the 26 cases where there were prior police calls for domestic violence resulted in an arrest. While a domestic abuse arrest doesn’t necessarily lead to a conviction, it is noteworthy that only two out of the 15 cases where there had been a prior arrest resulted in a conviction leading to referral to a batterer’s education program. Only one case of the 11 subject to a protective order had a weapons seizure order available under federal statute.

Recommendations:

• Domestic abuse deaths don’t come “out of the blue”. There is evidence of a pattern of abuse or other behaviors that indicate risk. Family and friends need to recognize the important role they play and seek help for victims if a threat is imminent.
• Community professionals can play a critical role in identifying victims and offenders by assessing risk of serious harm.
• The impact of witnessing domestic abuse has a negative impact on the long-term physical and emotional health of children.
• Courts must hold batterers accountable for their behavior.
• Iowa judges may not be fully utilizing tools available to them under federal law regarding firearm possession in domestic abuse cases.

For more information, contact www.idph.state.ia.us.

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Self-Injury —C. Nannette Roach, Ph.D.

Self-injurious behaviors are deliberate and repetitive acts of physical harm to one’s own body, generally in a context of secrecy. These acts of physical harm may take many forms including cutting, scraping, burning, biting or hitting. Self-injurious behaviors are usually not life-threatening and they generally do not reflect a suicidal gesture or intention; however, these behaviors are quite serious in nature.

Self-inflicted harm represents an attempted coping strategy. Self-injury most frequently occurs when an individual is feeling overwhelmed by certain memories, thoughts, or emotions and the behavior is intended to reduce distress, anxiety, or the sense of being out of control. However, this pattern of behavior ultimately tends to intensify feelings of despair, shame, and helplessness, thus creating a vicious cycle.

Both males and females of a wide range of ages may engage in self-harm behaviors; however, teenagers may be more vulnerable due to the natural developmental stress and social challenges of adolescence. Individuals who engage in self-harm may have prior histories of assault or abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, comorbid depression or anxiety, substance abuse problems, eating disorders, and/or low self-esteem. Fortunately, with the help of a supportive environment, individuals may learn ways to alter these patterns of behavior and find more adaptive strategies for managing their emotions. Often, a combination of individual and/or family therapies, psychopharmacology (i.e., medication), and other resources can help an individual reclaim a healthy sense of control over their body. Common self-help strategies might include distracting oneself, relaxation, journaling, art therapy, exercise, and talking to a family member, friend, or spiritual support.

Dr. Nannette Roach is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice with Evolution: Clinical & Psychological Services in Oskaloosa. She can be reached at (641) 676-3999.

Human Services Needs Assessment Coming Soon!

Human services providers need accurate data to ensure they are providing the services which are essential to the residents of their communities. These providers have been unsure how to obtain this vital information and have turned to United Way of Mahaska County and United Way of Wapello County to assist them in conducting a comprehensive two county human services needs assessment. United Ways have evolved into being active community resources. They utilize their many volunteers and community contacts to collaborate and improve life. Through these connections, United Way of Mahaska County and United Way of Wapello County have hired Kathlene Larson, CD-DIAL Research Director of Iowa State University and her team to conduct research for both counties. The Community Development Data Information and Analysis Laboratory (CD-DIAL) at Iowa State University will gather the data, disseminate it by county and present the results to each group. The two United Ways will coordinate the process by linking researchers with nonprofit agencies and community members. Each United Way will distribute their county’s unique findings.

United Way of Mahaska County initiated this Human Services Needs Assessment to ensure our donors’ gifts are going to meet the most critical needs in our community. With that in mind, we will dig deep to uncover the actual documented needs and make certain no one is slipping through the cracks. The findings of this assessment will help our volunteers in their funding decisions during the United Way allocation process. In addition, the needs assessment will assist local agencies with documentation of needs for grant writing purposes.

The cost of this assessment is just over $13,000, but with the help of the Mahaska-Wapello County Empowerment Board, Community Partnerships for Protecting Children (CPPC) Shared Decision Making Teams, Crisis Intervention Services, SIEDA, and the in-kind donation of United Way staff we are well on our way to covering those costs.

Please watch for surveys which will be mailed to a random sample of Mahaska & Wapello County residents in October. If you would like more information on this assessment, please contact Jill Dursky (641-673-6043) at the United Way office.

GoodSearch

Want to help raise money for Crisis Intervention Services by browsing the Internet? Now you can and it is as simple as that. “The company was founded by a brother and sister team who lost their mom to cancer and wanted to find an easy way for people to support their favorite causes.” GoodSearch is an Internet search engine that enables you to help fund charities or schools like CIS by searching the Internet. You can even make GoodSearch your home page. For more information, visit www.goodsearch.com. Please select Crisis Intervention Services and donate to us every time you search the internet!

Pre-Tax IRA Donations

CIS learned recently that withdrawals from an IRA account can be made pre-tax, if you donate the withdrawal to a charitable organization. If you plan to make a withdrawal, please consider donating to CIS. Some additional paperwork is required. Please speak with your financial advisor for more information.

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