Inyo, Mono both exceed state averages for Domestic Violence Calls
October has been proclaimed “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” by the Bishop City Council at its regular meeting on Monday, September 22 (Mammoth’s Town Council also approved a proclamation at its Oct. 1 meeting).
Wild Iris Executive Director Lisa Reel was on hand to receive the proclamation from Mayor Jim Ellis. Inyo County is expected to do the same at its meeting next week.
Why is recognition of domestic violence important in the Eastern Sierra?
Shockingly, Inyo County is ranked at No. 2 in the state for Domestic Violence Calls for Assistance (DVCA).
What is domestic violence?
Domestic violence (a.k.a. domestic abuse) is defined by the courts in California as abuse or threats of abuse when the person being abused and the abuser are or have been in an intimate relationship (married or domestic partners, are dating or used to date, live or lived together, or have a child together). It is also when the abused person and the abusive person are closely related by blood or by marriage.
By the numbers in the Eastern Sierra
Coming in at 18.1 per population of 1,000, Inyo County’s numbers might seem low compared to No. 1 Del Norte County, which has an astounding 53 per population of 1,000 (more than 8 times the state rate). While only one-third the rate of Del Norte County, Inyo County is still almost three times the DVCA average for the state (6.2 per 1,000).
By comparison, neighboring Mono County has a rate of 7.3 per population of 1,000 which is slightly higher than the state average.
Law Enforcement Perspective
When contacted by The Sheet, Inyo County Sheriff Bill Lutze said, “After speaking with several of our officers for their perspective, our experience is that on domestic violence calls, it often involves arguments over finances, and alcohol use is often involved.” Asked about other substance abuse, Lutze said that it is in its own category and does not appear to be a main contributor when it comes to domestic violence calls for assistance that the Sheriff Department receives.
“Alcohol seems to bring out the worst in people under its influence,” said Lutze, adding that he feels poor parenting and coping skills also play a role.
The root of the problem: the abusive person
While alcohol is a problem, Susi Bains, the Program Director for Wild Iris, said, “Alcohol and drugs do lower inhibitions and the threshold for abuse, but the true problem is the perpetrator with a propensity for violence, whether or not they are under the influence of alcohol or other substances.
“It is the innate violence towards others that an abusive person has inside them,” said Bains, “Anything else is just an excuse.”
Wild Iris’ perspective on local government’s role
Wild Iris is a family counseling and crisis center for Inyo and Mono Counties, founded in 1981. It has a staff of 15, with offices in both Bishop and Mammoth Lakes, serving victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. It also offers programs in parenting and co-parenting classes, supervised visitation monitors, and court-appointed special advocates.
Lisa Reel, Executive Director of Wild Iris, said, “Domestic Violence is a community safety problem which will not be resolved by a small segment of the population. We [Wild Iris] alone cannot solve the issue of domestic violence in Inyo and Mono Counties; it will take communities committed to non-tolerance of domestic violence.”
What can local government bodies do to strengthen the work of domestic violence centers?
• Recognize that there is a problem in the local communities;
• Commit to finding solutions;
• Provide resources so law enforcement can respond to DV calls in a timely manner;
• Be involved with local domestic violence prevention activities by attending and volunteering at events and supporting outreach activities.
Reel stressed that domestic violence is not just a women and children issue, but is a non-gender specific issue between heterosexual and same-sex partners; encompasses all ages, from middle school aged children to senior citizens; all social-economic statuses, from penniless and homeless to very wealthy; and all ethnicities.
Noting the unprecedented attention around domestic violence in the news over the last few weeks, Reel said that, “According to the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, a statewide coalition of domestic violence agencies throughout California, between September 7th and 8th, there has been a 37 percent spike in calls from California victims seeking assistance from the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
“We need to keep the conversations going and that, regardless of status, no one is above the law when it comes to being morally responsible; nor does anyone have the right to take away someone else’s right to live in an environment free of violence,” said Reel.
California Women’s Health Survey
Domestic Violence is far more prevalent than many realize. The California Women’s Health Survey (CWHS) serves as a catalyst for innovative solutions that impact the health of California’s women and girls. Some of its key findings:
Approximately 40 percent of California women experience physical intimate partner violence in their lifetimes.
Younger women, 18-24 years of age, were significantly more likely (11 percent) to be victims of physical intimate partner violence in the past year than women in other age groups.
Of those experiencing physical intimate partner violence, 75 percent of victims had children under the age of 18 years at home.
Domestic violence homicide, guns, and law enforcement calls
In California, law enforcement agencies received 157,634 domestic violence-related calls in 2012. According to the California Department of Justice, Criminal Justice Statistics Center, in 2011 there were 147 domestic violence fatalities.
And while most other types of homicides are declining (i.e., gang related, robbery) domestic violence homicides increased by 30 percent from 2008 to 2011. The increase can be seen in the 224 homicides in 2012, compared to the 108 homicides in 2003. The victims are overwhelmingly female.
Nationally, on average, more than four women a day are murdered by a current or former intimate partner, while each day three children die from abuse. In 2000, 1,247 women were killed by an intimate partner, while in that same year, 440 men were killed by an intimate partner.
Women are at increased risk of harm shortly after separation from an abusive partner. It should not surprise anyone that domestic violence and guns are bad mix. Abusers with guns are more likely to inflict the most severe abuse on their partners. Domestic violence victims living in a house with firearms are five times more likely to be killed than victims living in home without a gun. And guns are used in over half of all domestic violence homicides – more than all other weapons combined.
Wild Iris will be holding free 2-hour “DV 101” seminars in October, open to the public. The first seminar is in Mammoth Lakes from 3 -5 on Tuesday, Oct. 7. The second free seminar will be on Thursday, Oct. 9, in Bishop from 2:30 – 4:30 Call Wild Iris at (760) 934-2491 or visit their website at http://wild-iris.org/domestic-violence-101 to register for the seminars.
Domestic violence is clearly an issue that needs attention in the Eastern Sierra. For help on domestic abuse or more information, call Wild Iris toll-free at (877) 873-7384.
