By
Stephanie Minasian
Not only does October mean the beginning of fall, but also the month brings national awareness to the issue of domestic violence.
Amador County is seeing things in a shade of purple, as Operation Care is displaying 30 life-sized silhouettes of women, children, men and even a dog around the county to represent different people's personal experiences of domestic violence.
"We thought we should portray real people, our own clients and people that we know have survived," said Executive Director of Operation Care Lynn Shield. She said the stories represented are those of survivors. Operation Care is a nonprofit organization that offers sexual-assault and domestic-violence support services to victims in Amador County. All of its services are free and confidential to clients.
Operation Care also placed several baskets around the county containing various trinkets to show support for domestic violence victims, including purple bracelets and ribbons.
"They're for people to display a purple ribbon or purple bracelet to show their support for healthy relationships," Shield explained.
One local story of domestic violence is Barbara's. Her purple silhouette stands in the county to represent her personal battle with domestic violence. Her story reads on her purple silhouette: "I am a 42-year-old woman. I have lived with abuse since childhood ... My last relationship was almost my death. I was beaten so badly that my left lung is paralyzed and I have no teeth left in my mouth. At times he would hit me so much, I thought I would die." Through the assistance and services of Operation Care, Barbara can now live freely and without fear.
"Operation Care taught me the red flags and about self-esteem and that I don't deserve to be abused," she said. Barbara mentioned that it even taught her simple life skills that she didn't know, such as how to take care of finances. She is currently taking domestic violence classes and seeing a counselor, as well as participating in a 12-step program. According to the American Institute of Domestic Violence, 85 to 95 percent of victims are women, and about one in four women will experience abuse each year.
"I wanted to die," Barbara said. "I didn't want to live."
But not all domestic violence is physical. It also can be emotional, mental, sexual or financial. According to Operation Care, many victims are afraid to leave their partners because of the control they have over them - whether it be solely due to fear, financial issues or because of children.
"A lot of people don't realize that abuse can be verbal, it could be taking food away, taking clothes away and taking your family away," Barbara said.
Not only does domestic violence affect adults, the effects it has on children who witness violence in their homes can create devastating damage to a child's life and increase the risk of problems in adulthood.
"The early years are the most important years of life," said Amador Child Abuse Prevention Council Program Coordinator Robin Valencia. "There are long-term effects of abuse that follow kids into adulthood." Toxic stress is a result of children going through negative and intense life experiences, including extreme poverty, abuse, neglect and witnessing violence and abuse of others that can affect children in harmful ways. Even a child still in the womb can have adverse effects from its mother enduring abuse. According to Teresa Contreras, chief of the Office of Child Abuse, a child whose mother lives in a violent, stressful environment could have slower mental development, lower self-esteem, abnormal brain size and high levels of aggression and disobedience.
Stress in a child's life could lead them down a path of depression, eating disorders or alcoholism as an adult. Valencia claims that early intervention can be a life-saver for a child.
"So many of the kids who are the worst abused are the ones who are the youngest," Valencia said. She explained that children under the age of 4 are at the greatest risk because they do not attend school where teachers or supervisors could intervene if they suspect a child is in an abusive household. One of the main programs offered by the Amador County Child Abuse Prevention Council is mandated reporter training for professionals who are required by law to report suspected child abuse, including teachers.
Operation Care provides a safe shelter for women, men and children, and offers counseling, intervention, support services and education. If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic violence and needs help, dial 911 or call the 24-hour crisis line at 223-2600. The shelter contains 15 beds for women and children, and will assist men in finding an alternative place to stay if they are enduring domestic violence.
"I want people to know that there's help out there," Barbara said. "I've been given the gift of life again."
