| The community treatment of abused women, even | | | | as a trouble-maker and forbidden to come back. I |
| in large metropolitan areas, remains in the Dark Ages, | | | | was told that I could return if I did not interfere but |
| according to my experience as a clinician. Instead of | | | | to "keep that lawyer away from here." |
| being nursed and pampered, victims are forced to | | | | A model program, according to my view, would be |
| live in dank shelters and given menial chores plus | | | | headed by a full-time social worker or psychologist |
| made to care for themselves and any children. | | | | who has thoroughly studied child abuse, emotional |
| One of my patients who had no-where else to go in | | | | trauma, and the treatment of both. The treatment |
| order to escape her abuser spent one night with her | | | | of domestic violence is largely the treatment of |
| small son in one of these places and left as soon as | | | | emotional trauma, quite often posttraumatic stress |
| she could the next day. She told me the place was a | | | | disorder. |
| roach-infested rat's nest. | | | | The director would also have enough training in |
| Yet these women have no friends for the most part | | | | neuropsychology to recognize the possible presence |
| because their abusers have chased them all away. | | | | of traumatic brain injuries. In addition, there would be |
| Their families have given up on them in many cases. | | | | an attorney with training and experience in abuse |
| Because abuse results in extreme social isolation, the | | | | retained on a contractual on-call basis. |
| woman is usually without any other resource to | | | | An ideal shelter would care for both the mother and |
| initiate a rescue operation; that is, to help her leave | | | | her children, but certainly not in an institutional |
| her abuser safely and then provide what is necessary | | | | environment as is mostly the case. The ambiance |
| for housing, child care, and all the other requirements | | | | would be resort-like and would provide ample privacy. |
| for breaking the cycle. As a result, victims must turn | | | | Instead of making the victims prepare their own |
| to public programs to perform these life-saving | | | | meals and clean their own quarters, they would be |
| functions. | | | | regarded as guests who had earned the right to |
| Women experience a culture shock when suddenly | | | | special consideration through what they had suffered. |
| thrust into a milieu that is foreign to them. These | | | | A family physician, a pediatrician, and a gynecologist |
| shelters tend to have a ghetto atmosphere, and the | | | | would be on-call, contractually. Instead of riding in a |
| living conditions are deplorable. Even women who are | | | | van to a clinic, guests would receive their medical |
| accustomed to poverty are unnerved. | | | | care on-sight. There would be a play area for children, |
| These domestic violence projects usually assist | | | | well supervised by gentle staff. |
| victims in filing restraining orders against their | | | | There might be an exercise room, but certainly a |
| oppressors. The victims feel somewhat comforted | | | | very pleasant social area, attractively and |
| by such a court injunction until they find out that the | | | | comfortably furnished. Each individual room would |
| piece of paper is worthless. Either the restraining | | | | have its own bath and be equipped with TV, plush |
| order is never served on the offender or, if it is, the | | | | carpet, and other amenities. |
| abuser becomes further enraged. | | | | One might say that the expense would be prohibitive. |
| The victims receive group therapy by | | | | However, that is not the case, as professional fees |
| paraprofessionals and volunteers with an anti-male | | | | would be covered by third-party payors, such as |
| slant. Upper-level mental-health professionals, such as | | | | Medicaid, private insurance, or grant funding. The |
| psychologists and psychiatrists, are rarely associated | | | | facility itself could be constructed with the help of an |
| with these havens except perhaps on a consulting | | | | allocation of the city or county budget, or perhaps |
| basis. Even then, these consultants are rarely familiar | | | | through private or corporate gifts. |
| with the treatment of emotional trauma or any of | | | | Specialized individual and group treatment would be |
| the roots of domestic violence. | | | | available on a daily basis, including weekends, but |
| I mean no less than to say that many of these | | | | attendance would be optional when first admitted. A |
| facilities are ignorant as to what a victim needs. But | | | | full-time nurse who understands the issues and is |
| these organizations, for the most part, are deeply | | | | perhaps a survivor would be a key staff member. |
| entrenched in the community and not open to | | | | In brief, any connotation of punishment, discipline, or |
| change. They have staked out their territory, and | | | | forced confinement must be completely reversed |
| they are not about to allow outsiders within their | | | | because, after all, the victim believes that she |
| borders. | | | | deserves punishment. That mindset is one of the first |
| An attorney-friend with the same concerns as my | | | | that must be countered. |
| own joined me at a meeting of a domestic-violence | | | | This article has been furnished courtesy of St. James |
| task force. When he pointed at that injunctions were | | | | the Elder Theological Seminary, Jacksonville, Florida, Fr. |
| neither being served nor enforced, he was branded | | | | Heyward B. Ewart, III, Ph.D., president. |