City leaders encourage victims of domestic abuse to get help
By Randy Bell
Despite two homicides in just over a week’s time in Clinton during October, the city’s police chief says this is still a safe community.
Ford Hayman says both murders resulted from “domestic violence relationships.” “These crimes are almost impossible to prevent, which makes seeking help so vital once relationships begin to turn violent or abusive,” says Hayman. “I encourage anyone who experiences relationships that are abusive, physically or emotionally, or violent to reach out for help.”
Mayor Will Purdie says Clinton takes a proactive stance in trying to break the cycle of domestic abuse. According to Purdie, “When it rises to a domestic violence charge through our municipal court, we have programs we will sentence people to complete to certainly address things of this nature.”
The Center for Violence Prevention (CVP) in Pearl offers the Batterer’s Intervention Program (BIP), a 24-week effort to convince abusers to change their ways.
“They’re actually educated and shown the damage that domestic abuse causes for everybody that’s involved,” says CVP Executive Director Sandy Middleton. “They’re given the tools to learn to not be domestic violence offenders. And it does prove to be very effective when it’s used correctly.” Middleton says it works best with first-time offenders. “It’s important to nip it in the bud. The first time there’s a problem, we really need to jump on it and deal with it.”
BIP uses trained facilitators who encourage participants to take full responsibility for their actions, instead of minimizing their behavior, denying that there’s a problem or blaming the victim. The offenders are required to pay the cost of the program.
Middleton says BIP shouldn’t be confused with anger management. “We really need everybody to understand that anger management does not help a domestic violence offender, because it’s not about anger; it’s about power and control. It’s a very intentional act in order to control their intimate partner.” And she stresses that the “cycle of domestic violence” is a real thing.
“Most of the time, it’s inter-generational. People grow up in homes where domestic violence is present, so they mirror that or do the same thing when they establish their homes.”
And Middleton points out that domestic violence impacts the whole family. “Our children suffer greatly in these homes. When mom and dad are fighting and they’re hitting each other and things in the home are being destroyed, it really traumatizes our children. And they need appropriate therapy.”
CVP has provided a full range of victim services since 1990. There’s a Crisis Line victims can call for help: 601-932-4198 or toll-free statewide 1-800-266-4198. A program called The Beacon offers free supportive services to aid in recovery, healing and justice for the victims of interpersonal violence, including an emergency short-term shelter, safety planning, community resource referral, educational assistance, life skills training, job training and employment assistance.
“We also offer legal advocacy,” Middleton says. “One of the things that victims need in the beginning is a protection order. They also need a connection to maybe starting divorce proceedings or emergency custody for their children.”
Therapeutic services are also offered, including support groups, along with children’s therapy and parenting classes. Advocates also work to assist the families of domestic violence homicide victims, like the two in Clinton, in navigating victim compensation, probate, guardianship, media interaction and the criminal justice process.
According to Middleton, those who want to end a violent relationship should contact CVP first. “We encourage people who are victims or who are potential victims to connect with us before they start to leave, because we want to help them plan to leave safely.”
Center for Violence Prevention (Pearl, MS)
Victim Crisis Line
601-932-4198
1-800-266-4198
www.MSC4VP.org
Some of the support services offered by the Center for Violence Prevention include:
• Crisis line and support 24 hours
• 24-hour hospital support by trained/volunteer staff
• Shelter and safety for victim(s), children and pets, confidential and monitored 24/7
• Emergency items, toiletries, linens, food
• Legal defense and individual advice
• Help to get protective orders
• Counseling
• Safety planning
• Life skills, job training, employment assistance
• References for services
• Aid in navigating victim compensation, probate, guardianship, media interaction and the criminal justice process
If you need help or have a friend or family member who needs help, call 601-932-4198, or visit www.msc4vp.org.
Nobody has to escape the violence alone.
