Dragonfly Centre: ‘The Long Term Effects of Domestic Violence’

Mission

Non-Profit, 501(c)(3)

Mission: The Dragonfly Centre is committed to the elimination of domestic violence against women and their children by providing victim friendly services that promotes the empowerment of survivors; through advocacy, public awareness and education and community based initiatives.

Vision: The Dragonfly Centre envisions a world free of violence against women and their children and social justice for all. We are founded on the vision and belief that every person has the right to live in a safe environment free from violence and the fear of violence and strive to work collaboratively with the community to provide victim friendly services to support domestic violence victims, survivors to the stage of thriving.

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Wednesday, August 14, 2013

‘The Long Term Effects of Domestic Violence’

By SANDRINE RATTAN Tuesday, August 13 2013

The long term effects of domestic violence have not begun to be fully documented by the many advocates against domestic violence, but what is known, is that victims of violence are psychologically damaged for a lifetime…changes occur in their thought processes; approach to life and attitude towards people in general.

In fact, the emotional and psychological abuse inflicted by batterers may be more costly to treat with in the short-term than physical injury.

There are various pieces of psychological research which show that many of the physical injuries sustained by women seem to cause medical challenges as women grow older. Arthritis, hypertension and heart disease have been identified by battered women as directly caused or aggravated by domestic violence.

Because of the severity of the effects of domestic violence, women need to pay more attention to the types of relationship in which they find themselves, as abusive relationships equate to DEATH??

Battered women lose their jobs because of absenteeism, which is usually due to illness as a result of violence.

Lengthy periods of absence from the job, occasioned by court appearances, also jeopardize and ruin women’s livelihood.

Victims also lose family and friends as a result of the violence….first, the batterer isolates the victims from their loved ones, and this in turn creates embarrassment for the victims and their (the victims) response is withdrawal from support persons.

There is yet another major challenge which victims are faced with – abandonment by their church, if they decide to separate from the abusers, since some r%eligious doctrines prohibit separation or divorce regardless of the severity of abuse.

Many battered women have had to forego financial security during divorce proceedings to avoid further abuse. As a result, they become impoverished as they grow older??

Domestic Violence is indeed a very bitter pill to swallow, and I do hope that through the publication of this column on a bi-weekly basis, women (whether or not they’re abused) become more enlightened and by extension, more empowered, to effectively address any domestic issue(s) which may be deemed to be violent.

Sandrine Rattan is a Communications Specialist who has also studied Psychology/Environmental Relationships and Sociology.

Source: http://www.newsday.co.tt/features/0,182160.html

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A Little Background…..

In 2007 I was introduced to the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is a beautiful tropical country located in the southern most part of the Caribbean archipelago. However, the opportunity to travel to this part of the world would not present itself until March of 2009. It was an incredible experience to be able to visit a country where I had never been before and I literally knew no-one. I had the privilege to experience a new culture and meet many wonderful people who made my trip an amazing experience. Although the purpose of my visit was recreational, something happened that changed all of that. One evening while on a hike with my tour guide and one of the locals at The ASA Wright Nature Centre, one of the men asked me where I was from and what I did for a living. It was at that moment that I disclosed that I was a Domestic Violence Advocate. He paused, looked at me and replied,… “we need you here”. At that moment I did not fully understand what he meant or how I could help.

A few days after this I visited one of the local court houses to learn about how someone could obtain a protection order. What I discovered disturbed me greatly, to say the least. The process by which abused individuals could obtain legal protections left much to be desired. This sparked grave concern for victims coupled with a desire to learn more about the local system and services. After I finished my travels all I could think about was the need of the people in Trinidad and Tobago. It was shortly after my return to the United States that the Dragonfly Centre for Women’s Empowerment and Transformation began to take form. While completing my Bachelors degree at Evergreen College, I developed an Individual Learning Contract entitled “Domestic Violence in Trinidad and Tobago” and was awarded The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. This allowed me to return to Trinidad and Tobago for my final quarter at the end of December of 2009 for my nine week study. My focus was on services addressing domestic violence. What I came away with was the echoing cries for help by the people who freely shared their personal views and stories. Although I wasn’t quite sure what, I knew I had to do something. As a consequence, it was these cries that gave birth to and helped shape the Dragonfly Centre to be what it is, a multifaceted institution with a focus on public education, shaping public policy and providing direct victim friendly services to support families dealing with domestic violence.