Family Advocacy sheds light on domestic abuse

  • Published
  • By Family Advocacy Program
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE --  Oct. 1 marked the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month and team Altus is joining forces with the local community to battle family violence. 

Throughout October, events are planned on base and in the Altus area to heighten awareness of all forms of domestic violence and offer a variety of prevention resources. 

"The goal of these events is to create awareness throughout the community about the problem of domestic violence," said Jackie Williams, Family Advocacy Outreach Manager. "Holding these events in conjunction with the local community shows families we are all [working] together on this problem." 

For the first time, Altus will host the Silent Witness Display from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 30 on the west side of the Altus Community Center on Falcon Road. The display, hosted by the ACMI House, features life-size silhouettes of humans with a plaque on the statues' hearts, listing the names and ages of the victims and how each one died as a result of domestic violence. 

"The Silent Witness Display is something we have always wanted to do here," Ms. Williams said. "It is nationally known and is a very powerful display because it puts a name to the victim." 

In addition to the displays, Family Advocacy is hosting a variety of domestic violence prevention events; including a table display in Bldg. 52, a safe dating seminar from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Freedom Community Center, and other presentations throughout the month by Family Advocacy and ACMI House on violence indicators. 

The Family Advocacy also hosts several monthly prevention classes, including anger management and common sense parenting, home alone training and the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program. 

PREP is a one-day workshop held at the Clinic. The workshop teaches couples to communicate effectively and gives them the tools to solve potential problems before they occur, Ms. Williams said. More than 400 couples have attended the workshop since it began six years ago. 

"We highlight our classes during this month, but we hold all of them, including our variety of parenting classes, every month," she added.
Preventing domestic violence incidents and getting families into the prevention courses remains Family Advocacy's major goal, Ms. Williams said. This allows individuals to get the support needed in a confidential setting, without having it recorded in their medical record. 

Currently, prevention cases are the majority of the cases seen in the program. While the base has seen a steady decline in domestic violence cases, this year Family Advocacy is focusing its efforts on a less-recognizable form of the problem - emotional abuse. 

"The reason we are focusing on emotional abuse is that violence can escalate," Ms. Williams said. "It can start as emotional abuse, which can be as simple as name-calling, and escalate from violent words to violent acts." 

"Ultimately, domestic violence can end in death," Ms. Williams said. "It can occur regardless of rank, gender, age, race or religious background." 

"Sometimes the things people say don't always register as being domestic abuse," she said. "We need to raise awareness on what emotional abuse is. It isn't always yelling, screaming or cursing." 

Airmen also need to be aware that a domestic violence conviction can occur for something as simple as a shove, push or threat, she said. 

Once a domestic violence conviction is made, in addition to the many legal consequences, it seriously affects an Airman's mission readiness and ability to deploy, said Ms. Williams. According to the 1996 Lautenberg Amendment, anyone convicted of domestic violence can't possess, transport, ship or receive a firearm or ammunition. 

"Preventing domestic violence preserves the Air Force mission," she added. "We want all our Airmen to do their jobs without constantly worrying about [the safety of] their families." 

Reporting potential cases at the first sign can prevent something more serious in the future. All domestic violence should be reported to Family Advocacy, 481-5376.