'We are in a crisis': Domestic violence experts highlight resources during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

PRODUCTION BY THE END OF THE YEAR. OCTOBER RECOGNIZED AS NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. WVTM 13 S BRYCE OSELEN SPOKE WITH A LOCAL ORGANIZER SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS ON HOW TO RESOLVE DOMESTIC DISPUTES. IT’S A HARD QUESTION, BUT AT ITS CORE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS THE NEED FOR SOMEONE TO HAVE POWER AND CONTROL OVER ANOTHER PERSON. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAS MANY FORMS, NOT JUST PHYSICAL. AND ULTIMATELY, WHETHER IT’S PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, SEXUAL VIOLENCE, COERCIVE CONTROL, FINANCIAL ABUSE, EMOTIONAL ABUSE, IT IS SOMEBODY NEEDING TO HAVE CONTROL AND POWER OVER SOMEBODY ELSE. ONE PLACE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REBECCA MCWILLIAMS SAYS SHE DOESN’T KNOW THE SPECIFIC CAUSE OF ABUSE. BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. ANNUALLY, THERE ARE 1000 PROTECTION ORDERS ISSUED IN JEFFERSON COUNTY AND 30 TO 40 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOMICIDES IN 2023, NEARLY 70% OF HOMICIDE OFFENDERS HAD A PRIOR HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT WHY AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADDRESS THE ROOT ISSUE, THEN WE WOULDN’T BE IN THE CRISIS THAT WE ARE TODAY. THE ONE PLACE JUSTICE CENTER OFFERS MULTIPLE SERVICES FOR ABUSE VICTIMS. MCWILLIAMS SAYS WALKING AWAY IS SCARY, BUT THAT THEY’RE NOT ALONE AND THAT THERE IS HELP. YOU CAN COME TO A PLACE LIKE ONE PLACE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER, GO TO THE YWCA, YOU CAN RECEIVE HELP WITH PROTECTION ORDERS, WITH COUNSELING, WITH GUIDANCE AND JUST SOMEONE TO TALK TO. IN BIRMINGHAM, BRI