JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
More than 10 million men and women nationwide are physically abused by an intimate partner each year, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. In light of these statistics, the Department of Defense continues to work toward increasing domestic violence awareness through preventative education and treatment during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an annual observance held each October.
This year's theme, "It starts with respect ... Live core values to keep your love healthy and strong," focuses on strengthening relationships through respect, trust, commitment, integrity and selflessness. Throughout the month, leaders from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, plan to promote awareness and available resources for military and community members.
"It is important to realize that many causes and conditions contribute to domestic violence, and it takes much effort to reduce the risk factors," said U.S. Air Force Col. Caroline M. Miller, 633rd Air Base Wing commander, in her 2015 Domestic Violence Awareness Month proclamation. "Without every one of us doing our part, we cannot say our military family is fully ready to meet the mission of domestic violence prevention. As long as an intimate partner suffers from abuse, we have fallen short of our goals for readiness."
According to A. J. Brandt, JBLE Family Advocacy Outreach Manager, it's vital to understand victims may not always display visible signs of abuse, and violence is not only directed toward women.
"A common misconception is that [domestic violence] only happens to women; men are victimized as well. Domestic violence looks like any of us," she explained. "It could be any one of us because domestic violence is not only physical abuse, but it can be emotional abuse as well. A lot of times people try to hide it until it's too late, which is what we want to combat."
Warning Signs
Although domestic violence offenders and victims may not be easy to distinguish, Brandt offered warning signs commonly associated with this type of violence.
"Domestic violence is about power and control," she said. "A lot of times warning signs are relationships that move really quickly, which happens a lot in the military. With relationships that move really quickly, the offender is having poor impulse control and being very jealous.
"It's that 'Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde personality'," Brandt continued. "I always say that an offender could walk in the room and we would never know because they're very outgoing, very gregarious, you would never guess that at home they act a totally different way."
These personality differences can make combatting domestic violence challenging when kept private, Brandt added. Possessiveness displayed by offenders can lead to a change in victims' behavior. This can mean causing an outgoing person to become more introverted and shy away from friends and family, which is what Brandt explained, is a significant change for which to watch. out for.
"As well as you know your battle buddy or friend, do we ever really know what's going on in somebody's home behind closed doors?" Brandt questioned. "We don't; so it's really important to recognize the warning signs. People tend to overlook those in the beginning stages of a relationship, so it's really important to be educated and recognize it for yourself, for your family and for fellow soldiers and airmen."
Warning Signs
The Office of Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provided the following possible signs of an abusive partner:
- Constantly monitoring actions
- Makes unfair accusations of unfaithfulness
- Prevents or discourages attending work or school
- Controls finances
- Abuses alcohol or drugs, and becomes angry when doing so
- Makes all decisions
- Purposely humiliates
- Threatens to hurt children, pets or the partner
- Forces sexual intercourse
- Blames others for their violent outbursts
- Says things like, "If I can't have you then no one can."
- Uses, or threatens to use, a weapon
Restricted vs. Unrestricted Reporting
If a Service member or loved one suspects they are being abused, Brandt suggested they immediately file a report, whether it is restricted or unrestricted. An unrestricted report to security forces or Family Advocacy will go to the Service member's chain of command and a no-contact order will be put into effect. A restricted report is not reported to the chain of command and can only be told to agencies with confidentiality, including FAP staff, medical staff and chaplains. However, FAP staff will make a clinical determination as to whether it's safe to have a restricted report.
"A lot of times people don't want to report because they're afraid they're going to get in trouble or they're embarrassed, but reporting and getting the treatment in place is the most important part," said Brandt. "More of our reports are unrestricted than restricted because our reports are coming from the chain of command and from a variety of different sources. If [victims] are hesitant and they qualify for a restricted report, we are not going to push them either way; we're going to give them their options. Safety is our utmost concern."
Education, Prevention and Treatment
The core of FAP's mission is to provide education and support in prevention of abuse. The program offers a variety of assistance to military members and their loved ones who are affected by abuse.
"Family Advocacy is treatment-focused and not punitive in nature," Brandt asserted. "Unfortunately sometimes people think, 'If I go to FAP they'll ruin my career.' Family Advocacy is not punitive; we don't make recommendations about Soldiers' or Airmen's careers, that all comes from the chain of command. What we do is put treatment in place."
The FAP staff provides individual counseling and couples counseling in addition to an assortment of services, including:
- Anger management
- Conflict resolution groups for men and women
- Parenting education
- Marriage enrichment classes
- Family Check-up, a short-term intervention strategy for families with children that promotes positive parenting
- Strong Families, Strong Forces, for families facing difficulty with reintegrating after a deployment
- New Parent Support Program, a voluntary program that provides home visits, resources and support for Airmen and Soldiers who are pregnant or have a child under the age of 3
- Victim advocates who are available 24/7 to respond to domestic violence crisis intervention, safety planning and anything a victim of domestic violence may need
"[Leaders should] encourage Service members and their families to reach out for help with developing healthy relationship skills and addressing common relationship challenges to prevent domestic abuse," the JBLE commander said. "Be part of the solution - educate your military community on how to live by the relationship core values and stay safe through healthy relationships."
The Fort Eustis FAP will host a Domestic Violence Awareness run will also take place Oct. 23 beginning at 6:30 a.m. in the TRADOC headquarters parking lot.
For more information about FAP services, call 878-0805/0807 for Fort Eustis or 764-2427 for Langley.