PORTLAND, Ore. — October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time to mourn people lost to domestic violence and come together to make changes aimed at ending the crisis.
Several high-profile cases of domestic violence over the past few years have ended in tragedy in the Pacific Northwest: a mother and daughter found dead in Washougal, with the mother's former boyfriend charged with their murders; a woman strangled to death after their partner was bailed out of jail in Portland; a mother shot and killed in the parking lot of her kids' school; and a family of five killed in a murder-suicide.
But there are many other cases that never make the headlines.
- Nearly 40% of women and 36% of men face physical abuse, rape, stalking from intimate partner
- 21 people killed in Oregon by a domestic partner in 2021, three children killed
- Black women experience domestic violence 35% more than white women
- 30-50% of transgender people experience domestic violence
On this week's Straight Talk, KGW's Ashley Korslien welcomes the following guests to discuss this week's topic: how to identify domestic violence and access the resources available for those who need help.
Kellee Harris, a mother and domestic violence advocate whose daughter Kelsey died by suicide after she survived a domestic violence incident where she was strangled. Harris successfully fought for new legislation to provide resources for crime victims in Oregon.
Savannah Powell, a forensic nurse examiner and researcher for Providence Medical Forensic Services. She cares for survivors of violence at Providence hospitals and is a nationally certified sexual assault nurse examiner.
Elizabeth McKeever, the education programs manager at Raphael House of Portland. She has worked in domestic violence advocacy for a decade. Raphael House offers immediate shelter services and a wide range of other supportive services for domestic violence survivors in Oregon.
What is domestic violence?
PHYSICAL VIOLENCE
- Pushing, shoving
- Slapping, kicking, punching
- Strangulation
- Misuse of objects to strike the victim
- Striking objects (the wall, etc.)
- Rape and sexual abuse
EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE
- Insults, mocking, criticism
- Ignoring the victim's feelings
- Withholding affection as a form of punishment
- Blaming the victim for all problems
- Yelling at the victim
- Humiliating the victim in front of others
- Threatening to take the children away from the victim
- Threatening physical violence
- Threatening suicide to punish the victim
SOCIAL ABUSE
- Insisting that the couple spend all their time together
- Discouraging or forbidding the victim from seeing friends or family
- Monitoring the victim's mail or phone calls
- Restricting access to the car or car keys
- Telling others the victim is crazy
FINANCIAL ABUSE
- Making all financial decisions for the household
- Keeping financial secrets
- Monitoring the victim's spending
- Controlling the victim's access to cash
- Refusing to let the victim work
- Forcing the victim to turn over income
If you need help now
RESOURCES
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788
- Love is Respect Hotline (for youth): 866-331-9474 or text LOVEIS to 22522
- Call to Safety (local 24/7 crisis line): 503-235-5333
- UNICA (local 24/7 Spanish language crisis line): 503-232-4448
- The Gateway Center (range of domestic violence services in Multnomah County): 503-988-6400
For anyone who wants to connect personally, who needs to talk or get personal help navigating the system, email LessonsFromKelsey@gmail.com.
Straight Talk airs Friday at 7pm, Saturday and Sunday at 6:30pm. Straight Talk is also available as a podcast.