Domestic violence a pervasive problem

Lincoln County is bucking a national trend, but not in a good way.

The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics reported the national domestic violence rate at five reports per 1,000 people for 2013. Lincoln County’s reported rate is almost double that number for this year.

According to statistics provided by local law enforcement dispatch, there have been 174 reported cases of domestic violence in Lincoln County in 2014. With Lincoln County’s population reported at 19,460, that number translates to almost nine assaults reported per 1,000 people this year. Those numbers include calls categorized by dispatch as “family disturbance” and “partner-family member assault.”

Lori Faulkner, coordinator of the Lincoln County Victim/Witness Program, said the problem with domestic violence goes much deeper than the statistics show.

“There are two major problems,” she said. “First, especially with our rural area, is where do they go? Second, there’s a cultural element, a revictimization of the victim.”

Lincoln County presents challenges in dealing with domestic violence, especially from the perspective of the victim, Faulkner said.

“Imagine a woman out in the Yaak, whose closest neighbor is five miles away,” she said. “She’s got no money, no job and no cell phone coverage that far out. Add in a couple of kids and freezing temperatures. How does she get help?”

Barb Guthneck, executive director of Lincoln County Crisis Solutions, works to answer that question. Her organization provides emergency assistance and shelter to victims of domestic abuse – men, women and children. She echoed Faulkner’s assessment,

“The financial factor is huge,” she said. “Most of our clients come in with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.”

Guthneck and Faulkner focus on different aspects of the same problem. While Faulkner deals with people who report the abuse and have their cases move through the justice system, Guthneck said the majority of her clients don’t even report the abuse. “95 percent of our clientele just want out, they want to be safe,” she said.

Guthneck’s organization manages three rescue shelters in the county, the locations of which are kept private for the protection of those housed there. Many of those clients are in hiding from abusive partners and family members. The shelters house the victims for anywhere between one night and four months as they help them navigate various assistance programs or connect with family or friends for help. “Our goal is to empower our clients to become self-sufficient,” Guthneck said. “We don’t make them report the abuse, it’s entirely up to them.”

The victims who report abuse that result in charges land in the realm of Faulkner and the Victim/Witness Advocate Program. She helps the victims navigate the complexities of the legal system, including Orders of Protection, investigations and the trial process.

That process is time consuming and creates an entirely different set of challenges for victims of abuse, especially in small cities like Troy and Libby. “Victims,” Faulkner said, “are often ostracized and stigmatized. People ask them what they did to cause their husband to beat them. Family members ask them why they’re putting the husband or partner through this hell. It’s almost as if the victim is put on trial in public.”

Faulkner noted that countywide, with 174 cases of reported abuse, only 48 have resulted in charges being filed with the courts. She doesn’t blame law enforcement or prosecutors for the disparity, but attributes it more to the situations that arise due to intimate partner abuse.

“Many of our victims recant their statements,” she said. “They decide they really love their partner and are convinced they can work it out.” As a result, investigations are closed and prosecutions are dropped.

Faulkner’s solution to the problem is much easier said than done. “We need to change our culture,” she said. “We need to make it so that this type of violence is perceived by everyone as being unacceptable. We need to stop revictimizing the victim.”

Guthneck’s concern is more immediate. “Reach out to someone,” she said. “Let them know you need help. Leave before you’re killed.”