October is domestic violence awareness, prevention month

Dia Washington
415th Base Support Battalion

October is Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.  The
415th Base Support Battalion Army Community Service and Family Advocacy
Program continue to educate the military community about domestic
violence, and its devastating impact.  

The program believes that education is the key to prevention and
provides prevention services to those families who are at risk or may
need crisis intervention.

Violence against a spouse, child or within a relationship is contrary to the values and standards of the U.S. Army.

Domestic violence is a community issue, which requires a consistent
coordinated community response. CCR is a community-wide effort to
eliminate domestic violence. Every ID card holder in the KMC is a
member of the CCR.  

It is a consistent message that domestic violence is unacceptable in military communities.
The purpose of the CCR is to support the mission of the U.S. Army by enhancing unit readiness and personal professionalism.

The ACS FAP is a prevention and intervention program. The program’s
staff members provide informative briefings to commands, key volunteers
and civilian employees.  

Briefing topics are spouse relationships, child and spouse abuse,
stress and anger management, deployment issues and information and
referral. The program encourages individuals to utilize avenues
provided when situations are “low-level low-risk” and where situations
leading to violence are preventable.  

When there has been an incident of abuse, the victim is offered victim
advocate services. The victim advocate program represents the interest
of all spouses who are abused. The primary role is to educate the
community on prevention of domestic violence and crisis intervention,
to provide emotional support to include emergency shelter and medical
services, and help the victim identify needs and a desired outcome.
 

Domestic violence encompasses a wide range of negative activities
consisting of both spouse abuse and child abuse. Usually results in
emotional and psychological abuse, economic control and/or interference
with personal liberty, and the use, attempted use or threatened use of
force against a person of the opposite sex. It is a pattern of abusive
behavior where one person in a relationship tries to maintain power and
control over another person.

Spouse abuse is physical or sexual abuse, or property or psychological violence inflicted on a partner in a lawful marriage.

Child abuse is direct physical injury, trauma, or emotional harm
inflicted on a child. It includes physical, emotional, and sexual abuse
and neglect.
Call 489-6711 or 489-6712 for more information.