Sharon Meisner was a victim of domestic violence when she arrived at the Safe Haven shelter in Shawano in 2007.
Since then, she has become an advocate and, though she dislikes the term, survivor.
“People are uncomfortable about this topic. They sometimes don’t have the courage to say ‘I am a survivor of domestic abuse,’” Meisner said Thursday at a candlelight vigil intended to draw attention to domestic violence issues. “I had a problem with that term survivor. I hate that word. I do not want to be a statistic.”
The vigil was held at Safe Haven, an emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Police Chief Mark Kohl told the audience of about 30 people his department takes an aggressive stance on domestic violence.
A study released by the Wisconsin Department of Justice in March, he said, showed Shawano’s arrest rate of 80 percent for domestic violence calls was higher than the state average of 71 percent.
“This does not necessarily mean we have more people; we just take it very seriously in the community,” Kohl said.
The organization End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin released a study last week that showed 55 people died statewide as a result of domestic violence in 2013. Thirty-nine people were homicide victims, 12 perpetrators took their own lives and four attackers were killed by law enforcement officers.
Although there were no domestic violence homicide victims in Shawano County in 2013, four people have died as the result of domestic violence in the county since 2000.
“Domestic violence touches every community,” said Stacey Cicero, Safe Haven executive director. “Whether we realize it or not, we always know someone who has been affected by it.”
Cicero pointed to the recent double murder in Berlin as an example, along with the Ray Rice case with the Baltimore Ravens.
“Ray Rice wasn’t suspended by the NFL because they saw the video,” she said. “He was banned by the NFL because the public saw the video.”
In 2013, Safe Haven provided safe housing for 44 women and 74 children. Their average length of stay was just above 22 days. Eight women returned to the shelter more than once during the year.
Safe Haven assists victims with shelter, food, support and other needs, including legal issues such as restraining orders.
Sexual assault victim advocate Shelby Mitchell said support during the legal process helps victims turn into survivors.
“Victims of crimes are faced with additional difficulty when they have to face their abusers in court,” she said. “At Safe Haven, we try to lessen those burdens as much as possible.”
Meisner said she would not be where she is today without Safe Haven.
“The people I came into contact with here were very caring, very nurturing and they helped edged me along,” she said. “I can dream big dreams now. If I want to go out and save the rain forest, I can do that.”
Safe Haven opened in 2002. All services are free and confidential.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Categories
