Invest in the Safety Fund
Sign up for our newsletter
Join us at an upcoming event

Author: Amy

Categories
Legacies Op-eds

End of an Era

Susan Denise Hastings has been a fixture in the Katy Community for over 30 years. We here at HCDVCC, have known Susan and her outstanding dedication to helping domestic violence and sexual assault survivors and their families for over 20 years. Susan has been instrumental in the growth of Katy Christian Ministries Crisis Center. She has been a steady hand at the helm for many years and has overseen its growth into the Center it is today. Susan has also been active on several HCDVCC Committees including the Policy Committee and the Legal Services Committee. We know we can always count on Susan and KCM’s help when we needed it. I do not recall a time Susan ever said no it was more like “Well, let me see what we can do.”

As of April 1st, Susan has closed the book on her time with Katy Christian Ministries and is moving on to a life of rest and relaxation to quote her she has “gone fishing!” We wish Susan and her husband Bill, the best retirement. And knowing Susan we will be seeing her pop up occasionally, because she just can’t sit still!

Thank you, Susan, for everything you have done for so many survivors and their families. Thank you to Susan’s family for letting us spend some time with her. And I would like to say Susan- thank you for your support and kindness through the years. You are one of a kind and will be greatly missed but you are leaving the ship in good hands with Celina Wells!

About the Author

Pic of Deputy Director Amy Smith
Amy Smith is the Sr. Director of Operations and Communications of HCDVCC.
Categories
Op-eds TBI

The Intersection of TBI and IPV in Harris County

Intersection of TBI and IPV in Harris County

According to the Brain Injury Association of America, approximately 67% of women who experience domestic violence also have symptoms of traumatic brain injury. It is important that programs screen for TBI and also encourage law enforcement and healthcare partners to do the same.

Our Senior Program Director, Abeer Monem shares below facts about traumatic brain injury:

TBI as a result of head injury(ies) and/or strangulation, suffered at the hands of the perpetrator, can be mild to severe and cause many detrimental effects that impede the pursuit of safety and economic stability. Examples of the devastating cognitive effects of TBI that would clearly be impediments to obtaining and/or maintaining employment and, thus, economic stability, are as follows:

– Decreased concentration, attention span

– Difficulties with executive functioning (goal setting, self monitoring, planning, ability to solve problems, learn and organizing tasks)

– Memory loss

– Difficulty displaying appropriate emotional/communication responses

– May appear disorganized and impulsive

– Difficulty spelling, writing, and reading

– Difficulty understanding written or spoken communication

– Difficulty feeling initiative, sustaining motivation

– Depression

There are also behavioral and physical effects that include:

– Changes in behavior, personality or temperament

– Increased aggression and/or anxiety

– Decreased or increased inhibitions

– Quickly agitated or saddened

– Changes in emotional expression (flat, non-emotional, inappropriate or overreactions)

– Avoidance of people, family, friends

– Difficulty sleeping

– Increased irritability or impatience

– Hearing loss

– Headaches, neck pain

– Nausea and vomiting

– Changes in vision

– Ringing or buzzing in ears

– Dizziness, difficulty balancing

– Decrease in, or loss of, smell or taste

– Decreased coordination

– Loss of bowel or bladder control

– Increased sensitivity to noise or bright lights

– Seizures

– Weakness or numbness

A woman with a TBI who enters the criminal justice or family law system may face additional challenges. She may appear to be disorganized, aggressive, temperamental or confused. If her behaviors are misunderstood or misdiagnosed as indicating a mental health disability, which often happens, she may have difficulty obtaining custody or being credible as a victim or reliable witness.

Maricopa County, Arizona (Phoenix area) has paved the way for our county to incorporate their innovative approach to Harris county’s law enforcement response to an IPV incident.

· Officers and detectives do not limit testing to strangulation or sexual assault cases but offer ConQVerge Near Point Convergence (NPC) testing to all IPV victims reporting head trauma.

· Social workers and advocates assumed a larger role in testing and guiding victims through the process.

· Concussion information will be given out at the scene by nurses, officers, advocates an social workers as a part of an awareness campaign on the dangers of TBI for IPV survivors.

Why can’t we do something similar in Harris County? What are the possibilities that can be reality and really address the impact of IPV in Harris County?

• Add TBI screen questions Strangulation supplement that officers already complete?

• Establish concussion protocol when law enforcement responds to an IPV incident? Use advocates or forensic nurses to conduct the concussion protocol?

• Develop neurofeedback program – the only evidence-based treatment option – for our survivors to give them a chance to truly recover from the debilitating impact of head trauma?

• Develop a coordinated care system so no matter where the touch point for a survivor is, they receive the care they need after head trauma resulting from IPV?

 

For more information, please contact Abeer Monem.

About the Author

Abeer Monem is the Director of Housing and Innovative Services for HCDVCC and has worked in the field of domestic violence for over 25 years in both Harris and Fort Bend counties as a domestic violence advocate, trainer and programs director.

Categories
Community Share Op-eds

TBI and Neurofeedback

This episode of Down The Rabbit Hole our Abeer Monem joins TCFV to talk about the intersection between traumatic brain injury (TBI) in people who have experienced domestic abuse, and an invaluable healing modality called neurofeedback. Please note that this episode carries a trigger warning for domestic violence.
Joining us we have two experts who are widely experienced in the field of helping survivors heal: Josh Brown from Fort Bend Women’s Center and Abeer Monem from the Harris Country Domestic Violence Coordinating Council. We start by learning that neurofeedback (also known as neurotherapy) teaches self-control of brain functions to develop healthier emotional patterns, before diving into the program that Abeer and Josh created that is pushing neurotherapy to the frontline of survivor care and support. You’ll hear Abeer describe the lightbulb moment when she realized the missing neurological information necessary for her patients’ healing, how she teamed up with Josh Brown, and the long road that led to the creation of the program. We also touch on issues of transport and hear some visionary steps to create much-needed mobile advocacy services. Finally, you’ll hear some moving testimonies of the truly transformational impact that neurofeedback has!
Find the Fort Bend Women’s Center HERE. Other resources mentioned in this episode include the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and VAWnet. If you want more information on this episode, you can email TCFV.

About the Author

Abeer Monem is the Director of Housing and Innovative Services for HCDVCC and has worked in the field of domestic violence for over 25 years in both Harris and Fort Bend counties as a domestic violence advocate, trainer and programs director.

Categories
Community Share Op-eds Press Release

HCDVCC’s Supplemental Safety Planning Tools Project Goes Statewide!

HCDVCC’s Supplemental Safety Planning Tools Project Goes Statewide!

In early 2020, when COVID first hit, HCDVCC began purchasing RING cameras for high-risk survivors who were identified by our Domestic Violence High Risk Team (DVHRT). The cameras were an inexpensive way to provide an additional layer of safety to a survivor when resources were stretched thin. The camera was incorporated into a survivor’s safety plan and quickly became “an extra set of eyes” and a powerful tool in providing additional security to a survivor’s home. It also validated any harassment, stalking or violent incidents she/he/they may have experienced if a survivor chose to pursue legal/criminal justice options.

When advocates heard back from survivors that the RING camera was a helpful tool for them, advocacy specialist, Susan Hickey, with HCDVCC, decided to reach out to the RING camera company to see if they might be interested in donating a few cameras to help HCDVCC with their efforts. Her outreach to the RING corporation proved to be extremely successful. Not only did the RING corporation respond enthusiastically to Susan’s request by providing a donation of 500 cameras to HCDVCC, they also donated free lifetime subscriptions to the program.

Thanks to this fantastic donation from RING, HCDVCC was able to reach out to other local DV providers to include them in this generous offer as well. In April, HCDVCC partnered with several other DV agencies in the community and launched The Supplemental Safety Planning Tools Project. It is a program designed to increase safety for survivors by including a camera into a survivor’s personalized safety plan.

Since the program’s launch in April 2021, nine domestic violence agencies in the Harris and surrounding counties have partnered with HCDVCC to participate in the project. And thanks to the work of these nine different agencies, 601 individuals have benefited from this camera donation.

Susan’s efforts and success with this project in Harris County provided a solid foundation to introduce RING to other partners like the Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) to see if there was an interest and an opportunity to take this program to survivors throughout our state. After months of planning and consultation, a press conference was held at HCDVCC’s offices on Monday, December 13, 2021 where RING executives, Gloria Terry, TCFV’s executive director, and U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee announced thrilling news. The RING partnership is going statewide! Soon high-risk survivors in Ft. Bend County, Grayson County and El Paso County will also benefit from this amazing tool and service. HCDVCC is tremendously proud of Susan Hickey’s hard work to make this program possible, and to the dedication of the RING camera company to ensuring that all survivors of domestic violence have access to this powerful tool. HCDVCC looks forward to our continued collaboration with RING, TCFV and other dv agencies to ensure survivors receive this type of technology that may help bring some valuable peace of mind.

For more information about this project, or to become a partner, please contact Susan or go to the SSPT site.

About the Author

Alicia N is the Director of Harris County DVHRT Initiative
Categories
Fundraiser Op-eds

This #GivingTuesday, show your support for HCDVCC

WHAT IS GIVING TUESDAY?
GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity. A simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good.
Someone you know, or even you, have or will be affected by domestic violence. Research shows that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic violence in her lifetime and last year in Harris County ALONE, 37 people were killed by their Intimate Partner and we have already surpassed that total this year. So many are in fear of reporting so they suffer in silence. Even those that reach out for help are having a hard time receiving services because our system is stretched so thin. As you give thanks this holiday season, please consider giving back by helping HCDVCC ensure that victims of domestic violence have access to safety and justice. Add your voice to others who stand in solidarity with survivors and against domestic violence. We are so proud of the work we do at HCDVCC, and the strength of the survivors we serve each and every day. Your donation today — no matter the size — will ensure that when a survivor reaches out for help, they will be met with compassion, respect and a way for us to say YES! Over the last few months, the news has been inundated with stories of families being ripped apart due to domestic violence. Gathering the courage to tell your story and to seek help is a tremendous step and HCDVCC wants to say WE CAN when asked by a survivor- “Who can help me?” With your donation, we can increase our services to survivors and help them lead healthier and happier lives for themselves and their children. So please support us so we say “We Can Help You!”

About the Author

Rebecca Councill is the Social/Digital Media Director at HCDVCC.

Categories
Op-eds

The “new” HCDVCC History

Pic of Deputy Director Amy Smith

November 1st marks the 11th year of the “new” Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council. The new and improved version began on a cool crisp morning at a local Starbucks because Barbie Brashear and Amy Smith took a leap of faith and said it’s now or never to jump start the mission of DVCC – “to create collaborations that maximize community resources, increase safety for victims of domestic violence and hold perpetrators of domestic violence accountable”.
But the seeds for HCDVCC were planted in 1995, when a group of people began meeting to strategize about how we can make it safer for victims in Harris County and how we could hold their offenders accountable. With a lot of arm twisting, begging and just right out demanding- Cindy Merrill, Gail O’Brien and Amy Smith convinced then District Attorney Johnny Holmes to partner with then HPD Chief Sam Nuchia, who was brought to the table by Vicki King, to convene a meeting of Stakeholders in the Community to address this issue. Jeff Basen-Engquist and Rhonda Gerson were the behind- the -scenes supporters and cheer leaders to get this meeting off the ground. So, the first meeting of what was to become HCDVCC meet in April of 1996 to begin the long journey to what we are today.
There are so many people that have contributed to our mission over the years by attending meetings, serving on the Board, working on “Best” Practice Protocols, participating in our Community Safety Assessments, guiding, and advising on how and when to apply for grants, and just generally supporting our work to fulfill our mission.
What started off in 1996 and revitalized in 2010 is so beyond what we could have imagined in our wildest dreams. So, thank you to all who have worked tirelessly to support us- we couldn’t have done this without you, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds.
We will be celebrating our founders at “Hats Off to HCDVCC” our postponed event on February 11, 2022.

About the Author

Pic of Deputy Director Amy Smith

Amy Smith is the Deputy Director of HCDVCC. 

Categories
Community Share Legacies

HCAH’s Marjorie Joseph Honored as UNA Houston’s Global Citizen Recipient

HCAH's Marjorie Joseph Honored as UNA Houston's Global Citizen Recipient

The Houston Chapter of the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) hosted the city’s UN Day on Sunday October 24—the 76th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations. We are very excited and humbled to share that the keynote speaker and UNA Global Citizen award honoree was Marjorie A. Joseph, Poet and Executive Director of Houston Coalition Against Hate. This recognition is a true testament to her dedication and the Coalition’s work to create a world of acceptance and belonging.

Every October, the United Nations Association and its national network of more than 200 chapters, including the Houston Chapter (a local 501(c)(3) non-profit, nonpartisan organization), honor UN Day—to commemorate the ratification of the United Nations Charter and to celebrate the varied and difficult work of the Organization. UNA-USA chapters are dedicated to educating, inspiring and mobilizing Americans to support the principles and programs of the United Nations. Chapters also are keen on promoting constructive United States leadership in the UN system.

This year’s theme was Creating a Blueprint for a Better Future. For more than seven decades, UNA-USA members have advocated on behalf of the UN and its agencies. Over the last year and a half, we’ve seen just how interconnected the world is and that a threat anywhere—from the COVID-19 pandemic to intensifying impacts of climate change—is a threat everywhere.

The U.S. should not—and cannot—tackle global challenges alone – creating a blueprint for a better future can only be achieved through working in tandem with the UN.

The program can be viewed through the following platforms:
Houston Coalition Against Hate
Facebook
YouTube

Sources
Houston Coalition Against Hate

Categories
Community Share Op-eds Title IX

October – These two awareness issues share more than a month

October – These two awareness issues share more than a month

Let’s do the math – it is estimated that 281,550 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021. Of these, over 43,600 women will die as a direct result of that diagnosis (ACS, 2021). If that weren’t bad enough, public health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control, state that 5.3 million of women will be victimized by a “loved one” annually as a result of domestic violence.

Both cancer and domestic violence are exacerbated by similar and complex social issues such as financial insecurity, institutional racism, discrimination, and isolation from supportive networks. If we consider the added stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of job loss, caregiving demands, and disrupted access to services, 2021 is not shaping up to be a good year for women.

Women living in violent relationships are at higher risk for delayed screening, advanced-stage cancer, and reduced chance for survival. A history of intimate partner violence (IPV) also impacts optimal cancer care receipt, such as surgery and hormone therapy. We do understand the impact, both emotional and physical, that social relationships have on women’s health. Women in abusive relationships have very limited access to
healthy interventions further complicating early detection and treatments that could be lifesaving.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month, yet these two issues are more interconnected than we realize. It is not enough to wear a pink or purple t-shirt. We must advocate for research, education, and policies that remove barriers to women’s health and wellbeing. We must advocate for these two powerful campaigns to join together and combine their resources to save women’s lives.

Sources
1. Afrisham R, Paknejad M, Soliemanifar O, Sadegh-Nejadi S, Meshkani R, Ashtary-Larky D. (2019). The influence of psychological stress on the initiation and progression of diabetes and cancer. Int J Endocrinol
Metab,17(2):e67400

2. Alcalá, H. E., Keim-Malpass, J., & Mitchell, E. M. (2021). Sexual assault and cancer screening among men and women. Journal of interpersonal violence, 36(11-12), NP6243–NP6259.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260518812797

3. American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2021. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2021.

4. Aygin, D., & Bozdemir, H. (2019). Exposure to violence in breast cancer patients: Systematic review. Breast
Cancer, 26(1), 29-38. doi:10.1007/s12282-018-0900-6

5. Coker, A., Reeder, C., Fadden, M.K., & Smith, P. (2004). Physical partner violence and Medicaid utilization and expenditures. Public Health Rep, 119,557-567.

6. DeSantis, C.E., Ma, J., Gaudet, M.M., Newman, L.A., Miller, K.D., Goding Sauer, A., Jemal, A. and Siegel, R.L.
(2019), Breast cancer statistics, 2019. CA A Cancer J Clin, 69: 438-451. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21583

7. Dionigi, F., Martinelli, V., Trotti, E., Ferrari, A., Garcia-Etienne, C. A., Valle, A. D., Grasso, D., Ferraris, E.,
Rizzo, G., Praticò, V., & Sgarella, A. (2020). “My Husband Affects Me More Than My Cancer”: Reflections on simultaneous intimate partner violence and breast cancer experience in a 48-year-old woman. Journal of Cancer Education, 35(5), 1041–1045. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-019-01661-9

8. Emory Home. Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence Facts. Atlanta: Facts Sheet. http://emory.edu

9. Jetelina, K. K., Carr, C., Murphy, C. C., Sadeghi, N., S Lea, J., & Tiro, J. A. (2020). The impact of intimate
partner violence on breast and cervical cancer survivors in an integrated, safety-net setting. Journal of Cancer
Survivorship,14(6), 906–914. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-020-00902-x

10. Johnson, W.A., & Pieters, H.C. (2016). Intimate partner violence among women diagnosed with cancer. Cancer
Nursing,39(2), 87-96. doi:10.1097/NCC.0000000000000265

11. Lee, R. K., Sanders, V. L., & Mechanic, M. B. (2002). Intimate partner violence and women of color: A call for
innovations. American Journal of Public Health, 92(4), 530–534.

12. Lovestad, S., Jesper, L., Vaez, M., & Krantz, G. (2017). Prevalence of intimate partner violence and its
association with symptoms of depression; a cross-sectional study based on a female population sample in Sweden.
BMC Public Health, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4222-y

13. Modesitt, S.C., Gambrell, A., Cottrill, H.M., Hays, L.R., Walker, R., Shelton, B., Jordan, C.E., & Ferguson, J.E.
(2006). The adverse impact of a history of violence for women with breast, cervical, endometrial, or ovarian
cancer. Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 107(6), 1330 – 1336.

14. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (2019). Domestic violence in Texas. Retrieved from
www.ncadv.org/files/Texas.pdf.

15. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (2020). Domestic violence. Retrieved from
https:assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2497/domestic_violence-2020080709350855.pdf?1596811079991.

16. Texas Council on Family Violence. Honoring Texas victims, family violence fatalities in 2020. Austin: Analysis
Report. https://tcfv.org/publications

About the Author

 

Donna Amtsberg, LCSW is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work. She is also a Board Member with the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council.

 

 

 

Chiara Acquati, Ph.D., LMSW is an Assistant Professor at the University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Health Disparities Research.