Domestic violence has been in the news quite a lot this year in Milwaukee especially with the death of women going up. A town hall meeting on this subject was held on Thursday, December 15, 2022, at the Washington Park Senior Center. There were several agencies that was at the meeting that deal with domestic violence. The lead agency at tonight’s meeting was The Asha Project. Asha is a Swahili name that means “Life.” This is a support group that is culturally relevant to African American and other women living with abuse. They also help those who have escaped and/or those who may need a stabilizing support network.
Different speakers stated we are missing something because women are dying. It was also stated that many Black women are being shot. This leads to families being torn apart. A questionnaire was passed out to everyone at the meeting asking things like what can be done to help. It is important to know the data about domestic violence if we are going to do something about it. The groups are here tonight to honor women who have lost their lives. Queer and trans people are also dying and being abused. Women who use weapons for protection are 500% more likely to die. Many people do not know what domestic violence is. It is not just hitting, beating, or shooting.
Things that are happening in your home can be DV. Let us say your granddaughter is taking money from the grand mother that is DV related if they live together. Verbal violence, calling you small or ugly, can be DV. Also isolating you from your family and friends is DV. Men and women both can be victims of DV, and it is nothing to be ashamed of. Reggie Moore, from the Medical College of Wisconsin, gave a short presentation. He reported that DV is frequent but under reported. He continues awareness is key and early intervention critical. Trans gender, gay people, and Black women are experiencing the most but are under reported. This year homicides of women peaked in January and September, but we do not know why. Certain neighborhoods have more DV than other areas. In 2021 Sherman Park and Franklin Heights had the most homicides four.
They look at what factors lead to these incidents. The presence of guns in homes lead to more deaths. Arguments also lead to many DV related incidents. People should not have to be arrested to get help. He repeated this a few times if people ask for help before they should get it. It is a learned behavior in some families where it is a cycle going down through the generations and it is thought of as normal. Does anyone talk with these young people in schools about this? Most people turned in their questionnaires with suggestions on them.
Some of the other groups at the event were Umos-Building Better Futures, Sisters by Choice-United by Voice, Circles of Strength, we are here.org and Support for Survivors of Trafficking.
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