One on one with the director of My Sister’s Place
Jennifer Cochran
September 29, 2008
My Sister’s Place is a non-profit organization serving victims of physical or emotional abuse in Athens, Hocking and Vinton counties. Athens NEWS special projects contributor Jennifer Cochran recently spoke with Executive Director Kate McGuckin about domestic violence and the work of My Sister’s Place. Following are excerpts from that interview.
What is domestic violence?
Kate: It’s a broad gamut. Many people think it deals with anger but that’s not it. It’s rooted in power and control, and it’s an imbalance of power and control in an interpersonal relationship. You don’t have to be hit to be a victim. It could happen between any two parties in the relationship.
Who most often suffers from domestic violence?
Kate: It could be an adult abusing their elder parent. It could be a parent abusing a child. In 95 percent of the cases, the victim is going to be either an elderly person, woman or child. When you think about it, there are some physical attributes that would put women and children at greater risk, but there’s also a sociological perspective rooted in a phenomenon known as male privilege. Many people are brought up with the belief that men are privileged in certain ways and the women are subservient to men.
What kinds of changes has My Sister’s Place seen?
Kate: It started in 1977 as the first shelter in southeast Ohio. It was a radical thought in terms of social-service provision — that you would have a secret location. It was very grass-roots. They had a part-time director paid $1.65 an hour.
There are many more arrests than when I started. We’ve seen a great change in the number of prosecutions, and in society’s unwillingness to accept this behavior. I think everyone is more acutely aware of the impact of violence in society and wants a safer community. We’re seeing fewer women in our residential program with children. We’re seeing more older women in our program, and I think that’s because younger women are more educated on what options are available to them.
How are families affected by domestic violence in the household?
Kate: There’s an economic impact due to injuries and illness and missed work. Children who are brought up in this home have problems with anxiety. They’re more likely to suffer psychological problems as adults. It’s systemic throughout society at a horrible cost in terms of medical care and lost productivity and problems with children and violence in the classroom. Just the law-enforcement expense to go out on these calls and going through our court system does put a burden on the infrastructure of society.
What are some of the causes of domestic violence?
Kate: It could be intergenerational if you grew up in a family where that behavior was modeled for you. Children who witness violence are more likely to act out and model that violence as adults. It’s a learned behavior. A lot of people think alcohol causes domestic violence — it does not. But there is a lot of substance abuse in families where domestic violence is present.
What can be done to rehabilitate offenders?
Kate: We have a program called the Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP). We started a very specific program that had zero tolerance for violence and said that this is unacceptable behavior and needs to be changed or there are consequences. It is a criminal offense. If you are found guilty of domestic violence, the judge has the option of sending you to DVIP in lieu of jail. There’s a 24-week group-counseling component that you are court-ordered to complete.
Why don’t women leave abusive relationships?
Kate: Whether or not someone makes the decision to leave has to be her decision, not ours. Leaving is never an act — it’s a process. It may have to happen in very small increments. More women leave than stay. People who are judgmental and ask “Well, why doesn’t she leave?” are really turning a blind eye to the batterer. It becomes really convenient for batterers if we begin holding her accountable for his behavior. She’s not responsible for his behavior — he is.
If someone you know is the victim of domestic violence, what can you do?
Kate: The very most important thing is to believe her. Don’t try to analyze why she does what she does. She’s the expert on her own violence. Be supportive of any decision she makes. Sometimes it’s helpful for victims to know they have someone they can count on. It’s helpful for victims to be able to tell their story in a non-judgmental, non-threatening environment.
What services does MSP provide?
Kate: We have three basic programs. The first is a 24/7 toll-free hotline and emergency shelter. That’s in a facility for women and their children who are in imminent danger. It serves as a safe respite. Our second component is outreach, which includes individual counseling, support groups, court advocacy and community education. We have a full-time court advocate in Athens County Municipal Court. (The third component is the DVIP treatment program described above.)
How can community members help with this issue and the people whose lives are affected by it?
Kate: Athens has been tremendously supportive. People donate very generously to us. Money is always appreciated. There’s other ways too — not accepting violence in our community, expecting that our court system will uphold the law.
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