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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 12, 2017)
NEWS BY CORINNE BOYER IN 2016 23 1 IN 4 1 IN 3 MILLION 1 IN 4 WOMEN WOMEN WOMEN WOMEN AND A N D N E A R LY A N D N E A R LY AND 1 IN 9 1 IN 6 1.7 1 IN 7 MEN MEN MILLION MEN WERE VICTIMS OF WERE VICTIMS OF MEN H AV E E X P E R I E N C E D INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE CONTACT SEXUAL VIOLENCE H AV E B E E N V I C T I M S O F SEVERE PHYSICAL VIOLENCE WHICH INCLUDES U N WA N T E D S E X U A L C O N TA C T, R A P E , PHYSICAL ABUSE & S TA L K I N G . AT S O M E P O I N T IN THEIR LIVES. RAPE O R AT T E M P T E D R A P E AT S O M E P O I N T IN THEIR LIVES. B Y A N I N T I M AT E PA R T N E R DURING THEIR LIFETIME. — INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE STATISTICS FROM THE NATIONAL INTIMATE PARTNER AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE SURVEY 2016 BREAKING THE SILENCE Womenspace hosts vigil for victims of domestic violence O n Sunday, Oct. 1, a few dozen women, men and children assembled at the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza for a vigil honoring victims and survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Hosted by Womenspace, a Eugene nonprofit that helps victims of domestic violence, the vigil was the beginning of several events that will be held throughout October to bring attention to Domestic Violence Aware- ness Month. One survivor shared her story with the crowd and said she was there to speak out against intimate partner vio- lence. Ali agreed to share her story with Eugene Weekly, but for safety reasons EW is only using her first name. “Seventy percent of women will be abused by a part- ner,” she began. “Intimate partner violence takes place in a secret world and it reaches across all demographics and ethnicities.” Her abuse began 20 years ago — when she was vic- timized as a teen and became desensitized. Ali said she spent 15 years in an abusive marriage and described the abuse that impacted her well-being, safety and health. It was like “walking on eggshells,” she said. And it was only after she came to Womenspace that she began to understand the “power and control wheel” — that her abuser deliberately made a choice to control her. The National Center on Domestic and Sexual Vio- lence’s power and control wheel is a diagram that shows the circle of wide-ranging abusive behavior from vio- lence and threats to economic abuse — like taking money from the victim — and using children by threatening to take them away or by using them to relay messages from the abuser to the victim. “When my abuser was giving attention I thought he loved me,” Ali said. There were “moments he said he was sorry,” she told the crowd. And a few years went by with- out any violence. “In the final year of my marriage, I became pregnant,” Ali said. But the threat to her life became severe, and she was forced to flee. She left in 2015 with her dog by her side and her 2-month-old son. One in four women will experience intimate partner violence, which includes rape, physical violence and stalking, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The same research shows that one in three women and one in six men “were victims of contact sexual violence at some point in their lives.” Contact sexual violence is defined as rape, unwanted sexual contact, forcible penetration and sexual coercion. The CDC classifies IPV as “public health problem.” In 2017, the CDC released the Morbidity and Mortal- ity Weekly Report, which shows that the leading cause of death in women under 44 is homicide, “and nearly half of victims are killed by a current or former male intimate partner.” In Oregon, 45 people died in 2015 as a result of “fatal domestic violence,” with the most incidents in Lane and Multnomah counties — both counties reported eight fa- talities each — according to the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. During the vigil volunteers passed out colored ribbons representing different types of abuse. Many people se- lected a pink ribbon, which represented a loved one who has experienced abuse. Julie Weismann, CEO of Womenspace, spoke about the importance of the nonprofit’s 40 years of service. Ev- ery year approximately 3,000 people call the Womens- pace crisis line, she said. “Twenty percent of women are homeless as a result of domestic violence,” Weisman said. Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis wore a pink ribbon and said that “many women in my life have told me these stories.” Vinis said she saw domestic abuse situations first hand while working at ShelterCare. “Twenty percent of Oregon women report IPV,” she said. “Oregon women experience abuse at a rate higher than the national average. Afford- able housing is part of the problem.” Sofia Mackey of Womenspace says there are ways to address the prevalence of domestic violence. “A lot of people will try to keep up appearances about how their relationship is because of so much stigma that we have surrounding intimate partner violence,” Mackey says. “So checking in with friends and loved ones, ac- cessing services and resources and letting people know that those services and resources exist” are some actions people can take to address IPV, according to Mackey. She says Womenspace has a “24-hour crisis line so people can call that at any time when they are experienc- ing anything out of the ordinary that way they can gain some support and speak to an advocate.” When Ali left, she said she lost her community, home and the life she built. She said her abuser attempted to kidnap her son. She continues to deal with the “lasting impact of trauma and PTSD.” But she said she “gained more than she could ever imagine. I discovered a diverse group of caring individuals.” “If your relationship makes you feel bad, trust your gut and seek out answers, and why it makes you feel that way. You are not alone.” • The city of Eugene is hosting a series of community forums in October “to discuss what type of police chief the city should seek.” In addition to the forums that have already run, the upcoming forums are: Oct. 12 North Eugene High School; Oct. 17 Churchill High School; Oct. 18 Sheldon Community Center; Oct. 19 Gilham Community Church; Oct. 24 South Eugene High School; and Oct. 26 Ford Alumni Center, University of Oregon. All forums begin at 6 pm with pizza provided for attendees. Information about the police chief recruitment process can be found at: eugene-or.gov/ policechiefrecruitment. • Lane County Stand Down for homeless and underserved veterans runs 6:30 am to 2 pm, Friday, Oct. 13, at the Lane County Fairgrounds. For more info, go to lanecountystanddown. org. • 350 Eugene is looking for people to help stop a fracked gas pipeline. The climate change-focused group says, “Consider filing as an intervener against the proposed pipeline in Southern Oregon.” To get involved, stop by the First United Methodist Church (13th and Olive) 5:30 pm, Tuesday, Oct. 17. “Bring your device and we will help you through the process.” A 6:30 pm organizing meeting follows. For more info, go to rogueclimate.org/file_as_an_intervenor. • The group City Accountability announced it has gathered 13,000 signatures (only 8,090 were needed) to get a citizens’ initiative on the May 18 ballot to amend the Eugene Charter to establish an office of an independent, elected city auditor. The group turns in the signatures 11 am Thursday, Oct. 12, at the City Manager’s Office at the Lane County Public Service Building. • Retired Oregon Supreme Court Justice David V. Brewer speaks on “Civil Discourse: A Tool for Getting the People’s Work Done” at the League of Women Voters of Lane County’s Third Thursday Luncheon 11 am, Thursday, Oct. 19, at the Valley River Inn. LWVLC says, “Brewer has worked to promote civil discourse in public policy matters. He will discuss examples of bridge-building efforts in state government that helped build trust among differing factions.” The luncheon is free and open to the public, but pre-reservation is required by noon Monday, Oct. 16. A buffet lunch is available for $17. Beverage only is $5. Doors at 11 am; a buffet lunch is served at 11:30. Call 541-343-7917 or email League@LWVLC.org to make a reservation. LANE COUNTY AREA SPRAY INFORMATION Mason Bruce & Girard, 541-973-1951, plans to hire Rye Tree Service Inc., 541-999-0295, to place Rozol pellets to kill mountain beavers during tree planting operations near tributaries of the Siuslaw River and east of Siltcoos Lake. See ODF notifications 2017-781-12255 and 2017-781-12257; call stewardship forester Quincy Coons at 541-935-2283 with questions. Mason Bruce & Girard, 541-973-1951, plans to spray 450.7 acres located in nine units southwest and northwest of Lorane with imazapyr, glyphosate, triclopyr basal spray with ester, triclopyr with amine, brush and basal oil, MSO Concentrate, InterActive and/or LI 700. See ODF notification 2017-781-12275; call Brian Peterson at 541-935-2283 with questions. Seneca Jones Timber Company, 541-689-1011, plans to spray 4.4 miles of roadsides near Pengra Road with triclopyr with amine, triclopyr with acid, triclopyr with choline, triclopyr with ester, aminopyralid and/or MSO Concentrate. See ODF notification 2017-771-11918; call Ted Reiss at 541-689-1011 with questions. Compiled by Gary Hale, Forestland Dwellers: 541-342-8332, forestlanddwell- ers.org POLLUTION UPDATE The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) fined Jorge Murillo (doing business as Armur Electrostatic Powder Coatings & Sandblasting) $9,755 on Oct. 3 for illegally accumulating and storing approximately 1,056 tons of spent sandblast material at 6191 Royal Avenue in Eugene. DEQ also cited Murillo for “placing wastes in a location where they are likely to be carried to Amazon Creek and for failing to properly label used oil containers.” DEQ has given Murillo thirty days to take various actions to address the situation. Doug Quirke/Oregon Clean Water Action Project Womenspace can be reached at womenspaceinc.org. The 24-hour crisis line is 1-800-281-2800, and for other calls use 541-485-8232. eugeneweekly.com • October 12, 2017 7
