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
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