Commit to helping end domestic violence

Julie Jewell

Like all violent crimes, serious crimes of any nature, drug abuse, domestic violence, etcetera, needs to be reduced significantly, and one way to start is with increased awareness and counseling for all parties involved. Domestic Violence Awareness needs to be ongoing.

The Herald interviewed Julie Jewell, the executive director of Crisis Support Network (CSN) in Raymond. Jewell has been with CSN for approximately 2½ years. Prior to that, she worked for almost 25 years in child welfare, including DSHS and DCYF. Jewell has a bachelor's degree in behavioral sciences, and also has a background in mental health and counseling psychology in addition to her work in child welfare. She is a former program specialist at Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families and was a mental health counselor at Evergreen Counseling. Jewell also studied counseling psychology at Central Washington University and is a graduate of Willapa Valley HS.

Crisis Support Network provides 24-hour response to those experiencing domestic violence. The phone number is 800-435-7276. Crisis Support Network is located at 752 Ballantine St. in Raymond and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am-4:30 pm. The office is closed Saturdays and Sundays.

Jewell offered her time to answer several questions by the Herald on educating people about the awareness of domestic violence, and hopefully, helping to prevent it. What follows below is Part II of Jewell's interview with the Herald.

Herald: What are the most prevalent types of domestic violence?

Herald: How much is beating on your spouse, mental abuse, being a control freak, monitoring their behavior, possessiveness, manipulation, belittling, guilting, jealousy, threats, etcetera, a learned behavior?

Herald: What are the most prevalent ways a victim feels trapped (emotionally, financially, psychologically, etcetera)? What are the primary reasons why a victim does not seek help out of the relationship?

Jewell: "These are difficult questions. There are volumes written about all these topics. It's not a simple list. Domestic violence is a complex and individual set of circumstances. To say it looks a certain way is dangerous because then someone may think their situation isn't violent because it isn't that. The bottom line is if someone is being hurt or controlled, they deserve better."

Note: At press time, the Herald had not received responses from the Raymond and South Bend police departments in regard to domestic violence.

Herald: What actually constitutes domestic violence?

Jewell: "Crisis Support Network sees abuse as a pattern of behavior that one person uses to control the other.

"The law in Washington state (RCW 26.50.010(3)) defines domestic violence this way:

"Domestic violence" means: (a) Physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or the infliction of fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury or assault, sexual assault, or stalking as defined in RCW 9A.46.110 of one intimate partner by another intimate partner; or (b) physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or the infliction of fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury or assault, sexual assault, or stalking as defined in RCW 9A.46.110 of one family or household member by another family or household member."

Herald: It seems a lot of law enforcement laws are tying the hands of the police. How have the new law enforcement laws affected domestic violence responses by police?

Jewell: "At CSN, we appreciate local law enforcement's response to domestic violence situations. Responding to domestic disputes are especially dangerous calls for law enforcement. We appreciate when we can collaborate to increase safety for victims. How the new law affects their response to domestic violence calls is best addressed by them."

Herald: Can you explain why a person isn't arrested when they beat up their spouse?

Jewell: "I'm not in law enforcement, so it's difficult for me to know all the factors they are trained to consider when it comes to deciding whether to make an arrest or not. These are difficult calls to respond to and I know there are times when our local officers want to make an arrest but they can't. To know what they have to consider, I think it is best answered by law enforcement."

Herald: What kinds of support does CSN offer to their victims?

Jewell: "Crisis Support Network provides services from emergency shelter, rapid re-housing, transitional housing, advocacy-based counseling, mental health therapy, emergency financial assistance, legal advocacy, systems advocacy, and transportation are some of the services provided by CSN's advocates."

Herald: What determines what type of support victims will receive from CSN?

Jewell: "The survivor determines what they want from CSN. We work very hard to provide victim-centered advocacy. Survivors know what they are experiencing and what would make their situation better. Our advocates help. Sometimes it's enough to just be heard and believed. Sometimes we help a person leave their living situation. It depends on what the survivor wants."

Herald: Without being too specific, what kinds of housing do you offer victims?

Jewell: "We provide emergency shelter to those fleeing domestic violence. We work with the Joint Pacific County Housing Authority to provide permanent supportive housing at the Pearl Apartments. This provides supportive services for survivors and their children."

Herald: Can you provide a list of contacts where victims and potential victims can go for help?

Jewell: "Crisis Support Network provides 24-hour response to those experiencing domestic violence. Our number is 800-435-7276. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. The HOPE Helpline is 1-888-606-4673, which is a great resource for youth in unhealthy relationships."

Herald: How can people donate to CSN to help victims? What type of donations does CSN mostly need, and how do people go about donating?

Jewell: "You can donate to CSN by mail or by calling our office at (360) 875-6702. Right now we have a lot of household items (kitchen items) and furniture and diapers. Things like towels and bedding are something we often need. Financial donations help us take care of things that our grant funding doesn't cover, like providing for a victim's pet costs (food, vet, boarding), security deposits, storage units, or car repairs.

"There is a way to support survivors that anyone can do. We can listen without judgement and believe their stories. Being heard helps so much. Acknowledgement makes a huge difference."