CONFERENCE WILL FOCUS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN RURAL WISCONSIN
Tuesday, April 4th, 2006 -- 11:49 AM
Audio - 2:23You may think a dog or cat would be the least of a domestic violence victim?s worries, but a local expert says pets often prevent abuse victims from fleeing bad situations.
Lori Boushon, Crisis Case Manager with the Personal Development Center?s Clark County Outreach in Neillsville, will serve as a moderator at the Wisconsin Women?s Health Foundation?s ?SafeKeeping? Conference in Wisconsin Rapids on Thursday. The conference will focus on the problem of domestic violence in rural Wisconsin.
The decision to leave an abusive home and seek shelter is difficult, Boushon says.
?For many reasons ? usually financial reasons,? Boushon says. ?Part of the domestic abuse picture is the abuser keeps the survivor without a job, without a phone, without a driver?s license. It makes it very hard to leave.?
But advocates find leaving is more difficult when pets are involved. Pets often become victims? loved ones.
?When the abuser knows the connection between the victim and pet, many times that pet is used as leverage. ?If you leave me, I?m going to hurt your animal?.? Boushon explains.
Boushon recently worked with a woman who needed to go to a shelter, but said she couldn?t leave her dog.
?She would not leave this dog behind to go to shelter. It wouldn?t respond to anybody but her, she said. She luckily stayed safe, but it was pretty scary for awhile,? Boushon remembers.
Advocates are attempting to establish a ?foster home? program for the pets of domestic abuse victims.
?We're looking at making alliances with veterinarians, humane societies and anybody else who would like to help,? Boushon says. The hope is to find a place to keep the animals until victims make a transition into a better situation. ?And then be able to reestablish that connection when safety is no longer a big issue.?
If you?d like more information, or would be interested in serving as a foster home for abuse victims? pets, you can call Lori at 743-6401.
On the Web:
[url=http://www.wwhf.org/]Wisconsin Women?s Health Foundation[/url]
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