Webinar presenter Andrew Campbell answered a number of your questions after his presentation, “Someday” Never Comes: Breaking Generational Cycles of Familial Abuse. Here are just a few of his responses.
Audience Question: How do you think that 988 suicide and crisis lifelines can be better?
Andrew Campbell: In terms of improving those particular response sources, I don’t know, that’s, it’s kind of tricky, just off the cuff to give a full detailed answer on that. I mean, certainly, if you e-mail me, I can research a little better. I tried to always make sure that anything I share here, that it, as well-researched and understood. What I know is that many of these issues are deeply rooted. And so, off the top of my head, what I would say again is continuity of contact. When we look at programs that work with, that seems to be most effective, went and some of the issues I’ve described today in terms of domestic violence and reducing recidivism and long-term, healthy outcomes, it’s that continued contact. It’s not just the hotline call or even just follow-up for a few weeks, but rather ongoing. And so, when possible, continuing that and ensuring that it’s not just getting someone over a bad spot, and that’s obviously not to sell. Like I said, struggle with suicide myself, but understanding that those bad spots are going to continue to occur and that, again, understanding those deeply rooted issues that are leading to those thoughts and ideas and understanding that triggers behind it. Again, a long-term process but certainly possible. But, again, I think, continuity of contact, being so important, that the individual feels that they are heard, that they’re understood, or at least at the very least, that they have support. And, again, that’s not going to go away, that it’s going to be there for them. Again, those are some of the key concepts I think of when I think of success in that particular area.
Audience Question: What suggestions might you have in working with someone that doesn’t realize or accept that they’re going through domestic violence or abuse?
Andrew Campbell: So, that’s difficult to write, and that can go from a couple of different directions. I think many people are in that boat of where they are in an abusive situation. But maybe it’s normal to them because it’s all I’ve ever seen or, maybe, again, that they don’t want to acknowledge that it’s happening, right? Just because of some of the connotations that there are so many reasons why victims don’t disclose abuse. They’re worried about public perception. Financially, that can be difficult. If I declare this to be abuse, then, what if I lose financial resources? So, again, I think it’s understanding what I usually think about, and what I usually say in this particular scenario, as looking at the individual. And in particular, again, as I said, we can cast large nets and we can talk about concepts. But when it comes down to it, it’s really boots-on-the-ground efforts that make a change in this area. And so, looking at the individual, I’m thinking about, what is this person’s specific barriers to not only reaching safety but staying there, and beginning to work through that process. So, is finance going to be an issue? Is it employment? Is it difficulties around childcare with their children? Starting to work through, some of those things can help. And then again, it’s that compass calibration and finding a way to help them understand, and again, it varies from person to person. And showing them that this is harm, this is abusive. And even if you’re not seeing it now, if they have children is probably infecting their children. And finding when possible, individuals that this person trusts who also are in agreement with that can also help to provide that. Victim and survivor safety is always paramount. So, again, we have to have safety plans in place. We want to make sure that we’re doing this in a safe way, because perps of abuse, they don’t like their abuse being called abuse. And they don’t like being called out at all. And they can react pretty violently at the moment when that happens. So, again, safety is key, but thinking about some of those reasons, why the victim may not be willing to accept it, and working toward it, it might be education, it might be cultural, it might be other things, but identifying that on an individual basis, I think, is critical.
Audience Question: What kind of treatment might you suggest for pet abuse offenders? Are there any programs out there that you can suggest?
Andrew Campbell: So, I’ve got a couple of excellent colleagues and actually good friends with the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). You can just go to their website, and they provide some excellent resources. I know that they have great resources for children who are committing acts of animal cruelty and also other resources in that area. Obviously, the resource you just mentioned, Aaron, is also a good one. National LINK Coalition has some great information, they have a monthly newsletter that’s super informative in that area, but I often direct individuals to the Animal Welfare Institute and some of their resources around dealing with and working through those issues, really good resources there.
Click Here to Watch a Recording of “Someday” Never Comes: Breaking Generational Cycles of Familial Abuse.
