How to help a victim of domestic violence | Forensic Files

the way we tried this case was we wanted to present all the evidence that we had
and then at the very end we put on Amy Jackson she was our domestic violence expert and our goal about that was to
bring it all together over time the longer um individuals stay in this relationship the the um the abuse
continues and that was really when we were able to see the the light just go on with the jury and it was like now I
get it yeah maybe they had a case before yeah they seem to have a good case oh now I understand you said that at times
the perpetrator will be calling the victim crazy I think frequently we see um a perpetrator who will um either try
to convince the victim herself that she's crazy some of the myths that the general public tends to believe about
domestic violence is that the first time there was any kind of abuse that occurred the victim would IM immediately
tell somebody or immediately pick up the phone and call 911 there's a high degree
of Shame that's associated with domestic violence um a a desire to keep uh things
private to not allow the outside public or friends or family to know about what's going on within the relationship
and there's a fear that they may not be believed that's a common question that we get asked frequently about domestic
violence victims is is why doesn't she just leave one reason is uh they they really believe a a perpetrator may say
I'm going to get help I'm going to go to counseling I'm going to do whatever it is that you want me to do a victim
really believes those things and so she hopes and believes that the perpetrator really is going to change and is going
to get better but the number one reason that that victims frequently don't leave
relationships is because of fear when a a victim is attempting to leave a relationship or has left a relationship
it is by far the most dangerous time another myth that exists and it's a big one is that leaving equals safety
leaving an abusive relationship does not equal safety most homicides within Intimate Relationships occur during the
time period that a victim is attempting to leave a relationship or has just left
the relationship the number one thing that um those of us who have contact with with victims can do is to believe
the victim to understand that um she's in a very difficult scary situation to not judge her for the decisions that
she's making and so I would really encourage friends and families to get that victim in touch with a victim
advocate

Amy Jackson, the director of Summit County Colorado Advocates for Victims of Assault, was a key witness in the prosecution's case against Dale Bruner. Here she outlines some of the most common myths and misconceptions about domestic violence and explains what kind of help works best.

Brief Summary

Domestic violence expert Amy Jackson discusses victim behavior, myths, and the complexities of leaving abusive relationships.

Key points

Understanding Domestic Violence. Domestic violence victims often face shame and fear, complicating their decisions to leave.
The Danger of Leaving. Leaving an abusive relationship is often the most dangerous time for victims.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

There's a high degree of shame associated with domestic violence.

1:02WatchMar 9, 2014

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