New trends in domestic violence

Sept. 25--Intimidation is the goal of many abusers, and there are some disturbing trends in domestic violence cases.

Many abusers are now choking their victims instead of threatening with a gun or knife, because victims tend to focus on the weapon instead of the person threatening them, said Jackie Johnson, district attorney for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit.

"It starts with slapping and hitting, and by the third arrest the abuser puts his hands on the victim's neck as a manipulative tool," she said. "They are eye-to-eye with the offender. They can see through their eyes this person intends to do them harm."

Often, an abuser chokes a victim without leaving visible bruises as a way to intimidate, though there are often telltale signs such as burst blood vessels in the victim's eyes. As a result of the growing number of incidents, strangulation is now a felony in Georgia, Johnson said.

Another growing trend is adult children abusing their parents.

"Many times, substance abuse is a factor," she said. "More parents are being beaten by their children."

Johnson said she has multiple cases of adult children allegedly abusing their parents pending, including the recent case against 49-year-old John William Rosevelt.

He was arrested May 23 by Glynn County police on charges he allegedly stole from his 72-year-old mother, Linda Mansfield. He was charged with five counts of forgery and one count of theft for allegedly writing checks from his mother's bank account and stealing her 2012 Honda Civic.

Mansfield was reported missing the day of Rosevelt's arrest after a state Adult Protective Services worker went to the home to investigate reports her son was stealing from her and got no response. Investigators said Rosevelt lied during questioning, and they found evidence of foul play inside the home.

He is accused of hitting and striking his mother, who was last seen alive the week of May 15, according to investigators. A Glynn County grand jury charged Rosevelt with malice murder, aggravated assault, felony murder, concealing the death of another, making terroristic threats and two counts of making false statements.

Sandi Ortega, a victim advocate for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, said another growing problem is youths abusing their grandparents, many of whom have custody of the their grandchildren. In many instances, the grandchildren's parent or parents have substance-abuse problems or are incarcerated.

"We've got seventh and eighth graders abusing their grandparents," Ortega said. "They don't know how to raise this generation."

A resurgence of heroin and methamphetamine is contributing to the growing number of domestic violence cases, Johnson said.

Some abusers are so proud of their dominance over another person, they post messages and photos of their abuse on social media, said Dottie Bromley, executive director of Glynn County Community Crisis Center.

"I personally think it's getting worse because of social media," she said. "We see more physical and mental abuse among young people."

Young men are posting texts about their girlfriends earning them money and photos of their bruises and cuts if they fail to please their abusers.

Bromley said a program in Glynn County called "Safe Dates" helps teach youths dating boundaries and what defines an appropriate relationship.

DIFFICULT PROSECUTION

Thanks to increased training, law enforcement officials are better prepared to respond to domestic violence calls.

The calls are dangerous, because the scene is often emotionally charged when officers arrive.

"When they call 911, very rarely is it the first time it's happened," Johnson said. "Officers are trained to calm people down and diffuse the situation."

Body cameras worn by officers are a big help when it comes to identifying the primary aggressor and prosecuting a case. The challenge is to convince a victim to testify against an assailant. Johnson estimated 90 percent of abused women refuse to testify against their abusers.

"It becomes criminal when the law makes an arrest, but I've got to have a witness," she said. "We're not trying to hurt them. We're trying to help them."

Abusers can still be prosecuted if there is physical evidence, but it's difficult without a victim willing to testify.

Often the judge will impose conditions restricting contact with the victim or other family members, or to adversely impact them in any other way such as cutting of utilities, canceling health insurance or interfering with mail. A judge can also order an abuser to try to avoid future family violence. Drug and alcohol counseling can also be ordered.

Sometimes, the family members of abusers try to intimidate victims into not testifying.

"They have others threaten and intimidate victims while they are in jail," Johnson said. "Mothers of sons will go after victims."

While state courts handle the misdemeanor cases in Glynn County, there is no state court in Camden County, meaning those cases are heard in Superior Court. Johnson said Camden authorities get 100 domestic abuse calls a month, which keeps her office busy.

"Most are misdemeanors that allow the abuser to get bond quickly," Johnson said. "We don't want to cost someone their job."

Abusers in more serious cases don't get off easy, however.

"Once it becomes a felony, I'm looking to send people off (to prison)," Johnson said.

A WAY OUT

Many domestic violence victims grew up in households where abuse was common, which is why they endure the bullying, intimidation and fear until things become intolerable.

"If you know you come from this type of home, it's not normal," Bromley said.

On average, it takes a domestic violence victim seven attempts before successfully leaving an abusive relationship, she said.

When they undergo counseling, victims are encouraged to change personal habits that helped contribute to the abuse.

Some victims endure multiple abusive relationships with different men. They need to seek relationships with others who don't exhibit the same personality traits as the one in the past relationship.

Counseling for children who have lived in abusive households and have sometimes been physically abused themselves is important, Bromley said.

"You are seven times more likely to be an abuser if you grow up in an abusive household," she said.

Women in abusive relationships often feel helpless. But there are ways to get help, Johnson said.

"There are family members, friends, support groups that can help get them out of that situation," Johnson said. "The signs are all there. If you are a relative or friend, intervene in a non-judgmental way."

Victims are sometimes afraid to report abuse because children or pets are in the home and they have nowhere to go. They wait until things escalate to the point where they have no choice but to call authorities because they fear for their lives or the safety of loved ones.

"If there are children in the house, they need to call," said Cary Greenfield, director of CASA Glynn, a nonprofit that advocates for children. "Babies can't speak up. They don't have a voice."

The Glynn County Community Crisis Center is equipped to help women and their children by providing a safe place to stay at Amity House, and the necessary counseling to help them regain their independence.

Help is also available for abusers, to teach them how to channel their frustration or anger in ways that aren't harmful to others.

"People can't fix these relationships overnight," Ortega said. "You can't put everything off on the victim. It takes professional help for the people. Counseling works."

Abusers often express remorse after they harm someone, but it's often a learned behavior they can't stop without help, Johnson said.

"It's generational," she said. "We're starting to see the effects from grandfather and father to son."

Greenfield said abusers won't stop without seeking help to change their behavior.

"When it's a family cycle, it's hard to break," she said. "You can learn a new way."

Bromley said she believes the cycle of family violence can end through education, counseling and persistence.

"If we make a difference in a life, then we have a success," she said. "They get a sense of control back in their own world."

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