SEPTEMBER 17, 2004
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN LATER LIFE
(PEOPLE SAYING HELLO)
> WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE.
> THAT'S GREAT.
> I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE ORGANIZER THOUGH.
> ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BE ON MUTE?
> IS EVERYBODY ON THE LINE?
> I THINK SO.
> OH MY GOODNESS. WE'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS BEFORE.
> I DON'T THINK WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO EACH OTHER.
> IT WOULD PROBABLY END IN JUST A MINUTE.
> THEY LEFT THE LINES OPEN THE OTHER DAY. THEY ASKED THAT YOU HIT STAR 6.
> DID EVERYBODY JUST GET KICKED OFF?
> NO.
> I WAS THE LUCKY ONE.
> PRESS JOIN NOW AGAIN AND YOU SHOULD BE OKAY.
> WE LOST SOMEBODY WHO IS HOPEFULLY BACK.
> IF YOU USE STAR 6 -- SOME PEOPLE HAVE HOLD MUSIC IF THEY HIT MUTE.
> I'M GONNA HIT STAR 6.
> YOUR STAR 6 DIDN'T WORK. WE CAN STILL HEAR YOU.
> OH, WE ARE RINGING NOW.
> THE OTHERS, HANG ON.
> NORA?
> CANDY, YOU AND I CAN BE HEARD BY EVERYBODY.
> OKAY GOOD. I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO STAR 6 AM I?
> NO. YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD NOT DO THAT.
> I'M REAL CLEAR ON THIS.
.
> I THOUGHT I BETTER DIAL IN EARLY JUST IN CASE THERE WERE LAST MINUTE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW.
> YEAH, I AM GOING TO BE HERE THROUGHOUT.
I'M GOING TO MUTE MYSELF OUT.
ANY TIME YOU SAY NORA.
> IF SOMETHING GOES AMISS I HIT --
> YOU JUST SAY NORA.
> WILL TOM BE HERE?
> YES AND YOU HAVE JOHN PAIN [SPELLING?] HE WILL BE WATCHING THE CHAT.
> I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING -- AND I HAVE A STAND BY GUY WHO WILL MONITOR MY EMAIL.
> WHAT WE WILL BE DOING PROBABLY IN FACT IN ONE MINUTE -- WE WILL ASK PEOPLE TO EMAIL ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THEY MAY HAVE THAT COME UP IN YOUR PRESENTATION TO YOU SO THAT ABOUT 10 OFF OR A QUARTER OF WHEN YOU END YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES. IF YOU GO OVER, IT IS FINE.
> I HAVE TWO CLOCKS IN FRONT OF ME BUT I WILL HAVE MY GUY SIGNAL ME. I AM CONCERNED WHETHER OR NOT I CAN FINISH IT. BUT PEOPLE HAVE THE SLIDES.
> PEOPLE CAN DOWNLOAD YOUR POWER POINT PRESENTATION WHEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE,.
> CAN JOHN HEAR ME?
> I DON'T KNOW.
> WHAT I WANT TO ALERT HIM TO IS I WILL SKIP THROUGH SLIDES 1 THROUGH 12 AT WARP SPEED O.
I WILL HAVE HIM FLIP THROUGH THE SLIDE PRETTY FAST.
> HE IS NOT ON THE PHONE. HE IS HANDLING THE TECHNOLOGY STUFF. JOHN CAN HEAR US FINE. NO PROBLEM.
> ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO AHEAD. RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE -- THIS IS NORA -- WHO IS WELCOMING OUR PRESENTER CAREN HEISLER WHO IS A PROSECUTOR IN SAN FRANCISCO AND IS AN EXPERT. EXPERT, I WILL MUTE MYSELF OUT.
> GOOD MORNING OR GOOD DAY TO YOU. I AM DELIGHTED TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT A TOPIC THAT IS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME AND THAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN LATER LIFE. THIS IS A FORGOTTEN AND INVISIBLE POPULATION. COMMON SENSE TELLS US THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DOESN'T END JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE AGES BUT SADLY WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STATISTICS AND RESPONSES TO THE SYSTEMS -- THE NUMBER DOESN'T MIRROR THE INCIDENTS THAT WE EXPECT IS GOING ON. WE KNOW THAT BOTH MEN AND WOMEN CAN BE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WE KNOW THEY CAN BE BOTH PE PET PERPETRATORS AND VICTIMS. HOWEVER, FOR CLARITY, I WILL REFER TO PERPETRATORS AND MALES AND VICTIMS AND FEMALES. I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT THERE ARE MALE VICTIMS AND PERPETRATORS. THIS IS THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. ELDER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS UNDERREPORTED. IT IS NOT TREATED AS A FORM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE USING REMEDIES THAT ARE OTHERWISE AVAILABLE. WE ARE DEALING WITH A POPULATION THAT IS AGING -- THAT'S ABOUT ALL OF US. NEXT SLIDE. PLEASE QUICKLY MOVE THROUGH SLIDE 4 THROUGH 11. AS A COUNTRY, THE UNITED STATES IS AGING. THAT DEMOGRAPHICS GIVES YOU A TASTE OF AMERICA. THE FASTEST AGING PEOPLE ARE THOSE OVER THE AGE OF 85. THERE IS A LARGER GROUP OF PEOPLE THAN EVER BEFORE LIVING INTO THEIR SENIOR YEARS. WHERE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS PRESENT -- LATER, WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS ABOUT HOW MUCH ELDER VIOLENCE AND STALKING EXISTS. AS THE POPULATION GROWS OLDER, THE NUMBER OF ELDER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES WILL INCREASE AS WELL. MANY OF OUR AGING ARE MEMBERS OF MINORITY POPULATION AND THAT POPULATION IS GROWING MUCH FASTER THAN THE WHITE POPULATION AND THAT WILL CONTINUE. AS MANY OF YOU MAY WELL BE WORKING IN THE FIELD OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES -- MANY OF THE ISSUES ABOUT WHY THIS GOES ON AND WHO THE PERPETRATORS ARE -- AND SOME OF THE TACTICS SHOULD RESONATE WITH YOU IN THE DISABILITY WORLD WHO MAY SEE SOME OF THE SAME KIND OF SITUATION. AS WE AGE, WE MAY HAVE COGNITIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES -- THEY MAKES US VULNERABLE -- AND WHAT ACCOMPANIES THAT MAY BE DISABILITIES. SLIDE 12 -- HOW MUCH ELDER ABUSE IS THERE? THE TRUE ANSWER IS WE DON'T KNOW. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN GOOD STRONG STUDY GIVING US A PICTURE. IT IS SEVERELY UNDERREPORTED -- 1 IN 5 IF YOU ARE AN OPTIMIST. THAT MEANS REPORTED TO ANY SYSTEM. THERE ARE STUDIES THAT SAY IT IS CLOSE TO 1 IN 14. WE SEE ABOUT 7 PERCENT OF THE ACTUAL INCIDENTS OF ELDER ABUSE. WE ARE NOT SURE HOW IT BREAKS DOWN AMONG THE TYPES. 40 IS FINANCIAL AND 50 PERCENT IS NEGLECT. WE ARE AWARE OF THE AMOUNT OF ABUSE THAT GOES ON IN FACILITIES BUT MOST ABUSE OCCUR IN THE HOME. SLIDE 13. WE WILL TRY TO COVER A LARGE NUMBER OF PIECES OF INFORMATION. WE WILL BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT ELDER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WE WILL TALK ABOUT ELDER STALKING AND ELDER HOMICIDE. WE WILL TALK ABOUT CASE STRATEGY PARTICULARLY AFTER CRAWFORD V. THE STATE OF WASHINGTON. WHERE DOES ELDER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FIT? IF WE THINK ABOUT THE WORLD WE CALL ELDER ABUSE AND ALL OF ITS FORMS AND WE THINK ABOUT THE OTHER WORLD OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITH WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED THANKS TO THE FEMINIST MOVEMENT AND OTHERS -- SOMEWHERE THOSE TWO WORLDS COME TOGETHER AND WHAT WE HAVE IN THE MIDDLE AND YOU WILL SEE IN THE VISUAL -- IS WHAT WE CALL ELDER ABUSE OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN LATE LIFE. ESSENTIALLY, IT HAS ASPECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ASPECTS OF ELDER ABUSE. WHEN I TALK ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE DEFINITION IS BASICALLY A BEHAVIORAL ONE -- SLIDE 15. THIS IS A KEY ASPECT OF IT. IT IS A PATTERN. IT IS NOT A MOMENTARY LOST OF CONTROL. IT IS A PATTERN OF INCREASINGLY SEVERE ASSAULTS -- THEY CAN BE EMOTIONAL, SEXUAL, AS WELL AS MONETARY CONTROL. IT IS DONE BY FEAR AND COERCION AND THEY ARE PURPOSEFUL AND IT IS INTENDED TO GAIN POWER OVER THE VICTIM AND MAINTAIN CONTROL BY THE ABUSER. THESE TACTICS HAVE THE OUTCOME OF COMPLETELY CONTROL THE VICTIM'S LIFE. THEIR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN HEALTHY SELF ESTEEM IS TAKEN AWAY. THE WORLD SET BY THE ABUSER IS -- THE POWER AND CONTROL WHEEL -- THIS IS A TOOL USED TO DESCRIBE ABOUT VICTIMS ABOUT YOUNG WOMEN. IT IS DEVELOPED IN MINNESOTA -- THEY WORKED WITH HUNDREDS OF HUNDREDS OF VICTIMS. THEY SAID, HELP US UNDERSTAND THE TACTICS AND THINGS THAT GO ON. WHAT THESE VICTIMS DESCRIBED WAS A WHEEL. THE OUTER PORTION OF THE WHEEL IN YOUR DIAGRAM AND YOUR SLIDE -- THE DARKER PORTION -- MARKED VIOLENCE. VIOLENCE THAT CAN BE PHYSICAL OR SEXUAL -- DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERYDAY. MANY SYSTEMS ONLY LOOK AT THE PHYSICAL ASPECT OF VIOLENCE MUCH THAT IS WHAT IS DESCRIBED AND SYSTEMS ARE MANDATED TO RESPOND. HOWEVER, THIS HAPPENS PERIODICALLY -- HOWEVER ONCE A PERSON UNDERSTANDS THAT THE CONTROL OF THEIR BODY IS TAKEN AWAY -- THIS ABUSER CONTROLS THEM IN A WAY THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING ELSE THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED. THE BEHAVIOR ARE THE SPOKES OF THE WHEEL. THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT CONTROLLING TACTICS THAT AN ABUSER MAY USE. USING EMOTIONAL ABUSE. WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE OVERLAY WITH PET ABUSE. ONE WAY TO CONTROL SOMEONE IS SO CONTROL THE LIFE OF THEIR PET, SOMETHING THEY VALUE MORE THAN THEIR OWN LIFE. ISOLATION IS A HUGE PART OF ANY FORM OF ABUSE. ISOLATION MAKES IT EASIER. AT THIS POINT, THIS PERSON IS NOT GETTING GOOD INFORMATION. LOSES CONTACT WITH THE FAMILY. ABUSERS BLAMES THE VICTIM. MANY VICTIMS ASSUME THE BLAME. IF THEY JUST MAKE DINNER, MAKE THE KIDS QUIET, MADE THE HOUSE TIDIER -- SOMEHOW THE VIOLENCE WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. SADLY, BECAUSE THE VIOLENCE IS WHAT THE BATTERER MAKES AND NOT THE VICTIMS -- THIS BECOMES A JUSTIFICATION. THE CHILDREN ARE USED IN A VARIETY OF WAY -- AS A TARGET THEMSELVES TO USING THE CHILDREN IN CUSTODY BATTLES AND THE LIKE. MALE PRIVILEGE DESCRIBES TRADITIONAL GENDER ROLES. THOSE JOBS AND EXPECTATIONS -- THE HOUSEHOLD WILL BE ESTABLISHED BY THE BATTERER. ECONOMIC ABUSE IS PREVALENT AND IT IS A WAY FOR CONTROL. THAT IS THE BACKDROP OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THAT WAS DONE VERY QUICKLY. LET'S TURN TO OUR SUBJECT WHICH IS ELDER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. NEXT SLIDE -- SLIDE 17. WHAT IS ABUSE IN LATE LIFE? LET'S START WITH A DEFINITION. IT IS A DEFINITION THAT IS DIFFERENT. WE ARE DEALING SPECIFICALLY WITH OLDER AND VULNERABLE ADULT. INSTEAD OF AN INTIMATE PARTNER RELATIONSHIP -- IT IS A TRUSTED RELATIONSHIP. TYPICALLY, ABUSERS ARE FAMILY MEMBERS. IT COULD BE CARE GIVER -- NOT SOMEONE WHO IS PAID -- IT IS MUCH MORE. IT ONCE AGAIN IS THE ASSERTION OF POWER AND CONTROL. IT IS NOT ABOUT GREED OR CONTROL OF FINANCES. IT IS MUCH MORE. IT IS ABOUT OWNING THIS OTHER PERSON. THE TACTICS CAN BE DIFFERENT BUT IN PART, IT IS DIFFERENT, BECAUSE THE PHYSICAL ABILITY OF THE VICTIM AND PERPETRATOR HAS CHANGED. NEXT SLIDE. THE FORMS OR VARIATION OF LATE LIFE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARE THESE -- FIRST OF ALL, IT IS THE LONG TERM RELATION WHERE THE -- NEW RELATIONSHIP -- WE DEAL WITH WIDOWS -- OR MEN WOULD NEVER MARRIED OR ARE WIDOWERS -- THERE IS A NEW RELATIONSHIP AND THE NEW PARTNER IS AN ABUSER. SOMETIMES THESE LOOK LIKE SWEETHEART SCAMS AND ARE SWEETHEART SCAMS. WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER THERE IS FINANCIAL MANIPULATION GOING ON. LONG TERM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATIONSHIP -- IN THIS CASE -- A WOMAN WHO IS A LONG TIME VICTIM OF THE HUSBAND. NOW THE HUSBAND IS NOW PHYSICALLY FAIL -- HE IS WEAK AS A RESULT OF A DISEASE OF STROKE. NOW, HE RELIES ON THE WIFE, THE PREVIOUS VICTIM TO TAKE CARE OF HIM. SHE IS ENRAGED. PENT UP ANGER. SHE IS NOW ABUSING OR NEGLECTING HIM. THAT IS WHAT WE MEAN BY REVERSED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WE ALSO, AND THIS IS ALSO WHERE LATE LIFE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CAN LOOK FROM TRADITIONAL YOUNGER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WHERE THERE IS POWER AND CONTROL DYNAMICS -- CONTROL BY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. IN MY EXPERIENCE, WHAT I TYPICALLY SAW WAS ABUSE BY ELDER SONS. THERE ARE SITUATIONS WHICH ARE ABUSED BY A DAUGHTER WHO IS A CARE GIVER. WHAT I NEED TO SAY ABOUT ABUSE BY SON -- WE HAVE TO THINK OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SEXUAL ABUSE, BECAUSE IT IS NOT UNCOMMON. THE LAST FORM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POWER AND CO. IT IS ORGANIC BASED VIOLENCE. THERE ARE CONDITIONS WHERE CONTROL OF BEHAVIOR IS IMPOSSIBLE. THE DISEASE CONTROLS BEHAVIOR. IF AN OFFICER OR YOU AND I WALK IN, WE WILL SEE ONE PARTY BATTERS ANOTHER SPOUSE. THAT LOOKS LIKE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. PEOPLE WHO USE THE ABUSE MAY WELL HAVE BEEN AN ABUSER. WHAT IS DRIVING THIS DISEASE COULD BE ORGANIC. BRAIN TUMORS, HUNTING TON'S DI CEASE AND OTHERS CAN ADD AN EFFECT THAT LEAD TO INABILITY TO CONTROL OF BEHAVIOR. SYSTEMS HAVE TO RESPOND WHETHER IT IS ORGANIC OR DOMESTIC BASED VIOLENCE. THE ABUSER NEED TO HAVE HIS CONDUCT MADE ACCOUNTABLE. INTERVENTION WILL BE QUITE DIFFERENT. ONE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING HOW ELDER VIOLENCE IN LATE LIFE LOOKS IS TO LOOK AT ANOTHER PART OF THE WHEEL. SLIDE 20.
> PEOPLE ARE ASKING IF YOU COULD SPEAK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT -- THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE HEARING.
> HOW LONG HAS THAT BEEN GOING ON.
> A LITTLE BIT.
> THANK YOU. SLIDE 20 PLEASE -- ONE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING THE BEHAVIORS AND TACTICS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE IN LATER LIFE IS TO LOOK AT THE POWER CONTROL WHEEL DEVELOPED BY THE WISCONSIN COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. BY THE WAY, THEY HAVE DONE THE NATIONAL LEADING WORK ON THE SUBJECT. LATER, YOU WILL SEE THEIR PRODUCT AND GET INFORMATION. THEY HAVE HELPED SET UP MANY SUPPORT GROUPS FOR BATTERED WOMEN. THEY SAT DOWN WITH THEIR POPULATION AND SAID, LET'S LOOK AT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH YOUR RELATIONS. SOME OF THESE WERE ADULT CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY SONS, -- THE PICTURE THAT DEVELOPED WAS SIGNIFICANTLY SIMILAR TO THE POWER AND CONTROL WHEEL BUT DIFFERENT. THE WAYS THAT THEY ARE DIFFERENT -- THE BATTERER IN A LONG TERM RELATION HAS HAD A CHANCE TO REALLY KNOW THE VICTIM. HE KNOWS THE VICTIM'S STRENGTH AND WEAKNESSES. AT THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE -- YOU WILL SEE THE ABUSER'S ANALYSIS OF WHO HIS VICTIM IS. WHAT MAKES MY VICTIM STRONG AND UNDERMINE THOSE THINGS. THOSE CORE VALUES AND SPIRITUAL BELIEFS -- THE PARTICIPATION IN RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE -- THOSE ARE UNDERMINED -- TO KEEP THE VICTIM UNDER. HE DRIVES HER TO CHURCH ONLY WHEN IT SUITS HIM. HE DECIDE THAT MAYBE THE VISITORS FROM THE CHURCH OR SYNAGOGUE WHO HAVE BEEN COMES TO THE HOUSE TO SPEND TIME WITH THE VICTIM -- HE MAY BE ISOLATING HER FROM THEM BY CUTTING OFF THOSE CONTACTS. HE IS MAKING JOKES AND UNDERMINING THOSE PERSONAL CORE VALUES. IF SHE BECAME DISABLED -- HOW COULD YOUR CREATOR -- IF HE OR IT IS AS GOOD AS YOU SAY, LEAVE YOU IN THIS CONDITION -- LOOK LIKE THIS. CONVERSELY, WHAT ARE THE WEAKNESSES THAT THIS VICTIM HAVE? THERE IS A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH DISABILITY HERE. IF SHE REQUIRES A WALKER OR WHEELCHAIR -- HE WILL PUT THEM JUST OUT OF RANGE. IF SHE NEEDS TO GO TO THE BATHROOM -- HE WILL GET HER TO THE BATHROOM IN TIME OR NOT AS A WAY OF PUNISHING HER. IN TERMS OF FAMILY MEMBERS WHICH IS TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE WHEEL -- FAMILY MEMBERS CAN GET PLAYED OUT IN A VARIETY OF WAY. THEY CAN COLLUDE WITH THE ABUSER. THE 92-YEAR-OLD MOM SAYS, I WANT TO LEAVE HIM. THE SON SAYS, IF YOU THINK ABOUT LEAVING DAD, YOU WILL NEVER SEE YOUR GRAND KIDS AGAIN. THAT IS FAR WORSE THAN ABUSE SHE RECEIVED. FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION BECOMES ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IF SHE HAS MEDICAL NEEDS. OUR ELDERS NEED MORE MEDICATION AND SEES MORE DOCTORS MORE OFTEN. HE WILL THREATEN TO CUT OFF THE MEDICAL PLAN. SHE CAN CHOOSE TO GET AWAY OR GETTING HER HEART MEDICATION. NEXT SLIDE. ONE THING WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IS AN EARLY THEORY ABOUT ELDER ABUSE IS CARE GIVER STRESS. IN THE EARLY DAYS IN THINKING ABOUT ELDER ABUSE IN GENERAL, THE THEORY WAS VICTIMS WERE VICTIMS, BECAUSE THEY WERE DIFFICULT TO GIVE CARE TO -- I THINK OF A YOUNGER VICTIM -- A WOMAN IN HER 30S OR 40S -- HAS YOUNG CHILDREN, A JOB, AND HUSBAND AND A HOME. SHE IS ALREADY OVERSTRETCHED. SHE IS KEEPING IT TOGETHER. SHE IS THE GOOD MOM, WORKER, WIFE, HOUSE KEEPER ETC. NOW HIS MOM OR HER MOM HAS A STROKE AND CAN'T LIVE INDEPENDENTLY. THE MOM MOVES IN THE HOME WITH THE STRETCHED OUT MOM. SHE IS A WELL INTENDING NORMALLY COMPETENT CARE GIVER BUT SHE IS OVERWHELMED AND CAN'T GIVE UP. AS A RESULT OF THAT SHE LASHES OUT. THE CONCERN WE HAVE WITH THIS ANALYSIS -- SLIDE 22. THIS IS NOT SUPPORTED AS A PRIMARY CAUSE THROUGH RESEARCH. WE ARE DEALING WITH AN ABUSER WHO IS NOT OVERWHELMED BUT HE MUST MAINTAIN CONTROL. IF WE SAY YOUR WIFE OR YOUR ELDER IS THE PROBLEM AND IS DIFFICULT -- YOU HAVE OTHER MANY THINGS TO MANAGE -- WE ARE GIVING TWO BAD MESSAGES -- YOU REALLY ARE THE VICTIM HERE AND WE WILL HELP YOU AND PROVIDE RESOURCES. WE ARE VALIDATING WHAT HE IS DOING. WITH THE BATTERED WOMAN WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS YOU ARE REALLY THE PROBLEM AND IF YOU DO WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO -- YOU WOULDN'T BE IN HARM'S WAY. THAT CAN LEAVE VICTIMS IN TREMENDOUS TREMENDOUS DANGER. WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL BEFORE WE BRING A MODEL OF CARE GIVER STRESS IN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SITUATION. WE MAY MEAN TO DO WELL BUT WE MAY DO INCREDIBLE HARM. I WANT TO LOOK AT THE HARD QUESTIONS AND MOVE TO SLIDE 24. I ASK YOU IN YOUR VARIOUS PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS TO IMAGINE A 75 OR 80-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO HAS A PHYSICAL PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO GET SAFE AND LEAVE THE RELATIONSHIP. THINK ABOUT HOW MANY BARRIERS THERE ARE. THINK ABOUT THE RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY -- HOW SHE IS GOING TO FINANCIALLY TAKE CARE OF HERSELF. WHO IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF HER HEALTH CARE AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE SERVICES THAT ARE APPROPRIATE. SLIDE 25. THERE ARE MINIMAL PLACES TO PUT HER EVEN SHORT TERM. WE ARE ASKING THE VICTIM TO LEAVE HER HOME -- A HOME THAT SHE MAY HAVE LIVED IN FOR MANY MANY YEARS. SLIDE 26. THEY LOSE CONTACT OR FAMILY CONTACTS AND MAY FACE THE REAL REALITY THAT THE ONLY PLACE TO PUT THEM IS THE PLACE THEY MOST FEAR WHICH IS PLACEMENT IN A NURSING HOME. WE ARE DEALING WITH MALE VICTIMS. MANY COMMUNITIES HAVE NO SHELTERS OTHER THAN HOMELESS SHELTERS. THE ELDERLY MALE THAT IS ABUSED BY A PARTNER OR AN ADULT CHILD. THINK ABOUT VICTIM'S VALUES THEY HAVE GROWN UP WITH AND THINGS THEY HAVE TAKEN WITH THEM IN THE MARRIAGE. THINK ABOUT THE ISSUES AND APPLY THE BARRIERS. SLIDE 29. AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT. BARRIERS CAN BE BARRIERS FOR SYSTEMS THAT TRY TO ASSIST A VICTIM. I THINK OF IT FROM A CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE -- IF THESE ARE THE STRESSES THE VICTIM HAVE -- THE VICTIM CAN'T MEET YOUR NEEDS OF COOPERATION -- THEY CAN'T HELP YOU UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND THEM. THIS IS WHY PEOPLE THINK VICTIMS ARE DIFFICULT FOR THE SYSTEM. IT IS A WAY THE SUSPECTS CONTROL THE VICTIM. THEY CAN HELP YOU ESTABLISH RAPPORT IF YOU RECOGNIZE THEIR STRESSES. THESE ARE COMPLEX BARRIERS AND REQUIRE THE WORK OF MANY MANY SYSTEMS. WE WILL COME TO BACK TO THAT. NORA, IF YOU CAN TELL ME IF IT IS COMING UP. IS THE POLL QUESTION PRESENT?