Family Violence and Domestic Violence Alaska Advocates link the high rate of trauma brain injuries to domestic violence

S. isn’t able to recall the number of times she’s been struck with a head injury, but she vividly recalls the time she was smothered. These are two types of injuries she’s suffered throughout her abusive relationships and differ in that they could be the cause of or contribute to trauma brain injuries.

“I draw sociopaths and not abusers,” she declared from her room filled with art located in permanent supportive housing located in Interior Alaska. “Sociopaths.”

A husband of one had her thrown down the steps. Her former boyfriend attempted at strangling her. She was strangled. Alaska Beacon is not naming her due to security reasons the abuser taken her to her new house prior to. S. speaks fast but stops frequently and sometimes is unable to recall the exact place she left off. “Brain stop!” she stated at one time or, at another point, “I apologize, my brain is like-” and then she muddled her fingers in an unorganized gesture.

S.’s physique is trail of marks left by the abuse she suffered from her childhood, until she was able to get to a shelter less than 10 years in the past. She’s clearly afflicted with discomfort, and has said that she sleeps very little.

“I’m brain damaged due to abuse. I’m not claiming the brain injury,” she said. “It’s not in my medical records. I don’t want to be a victim of another disability. I’ve got enough things going on.”

Alaska has the highest percentage of deaths due to brain injuries resulting from trauma across the nation, and is one of the highest rates for domestic violence. But it was only just recently that caregivers and advocates have begun to connect the two. And, as S.’s story demonstrates that, as high as Alaska rate is for both brain injuries or domestic abuse, many experts have suggested they’re not being counted.

“They’re not crazy. It’s a valid diagnostic medical.’

Few who offer services are aware of the connection between traumatic brain injuries and domestic violence more than Kimberly Sumner, who manages the state’s Traumatic and Acquired brain Injury grants program, which was launched in Juneau. She is a victim of both TBI as well as domestic violence. She now assists other victims who have suffered trauma.

“I was aware that the deficiency of services available in the community for people suffering from brain trauma injuries was a huge issue however, I was unaware of how significant it was. Also, I saw an urgent requirement for the service,” she said.

Sumner was a victim’s advocate in Juneau’s domestic abuse shelter for over 12 years. She noted that she noticed signs of brain injuries in a lot of the people she assisted but she didn’t have a specific test that could aid in determining if they had a brain injury. Today, she is working for Southeast Alaska Independent Living and will connect people to services, such as her state-funded grant that she oversees as well as a variety in support organizations she organizes.

Since 2003 the state has overseen an initiative that grants grant money to those who suffer brain injuries. Grants for one year can range from $2,500 to $2,500 and awardees could be awarded up to $5,000 over the course of five years.

The grant program isn’t innovative, but Sumner’s method is, according to their supervisor Bridget Thompson.

“What other agencies don’t accomplish as well as we do -and it’s because of Kim’s experience — is the awareness about domestic violence isn’t as high,” she stated. “Everything Kim brought to the program Kim has brought into the acquired and traumatic brain injury program stems directly from her own experiences.”

Thompson explained”When people are thinking of trauma as well as acquired head injuries, they usually think of factors like strokes, car accidents, and concussions “but very rarely do they think of considering domestic violence, or any kind or form of abuse emotionally. This is completely different from other programs across the country.”

Another thing Sumner performs for clients is straightforward: she listens. However, she does not judge she explained, as she’s experienced trauma and is aware of how devastating it can be.

Sumner also employs art to help with therapy. In the afternoon, after hosting a small group for an event for support she sat down among the food leftovers as well as colored pencils, paints and other tools.

“I believe it’s only an individual voice at given time to get the message out to the world,” she said. “I am here for those who are suffering. I would like them to know that they’re not on their own. They’re not insane. This is a legitimate medical diagnosis. There is a lot of assistance available.”

Invisible wound

Patty Raymond Turner, a specialist in traumatic brain injuries at the Alaska University’s Center for Human Development, has dedicated her life to educating people about TBI.

As part of a nationwide campaign, she collated the many signs associated with TBI in a publication. It is the list of most frequent complaints of women who have been victims of domestic violence or trauma There is a connection on the characteristics of post-traumatic stress disorder: difficulty in concentrating and sleeping mood swings and memory issues.

There are some data that can follow traumatic brain injuries and also data on the violence in domestic settings, however there isn’t enough to track the relationship, she said.

“It is often concealed, especially within Alaska,” she said of domestic violence.

The research in this area is limited, however one Ohio investigation found that, among the victims of domestic violence 83% experienced head injuries from blows to the head. of which, it occurred to a quarter of them more than they could remember. Additionally, 83% of victims experienced strangulation, which could result in traumatic brain injuries. The National study discovered that the majority of victims of domestic violence suffered multiple brain injuries, yet only 20 percent sought medical treatment immediately following the injury.

Raymond Turner’s goal is to ensure that those suffering from brain injuries understand they suffer from them and seek help no matter the reason.

“TBIs regardless of whether they’re either severe or mild, can severely disrupt the lives of people. They may not even understand what’s causing the problems,” she said.

“Sometimes people aren’t sure the cause and don’t know how they can help improve the situation. This can affect their lives in general. It’s the relationships with their spouse, children or their partner.”

Raymond Turner added that not everyone suffers from all symptoms. There are some who only have just one or two symptoms. She noted that the control of the abuser is one of the most common reasons women don’t or can’t not report injuries, however other factors include shame and lack of understanding of the connection between trauma and the symptoms of brain injury.

“Maybe they’re having difficulty with concentration or recalling information, or they’re feeling very stressed,” she said. “Maybe you’re wondering, ‘It’s my feelings, due to my relationship’ and they’re not connecting the dots that it’s because they’ve been struck on the head repeatedly over.”

She also said that she was aware that even though Alaska has extremely significant rates TBI She knows that TBI is not widely reported.

A tool to change

However, this could soon change as awareness increases. Kelley Hartleib, a project coordinator for the University Alaska Anchorage’s Center for Human Development, is part of the team involved in The Alaska State Plan for Brain Injury.

“Recognizing that people who have experienced domestic violence suffer brain injuries in a higher rate My role of the project is to create an assessment tool for those who suffer from brain injury,” she said.

This aspect of the work has grown in the past 2 years or so, the woman added. The aim is for advocates for victims to comprehend the relationship between domestic and intimate violence, as well as brain injuries, and to be able to assist clients suffering from brain injuries.

The tool is known as BASKETS which stands for the various ways that people could be diagnosed with the TBI or the next steps they could consider:

• Brain bumped, banged, beaten, bruised?
• Injured or acquired by other means?
• Suffocated, strangled, stopped breathing?
• Did you get knocked out?
• Emergency services ever encouraged?
• Are you having trouble now?
• Support, services, self-advocacy, self-care.

Hartleib worked for the Anchorage shelter for victims of domestic violence She said that the advocates were unaware of screening those who had suffered traumatic brain injuries. The software she’s developing will enable them to do this.

Shelters are often noisy, bustling with light Hartleib stated, and could be a difficult place to navigate for those suffering from trauma to the brain, who is susceptible to the various aspects.

Hartleib stated that the government and advocacy groups haven’t been tracking the traumatic brain injuries among those who have survived domestic violence, despite the fact that blows to the head and strangulation are thought as very frequent injuries in this population.

“Usually it’s concussive accidents that are repeated that individuals suffer from and which makes it more and more difficult to get them back. They become more vulnerable and prone to ongoing injury,” she said. “Some of the injuries can make them more prone to abuse since it can frequently result in a blurred memory, or a lack of attention to detail, fatigue, forgetfulness and fatigue, and all these symptoms. Then, the perpetrator could claim, ‘You’re crazy!. You’re crazy.'”

Her experience with survivors has taught her that criminals are able to make use of cognitive issues against their victims, accusing them of being stupid or lazy, or insufficient to take care of their children, but in reality they have to function following brain injuries.

“They may consider, ‘He’s right because I’m not able to hold it all together and am having issues with my hair,'” Hartleib explained. “It could be an ‘aha’ moment to think, ‘You know what? You might have an idea that you could get some help about. It’s not a matter of being stupid or lazy. It’s the result, possibly of something happening within your brain.”

Hartleib has demonstrated the tool to a few people working in the field and they’re in a rush to get the device. It’s not yet available for use however Hartleib’s Center for Human Development aims to implement it as an experimental program at the Anchorage shelter before the time the end this year.

The article was written in the context of the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism‘s 2023 Domestic Violence Impact Fund.

The story was originally published in Alaska Beacon and is republished here with permission.