MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- In 1989, Congress signed Public Law 101-112 into effect, nationally recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It’s the one time a year when victim advocates across the nation unite in their efforts to spread domestic violence awareness.
In support of their efforts, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni Commanding Officer Col. James C. Stewart signed a proclamation Sept. 30 declaring the air station would also recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Domestic Violence is a pattern of behaviors that includes emotional, physical or sexual abuse used by one person in a relationship to control the other partner. Last year there were more than 20,000 referrals Department of Defense wide for suspected abuse and neglect, which includes domestic violence and child abuse and neglect.
“The best thing you can do to stop domestic violence is to speak out and tell someone,” said Dr. Holly Kunert, director of Counseling Services here. “Whenever someone is being abused, one of the most common things that happens is they keep silent.
“There are lots of reasons people stay,” said Kunert. “Maybe they’re afraid to leave, maybe their self esteem has been beaten down so much that they don’t believe anybody would ever want them or they don’t believe they would be successful … sometimes it’s financial, sometimes it’s concerns for children.”
There are two ways to report domestic violence, restricted and unrestricted. Restricted reporting is done through uniformed or civilian victim advocates, the sexual assault response coordinator, clinical providers within Counseling Services and healthcare providers.
If done through anyone other than the previously mentioned individuals, it is automatically an unrestricted report.
Restricted reporting allows the victim to get the help he/she needs without opening an official investigation. While many victims choose this option, there are limitations. With a restricted report, the assailant remains unpunished and capable of assaulting others, the victim cannot receive a military protective order and is ineligible to invoke the collateral misconduct provision of the sexual assault policy.
Unrestricted reporting gets the command involved and opens the case for investigation.
All service members are required to report any incident they have been informed of, regardless of whether the victim wants to report it or not.
Incidents will not be investigated unless they happened within the past six months. For this reason, it is important at least to file a restricted report whereas a victim can change to unrestricted at any time. However, treatment is always available no matter how long ago the incident occurred.
An anonymous victim said her abusive relationship lasted more than two years.
“It took me a long time to tell someone about what happened to me,” said the victim. “I was embarrassed, completely ashamed, and I didn’t think anyone would believe me if I told.
“Looking back, I wish I would’ve had the knowledge and resources the Marine Corps gave me. I would have reported it and prevented it from possibly happening to someone else.”
For information on local resources, contact Counseling Services at 253-4526.