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St. Francis County Domestic Violence Coalition |
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 Chances are….
Chances are that you or someone you know has been exposed to some type of Domestic Violence. In fact, one in four women have been sexually abused before the age of 18 and for men, that number is one in every six. It should be noted that the abuser in these cases is most often someone who is “known” to the victim, not a stranger. Further, a woman’s life is taken about every 7-10 seconds through an act of Domestic Violence.
(NOTE: Men are also the victims of Domestic Violence; however, the most frequent victims of Domestic Violence are women and children.)
About the St. Francis County Domestic Violence Program (DV)
In January of 2008, the St. Francis County Domestic Violence Program (DV), a program of Counseling Services of Eastern Arkansas, was funded by a grant through the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women. The program is housed in the outpatient clinic at the CSEA Forrest City, AR location. Prior to this date, there were basically no resources available in the area to help with Domestic Violence.
The DV Program The grant specifically targets Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking and Child Abuse Enforcement Assistance. Research shows that Domestic Violence victims residing in rural areas are underserved, in general, due to fewer resources. Rural areas also have higher levels of poverty, higher unemployment rates, lack of reliable transportation, substandard housing, greater family conflicts, lack of childcare, significant mental health issues, and limited knowledge of and abilities to seek services. These facts hold true for St. Francis County which is located in the Mid-Delta Region of the U.S.A.
A Few Statistics
- Arkansas ranks among the top three states in the U.S.A. for filing civil protective orders due to Domestic Violence.
- Arkansas also ranks among the top three states for murders due to Domestic Violence.
- In the U.S.A., Black Women make up 13% of the population.
- In Arkansas, Black Women make up 16.3% of the population.
- In St. Francis County, Black Women make up 52% of the population.
- Arkansas ranks first in the U.S.A. for deaths among Black Women due to Domestic Violence.
- Arkansas also ranks high in rape offenses and “founded” child abuse cases.
The devastating effects of Domestic Violence have been studied and documented. Studies show that the behaviors are passed down through the generations. Recent data shows that children ages 11-12 are having dating relationships involving forced sexual activity, control and assault. This information shows that the violence begins early; therefore, everyone should be working toward early intervention with children.
Who to Contact
The DV Program is working toward educating the county about the negative impact of Domestic Violence and the options that are available to help stop violence in our county. People need to know that violence hurts everyone. The DV Program does not advocate breaking up families and tries to offer options to every family, which will meet their personal needs. If anyone would like information, please have them call:
Cassandra Maggett Myralita Byers Sharon Williams
Victims Advocate Victims Advocate Transitional Housing Coordinator
870-630-3836 870-630-3859 870-630-3839
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