Prosecutor David Sutter: Breaking The Cycle Of Abuse

These cases remain among the most difficult and complex cases to prosecute and to ensure victim safety in the future.

(Madison, Ind.) - In 1989, Congress designated the month of October as the first domestic violence awareness month. This month of remembrance and resolve began as a movement by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, following the creation of their “Day of Unity”, an event to mourn those who have died by domestic violence and to celebrate survivors. As your prosecutor, I am always focused on seeking justice for victims of violence and will aggressively prosecute these cases, but I wanted to place emphasis on this topic and the work being done in Jefferson County during this month of recognition.

Domestic violence, unfortunately, continues to be one of the most underreported crimes. Statistics show that as much as 42% of women in Indiana have experienced some form of violence by their partner or spouse. These cases remain among the most difficult and complex cases to prosecute and to ensure victim safety in the future.

Children are often not only caught up in violence between domestic partners and spouses, they are also victims themselves. Research by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk indicates the costs of child abuse “exceed those of cancer or heart disease.” We have certainly seen the effects of domestic violence and child abuse on children in our educational and community settings and I will continue to push back vigorously on this issue with the hope of eradicating as much trauma for young Hoosiers as possible.

If we are going to make any impact to reduce incidents of violence in our community, we need to ensure victims have access to the information and resources that can help. To that end, I want to make note of the resources within the Prosecutor’s Office and within Jefferson and surrounding counties. The Prosecutor’s Office can assist with filing protective orders, obtaining restitution, emergency and short-term housing, counseling, confidential address relocation, victim advocacy, and assistance programs. There are also a number of resources available through Safe Passage, Inc, including a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, and prevention programs.

Recognizing signs of abuse can help friends and family identify victims and facilitate connecting them to these vital resources. Victims of domestic violence may be isolated, appear depressed, have low self-esteem, or engage in substance abuse. The cycle of violence for victims often comes in three stages. In the first stage, the victim may feel as if they are constantly walking on eggshells. The perpetrator may be easily angered, blame the victim, or argue more often. Next, the perpetrator may actually attack the victim, physically, sexually, or emotionally. This will often be followed by a “make-up” period where the abuser is apologetic and reassure the victim it will not happen again.

When these instances of violence occur, it is difficult for others to understand why victims stay. There are a variety of reasons this can be the case, including feelings of isolation, financial reasons, feelings of fear, isolation, and denial. However, if we can help more adult and child victims feel protected and supported by increasing awareness of the resources available locally to help them begin again, I am hopeful we will one day break the cycle of abuse.

For more information about resources available within the Prosecutor’s Office, please contact our office at (812) 265-8932. If you are a victim of violence, Safe Passage, Inc 24-hour help line is 1-877- 733-1990.