October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. To show our level of commitment to bringing attention to this plague of violence we began this year with an interview with MJ Vess in an episode entitled: Broken Bones, psychological, emotional, financial abuse, intimidation and control. If you haven’t listened to this survival story, please do so here.
● 3 women are killed every day at the hands of their intimate partner.
Today we have the distinct honor and high privilege to sit and talk with Leanne Biltz, Volunteer Coordinator with The Battered Women’s Shelter & Rape Crisis Center of Summit and Medina, Ohio counties. It provides many essential services , like emergency shelter for those fleeing abuse, free therapy services, and hospital advocacy for those seeking a “rape kit”.
● 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime.
Advocacy for women’s issues comes naturally for Leanne. She said, “I’ve always been an advocate for women and helping to end violence against them.” An intimate partner abuse survivor herself, this issue is very close and very dear to her heart. She’s lived through it and now she fights against it.
Domestic violence is a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another in an intimate relationship. It comes in many different forms, including:
· Physical– the use or threat of physical force with the intent to cause harm. This can include shoving, strangling, grabbing, or throwing objects at the victim.
· Emotional/Verbal – using words to purposely cause harm. This includes name-calling, humiliation, the “silent treatment,” and gaslighting.
· Sexual: Any kind of unwanted sexual behavior.
· Financial: Stealing money from you, your family, or friends.
· Other control tactics, such as withholding money or having complete control over how money is spent, to withholding sleep from the victim.
In this smokin’ hot brand-new episode we dig deep and educate on:
● Until 1975, marital rape without legal ramifications was allowed and justified.
● Criminal Protective Orders
● One feature shared by most abusive relationships is that the abusive partner tries to establish or gain power and control through many different methods, at different moments.
● Domestic violence doesn’t discriminate. People of any race, age, gender, sexuality, religion, education level, or economic status can be a victim — or perpetrator — of domestic violence.
● The Summit County Sexual Response Team: what it consists of and the services it provides.
● Who the victims of Domestic Violence are.
● Stalking, sexual assaults of intimate partners and risk factors or “pre-attack indicators”.
● We examine if younger defendants more likely to re-abuse and recidivate than older defendants.
● Criminal perpetrators who commit these acts do so intentionally. They are filled with narcissistic rage and are master manipulators.
● We unpack any common traits that many abusers share, and how you or someone you care about can get help.
This episode is packed with so much information it simply isn’t possible to do it justice in attempting to describe everything that you’ll learn when you tune in. Those who do tune in will be enlightened, educated and empowered.
I’m honored to be a part of this team that is focused on investigative journalism and sharing the truth. Like it or not, the truth disturbs, the truth divides, but ultimately the truth delivers and in a time of crisis, the truth provides calm.
Phil Rizzo
Executive Producer