Alum speaks on domestic violence

Corrinne Millette enlightens students about frightening facts

The U.S. Surgeon General said domestic violence is the leading cause of injury among women in the United States, a rate that is greater than auto accidents, rapes and muggings combined. On Monday Corrinne Millette, OC '95, said that violence is continuing to escalate.

Millette, community outreach coordinator for Genesis House, spoke to Oberlin students as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The Sexual Assault Support Team (SAST) sponsored her visit.

Millette opened her presentation with a taped phone conversation depicting a man shooting his wife and then shooting himself.

Millette said, "Many women in unstable or unsafe relationships feel helpless and hopeless. They don't realize that there are organizations and agencies, such as Genesis House, that specialize in helping to get them out of those situations."

Genesis House, located in Elyria, provides temporary safety, shelter, food, aid and support. These services are specifically geared toward victims of domestic violence and their children who wish to leave violent situations.

Genesis House offers support groups not only at the shelter but also throughout the Lorain community. The shelter also offers legal advocates that will help to guide the process of leaving an abusive relationship and will provide hospital staff should the victim be in need of any medical attention.

"There are four stages of domestic violence. These stages then escalate into bigger and bigger problems," Millette said.

The four stages are physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and destruction of property, according to information released by Genesis House.

Millette questioned, "How often is it that the person that you are supposed to be in love with will know your most intimate and personal secrets? These same people with violence will later turn against you and use what you have said as weapons to purposely hurt your feelings. This is one of the most common forms of verbal abuse."

Another startling observation that Millette has made pertains to the parallels in the way the legal system views domestic violence.

"If two people are walking down the street and one person attacks the other, this is considered a felony. If a man/boyfriend, wife/girlfriend are engaged or married, this same hit will be counted as a misdemeanor," Millette said.

According to information released by Genesis House, over 80 percent of first-time victims return to their abusers after counseling has been received.

Millette said this is one of the more negative aspects of her job.

"I get discouraged when all of the information is given and you think that the victim has learned, but they go back after awhile to the very same things. A woman is battered every 15 seconds in the United States. Ninety-five percent of women who have received treatment return to their mates," she said. "Sometimes I feel like I'm not getting through."