Episode 17: Breaking the Silence of Abuse

In Sep, our book club read Rachael Louise Snyder’s No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us for our focus on intimate partner violence, which often remains hidden despite the fact that it affects 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. In this episode, Leigh talks with the executive director of the Lighthouse, Rhyon Ervin, about these alarming stats and what their agency does to help victims. The Lighthouse is a non-profit agency providing shelter and resources for victims of abuse in the Monroe, Conecuh, Baldwin and Escambia counties. With over 26 years experience with the agency, Ervin has unique insight into how the current pandemic has increased abuse cases, but has also limited women's access to shelter, legal assistance, and the many other resources they need to be able to leave an abusive relationship. Rhyon explains what it often takes for people to leave, the safety plan a person should have in place for leaving, why it’s important for women to be believed and supported even when they retract their statements and go back, and how families and friends can support their loved ones in these situations. Leigh and Rhyon also address the more elusive emotional and psychological abuse along with sexual coercion, which many victims may be experiencing without about being able to properly identify as abuse. The Lighthouse needs donations, resources, and volunteers for their daily operations. If you would like to help, you can go to their website—the lighthouseabeacon.org, follow them on FB @abeacon. If you live in our area, you can call: The Lighthouse crisis line—947-6008 or 1-800-650-6522 The Lighthouse sexual assault hotline—1-800-543-5068 The Penelope House in Mobile—251-342-8994 www.thelighthouseabeacon.org www.acadv.org www.alabamacoalitionagainstrape.org www.nnedv.org www.ncadv.org www.rainn.org www.domesticshelters.org