Domestic Abuse Awareness Month

ST. PAUL, Minn. (Sept. 5, 2012) — Approximately 1.3 million women are physically assaulted by an intimate partner each year in Minnesota, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Women who are refugees and immigrants are vulnerable to becoming part of this statistic and at high risk of isolation from help. Language and cultural barriers, pre and post-migration trauma, separation from support networks, and limited knowledge of the U.S. legal system and available services prevent women from seeking safety.

To provide information and access to help for community members being affected by domestic abuse, ECHO (Emergency, Community, Health, and Outreach) has collaborated with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, Mardag Foundation, and the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.

“We were pleased to be part of the funding and filming of this program on a subject we think is critical to the community,”said Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman. “Too often, we have seen domestic abuse turn into murder. We hope that the excellent work by ECHO in making and distributing this program will reduce domestic abuse throughout Minnesota.”

During the 20-30 minute multilingual program, experts identify different types and tendencies of domestic abuse. They affirm that abuse varies in form and can come from and affect anyone. Those who experience abuse are not at fault or alone, and have access to protective services.

“The work we do every day on domestic violence is really homicide prevention,” said Ramsey County Attorney John Choi.“It is our honor to be a part of ECHO’s important education project on recognizing and stopping domestic violence in our communities.”

“Domestic Abuse and Your Safety” will broadcast in basic English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, and Lao on tpt’s Minnesota Channel (Comcast Channel 202 or 243, depending upon location), public access television stations across Minnesota, and at echominnesota.org. The program will also be available with English captions for the deaf and hard of hearing. ECHO will be distributing 500 DVDs free of charge to the community and service provider organizations across the state.

The tptMN broadcast schedule is as follows:

• October 21 at 7:00 p.m. in English – Mike Freeman, Hennepin County Attorney; Rachael Sibley, Tubman; Taylor Budensiek, Tubman

• October 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Spanish – Lolita Ulloa, Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and Pamela Zeller, Sexual Violence Center

• October 28 at 7:00 p.m. in Hmong – Sheng Lor, Asian Women United of Minnesota and Sy Vang, Community-University Health Care Center

• October 28 at 7:20 p.m. in Lao – Melissa Siri-outhay, Asian Women United of Minnesota, and Khamphoi Siri-outhay, Lao Community Advocate

• October 28 at 7:40 p.m. in Somali – Rachael Sibley, Tubman

ECHO’s mission is to collaborate with diverse communities to deliver programs and services that help people be healthy, contribute, and succeed.  Visit echominnesota.org for more information.