October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and purple is the color for the Domestic Violence Awareness ribbon.  

Purple also brings highlighted attention to pancreatic cancer, lupus, thyroid cancer, epilepsy, military kids, Spirit Day and victims of homophobia. There is no shortage of plights in which to invest your time talents and energy locally.  In June we frequently have a cancer walk-a-thon. Pride month has exploded in Skagway, bringing attention to and support for the LGBTQ world. Fundraisers for those battling cancer occur multiple times a year in our fair community.  

What don’t we do?  We don’t have a dance, a BBQ, or a 50/50 raffle for our neighbor that is being abused by their spouse. No one donates a parlor car or helicopter ride to help a rape victim trying to make ends meet when their situation has resulted in missing a significant amount of work.  We are trying to change that.

The Kitchen Sink Thrift Shop was enveloped into the Good Neighbor Volunteer nonprofit this last year. As a thrift shop, we are now able to offer the community a resource for reducing, reusing and recycling clothing and household goods. This allows us to offer affordably priced apparel, kitchenware and the like in our little valley. Our proceeds, beyond what it takes to maintain the shop and its infrastructure, are being directed to develop domestic violence resources for Skagway.  

Advocates for ending and healing from domestic violence are forming a group to look at what Skagway has, and what the city needs in order to deal with this very sensitive topic in a way that brings transparency to the solutions while respecting the confidentiality of those dealing with abuse and assault. By growing our existing contacts such as Kira Lathrop of Dahl Memorial Clinic and John Hischer at Taiya Counseling, we hope to spotlight as many avenues as it takes for people to deal with this trauma and find peace in their lives. The Skagway Police Department and the Alaska Court System are common places to get started with this type of situation. Other choices exist.   

With their shelter and main offices based in Juneau, AWARE, is the cornerstone for Stronger, Safer Relationships throughout Southeast Alaska. Located in the land of the Áak’w Kwáan, they provide services to Elfin Cove, Gustavus, Haines, Hoonah, Juneau, Klukwan, Pelican, Skagway, Tenakee, Yakutat, and beyond. 

Local police reports may not point to a significant problem, but statistics do not lie.  Our low numbers are more likely indicative of how few attacks are reported, regardless of prosecution, which is even less.

There is a myriad of statistics out there.  Many of the generic posters display One in Four.  The National Domestic Hotline reports, “Nearly 3 in 10 women (29%) and 1 in 10 men (10%) in the U.S. have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by a partner and reported it having a related impact on their functioning.”  In Alaska, those numbers are worse. 

Two (2) out of three (3).

The 2020 Alaska Victimization Survey reported 2 out of 3 women have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.  The report defines sexual violence as an attempted or completed sexual act toward or upon a person who has not freely given consent or is unable to consent or refuse.  If it hasn’t happened to you, think about it.  When you sit down to dinner with your siblings and your parents, your grandparents, statistically, two of the three women at that table will deal with this at some time in their lifetimes if it hasn’t already occurred. Considering the number of encounters that go unreported, we should all be alarmed and ready to act.

We are starting on the ground floor with awareness. Why? We want our community to know that we care.  We want our community to know that are resources to help them. We want our community to know that this behavior is not acceptable. We want our kids to know what healthy relationships look like and what unhealthy relationships look like. We want to recognize the signs and be able to offer assistance.  We want to be better neighbors.  We want to see an end to domestic violence.

The National domestic Violence Hotline has established a Hotline:

www.thehotline.org or Call 1.800.799.SAFE (7233).  

They list the following as signs of partner abuse:

• Telling you that you never do anything right.

• Showing extreme jealousy of your friends or time spend away from them.

• Preventing or discouraging you from spending time with others, particularly friends,     family members, or peers.

• Insulting, demeaning or shaming you, especially in front of others.

• Preventing you from making your own decisions, including about working or attending school.

• Controlling finances in the household without discussion, such as taking your money or refusing to provide money for necessary expenses.

• Pressuring you to have sex or perform sexual acts you’re not comfortable with.

• Pressuring you to use drugs or alcohol.

• Intimidating you through threatening looks or actions.

Insulting your parenting or threatening to harm or take away your children or pets.

• Intimidating you with weapons like guns, knives, bats, or mace.

• Destroying your belongings or your home.

That was a list of the signs.  Here is a list of help.  

• In the case of an immediate emergency call 911.  

• Otherwise, to make a report to Skagway Police Department, call 1-907-983-2232.

• AWARE –  www.awareak.org 24/7 confidential careline. 1-800-478-1090

• Dahl Memorial Clinic –  www.dahlclinic.org 1-907-983-2255, extension 9 for Kira Lathrop, Behavioral Health Clinician

•Taiya Counseling – www.taiyacounseling.com 1-907-983-2459

• Protective Orders are available through the Court.  907-983-2368 (Haines) https://courts.alaska.gov/shc/dv/index.htm

• www.betterhelp.com