A University faculty member is trying to help victims of domestic violence reshape their lives. Counseling Psychology Assistant Professor Krista Chronister said she wants to restart a program this fall that helps battered women with economic and career-development assistance.
Chronister first started the Advancing Career Counseling and Educational Support for Survivors of domestic violence program in fall 2000.
“The first time was for my doctoral research,” she said.
Chronister said the ACCESS program — which focused on helping victims of abuse find out how they can get jobs and further their careers — was the first of its kind in the area.
She added that it is important to understand how domestic violence affects battered women’s abilities to work or find jobs.
“We help them identify different jobs,” she said, adding that the women also learn about goal setting, job searching, and how to do informational interviews.
“We talk a lot about the impact of domestic violence on their career,” she said.
She said focusing on employment and career development in the short and long terms will help abused women access financial resources and allow them to become economically stable.
Chronister worked in collaboration with local churches and Womenspace, which provides services for victims of domestic violence. According to a University news release, Chronister wanted to start ACCESS after she had volunteered at Womenspace for four years and realized that the community lacked development programs that addressed women’s economic and career needs.
“If we can help women in these areas we can be more effective in getting them out of abusive relationships and prevent reoccurrence of domestic violence,” she said in the release.
While the initial program was a five-week career-counseling group, Chronister said she now hopes to initiate a year-long program that will serve up to 100 women in the area.
Chronister said 67 women started and finished the pilot program. More than 150 initially participated, and more than 300 called to inquire about the program, she said.
Chronister said she is currently seeking funding to restart the program, which would cost about $50,000 to $70,000 for a full year.
She said she hopes social service agencies will eventually implement programs like ACCESS as part of their routine services.
Womenspace Community Outreach Director Margo Schaefer said programs like ACCESS are vital in offering a support network for victims and putting them in contact with people who may have experienced the same problems.
“It’s really important that people understand what happened to them,” she said.
Womenspace has various programs, including a 24-hour crisis hotline, an emergency shelter and a drop-in advocacy center. Schaefer said Womenspace works with about 55 families each year. A recent study shows that one in 10 women in Oregon has been a victim of partner abuse, Schaefer said, and domestic abuse is one of the leading causes of violent death for women.
“When a woman is murdered in this country, one in three times it’s her husband or boyfriend who killed her,” she said.
In Lane County, 11 domestic violence-related deaths have occurred since September, more than twice those reported in Multnomah County, Schaefer said.
Women are not the only victims, however. Schaefer said men also experience abuse, and Womenspace does serve male clients as well.
Schaefer said it is necessary for people to know how they can help those who may be victims.
“One of the most important things for somebody to make a successful change is to have a support person,” she said.