On Aug. 26, Kraig Kahler, a former Columbia Water and Light director, was found guilty of killing his wife, his two teen-aged daughters and his wife’s grandmother, whose home they were visiting. The case raises the troubling question: How can a family in our community be destroyed in this kind of tragedy? In this discussion, we talk about how these kinds of shocking domestic violence events come to pass and, more importantly, how they might be prevented.
IF YOU ARE IN AN ABUSIVE SITUATION AND NEED HELP, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1−800−799−SAFE (7233) or TTY 1−800−787−3224

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Panelists:
Barbara Hodges, executive director, True North
Zachary Wilson, development director, Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence

More information in the chat below
Details about some of the work being done to help deter abusers was provided in the online chat room during today's discussion. Susan Schopflin, quality improvement director at Family Counseling Center of Missouri, described the work of M.E.N.D. (Men Exploring Non-violent Directions), a 27 week batterer intervention program. Click below to replay the chat and read what she had to say.
 


Comments

Bill
08/29/2011 15:27

I haven't heard any mention of referring the men for treatment. In most cities there are treatment programs and groups for men to help them identify why they batter and how to end those patterns.

Women are often reluctant to leave their husbands because they are the father of their children, they may have years invested in the marriage, or they are economicallly dependent on them.

Leaving, living in a shelter, arranging childcare, going back to school, starting a late life career may take a woman years to accomplish. Getting their husband into treatment can increase safety immeidately.
Some women don't want to build a whole new career, they want to be a wife and stay-at-home mom.
Treatment for the men is addressing the problem at the source.

One leader in treatment for them men is Alex Jenkins in New Zealand (Book: Invitation to Responsibility.)

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Anonymous
08/29/2011 15:34

Please make note that women are not the only adults in a relationship that are abused. Men are often victims also and will not depart because of fear of the life that their children will live because the courts often give the kids to the mother unless she can be proved unfit which is hard to do. Men stay put to insure there kids are safe. I think this is often over looked.

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