x-sender: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com x-receiver: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com Received: from mail pickup service by sc.lmhostediq.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC; Sat, 11 Jun 2016 08:09:52 -0400 thread-index: AdHD2ijWnzl2G1eFR5qttV66m+moCQ== Thread-Topic: Governor's Task Force on Domestic Violence: Training for Professionals From: To: Subject: Governor's Task Force on Domestic Violence: Training for Professionals Date: Sat, 11 Jun 2016 08:09:52 -0400 Message-ID: <3FE59EC9F4674143A75709AA52999B55@IQ12> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000 Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message Importance: normal Priority: normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.1.7601.17609 X-OriginalArrivalTime: 11 Jun 2016 12:09:52.0794 (UTC) FILETIME=[28F5CFA0:01D1C3DA] CUSTOM Ms. Teresa Reno 1498 Brazell Rd. Elgin SC 29045 teri.reno1@gmail.com 8034206729 ETHI Governor's Task Force on Domestic Violence: Training for Professionals 75.182.10.175 Governor, I want to commend you on taking this step to greatly assist our communities in the area of domestic violence, it is a little understood and debilitating situation to be imprisoned within. South Carolina has always been in the top numbers for this dangerous and damaging crime, yet little is done to correct this violence. I get very tired of hearing officials on the news stating that it is the victims fault it goes unpunished as they refuse to testify. That simple statement proves that those speaking are uninformed as to how the cycle of abuse, terror and imprisonment goes with these victims. They simply do not know the cycle of threat, fear, mental and physical violence and stalking that these predators inflict. A woman does not testify as most authorities take the aforementioned view from their stance of complete ignorance, it is easy enough to learn that the predators in domestic violence choose their victims carefully, utilize an abusive cycle to keep the victims in their place of abuse and further continually threaten their lives and that of their children, amid all of this, somehow the victim still retains a desire to survive, therefore the constant threat of even more abuse is effective in keeping them from testifying, they know from experience the predator will find them, alone and continue severe abuse. I am thrilled for the children, women and even men who are lifelong victims of the horrors of domestic violence that you have taken the initiative to address this life altering issue in offering training to Professionals as to what domestic violence really entails, how severely it affects every area of a victims mental and physical existence and how to effectively be informed, sensitive, empathetic and helpful to those beaten down by this ignored violence. In my experience, few respond as though this violence matters or needs to be corrected, they seem to have a "if you didn't like it you'd leave" attitude, which couldn't be further from the truth. The predators do not allow you to simply leave, and the government agencies do little or nothing to assist, the predators know this, thus their cruelty to the victims, adult and child alike, increases as they are confident no consequences will ever be put upon them for their actions. Encouraging training for professionals will yield positive and healing effects upon our populace, as through informing thoroughly how the cycle of abuse goes, one can no longer brush it off as the victim liking the abuse, understanding will have to be gained if the training includes knowledge gained from those victims, no one desires to be mentally and physically abused, that mindset is ludicrous and unprofessional, as well as unintelligent. Thank you for your efforts to stop this horrendous and prevalent form of violence, by instilling compassion and understanding of this crime, in the professionals who come in contact with these victims. I do hope that you will also reach into the justice system to correct their misunderstood and uninterested view of this prevalent and devastating crime. Victims must be believed and punishment harsh to correct and stop this at present seemingly accepted violence. Thank you so very much for caring and in a concrete way, I do hope many will receive this training and change the lives of victims for the good, Teresa Reno