My research focused on the kind of programs available for children who come from homes where there is domestic violence. My intent was to create a resource for mothers entering the local domestic violence shelter. This resource would aid them in finding programs where their children could learn more positive ways of handling crisis. During my assessment, I learned that children from domestic violence homes tend to have more problems as adults than do those children who have grown up in non-violent environments. Those adults who were in domestic violence homes as children are more likely to be involved in domestic violence as adults (Dubowitz, Black, Kerr, Morrel, Hussey, Everson, & Star, 2001). 
Carol E. Jordan, M.S., executive director of the Kentucky Governor's Office of Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Services describes the three symptoms of Battered Women’s Syndrome (Leonore Walker, 1979) as:

• Post trauma symptoms associated with victimization, specifically including re-experiencing the violence through intuitive thoughts or dreams and numbing or reduced expression of affect.
• Learned helplessness resulting from repeated abuse. Depression and a sense of lacking control of the environment are often artifacts of the learned helplessness, but it does not necessarily result in passivity on the part of the victim.
• Coping responses viewed as self-destructive by others, including behaviors which appear to placate the offender or numb the victim to the abusive environment. 
The intent of my project was to help the mothers who were suffering from the above symptoms to find a way to begin to break the chain between their children and domestic violence.

Statement of Need

In 2000 Red Bluff had 158 cases of aggravated assault. There were 328 calls involving domestic violence. There were 184 incidences of domestic violence with weapons involved, and 167 with personal weapons (hands, feet, etc.) involved (Red Bluff Police Department, 2001).
Alternatives to Violence (ATV) is a domestic violence shelter that serves anyone who is in a physically abusive situation at home. They serve both men and women. Women with small children are sent to a safe house. Men and women with children 13 years old and older are given vouchers for motel rooms.
My focus was on women with children free or low cost programs for children. The reason for doing a brochure is that I wanted to create a resource guide that can be easily used. The Tehama County Head Start does provide a resource guide for Tehama County, but it is much larger than what I envisioned. It was written for helping professionals and does not include a section for children’s programs. However, when I spoke to Christine Cruikshank, (personal communication, November 5, 2001) the executive director of Alternatives to Violence, she was enthusiastic about a brochure, but had different ideas as to where my focus should lie. Having researched domestic violence victims, I was not surprised when she said that: “When a person enters a domestic violence shelter, (s) he is essentially homeless and, in many cases, in fear for his/her life. If there are children involved, the parent is also terrified over what will happen to them. (S) he will have a difficult time thinking straight. (S) he has numerous complicated tasks facing her. “ After speaking with Christine, I will be expanding my original project to include the areas of food, clothing, shelter, medical care and employment. 

Description of the Intervention

For my intervention, I designed a pamphlet entitled “ A Guide to Local Resources.” Included the areas of food, clothing, shelter, employment, medical care, programs for children, and a miscellaneous section. My sources were: the Internet, the phone book, another resource guide (Tehama County Resource Guide 1999 / 2003), and word of mouth (I overheard someone talking about an agency that is giving away furniture). Whenever anyone makes this significant a change in their life, there will be many details such as names, addresses, and dates that will need to be remembered. I included a notes page at the end of each section for this purpose. 

Evaluation of the Intervention

Although I have not yet found funding for the booklet, I took a copy of it to ATV. Gloria, one of the counselors looked it over and loved it. She said that I was right on target with the resources I had chosen to list within each category. I told her that I would print out one hundred of them myself, and bring them in. I will continue to search for funding.

Reflections on the Project

The original focus was on a project based solely on children. I saw the children as my clients. I would help them through their parents. However, when I talked to the director of ATV, I found that I had to shift my thinking. Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman talk about talk about the interactions between the micro, mezzo, and macro systems in the social environment, and how they interact with and affect each other. (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2001) One of the biggest lessons that school and my internship have taught me is that there are times when it is necessary to step back and realize that you have more than one client. In this case, the children and their mothers were my intended clients. However, I have come to view Alternatives to Violence as a client as well. 

I am disappointed at not finding a source of funding, but will continue to search. I will print the first booklets myself and will hopefully find funding before they need more. 

References

Dubowitz, H., Black, M., Kerr, M. A., Morrel, T. M, Hussey, J. M., Everson, M. D., & Starr, R. H. Jr. (2001). Type and timing of mothers' victimization: Effects on mothers and children. Pediatrics, 107, 728-736.

Jordan, C. (2001). The Psychological Impact of Domestic Violence on Domestic Violence Victims and Child Witnesses. Retrieved from http://www.state.ky.us/agencies/gov/domviol/impact.htm  

Red Bluff Police Department (2001). (Red Bluff Police 1997 – 2000 Statistical Review). Retrieved from http://rbpd.org/stats.htm  

Zastrow, C., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2001). Understanding human behavior and the Social environment. (5th ed.). Belmont, Ca: Brooks/Cole Thompson Learning. 

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