November 2019 Webinar
I Just Can’t Think Straight: Partner Inflicted Brain Injury, Domestic Violence, and a Way Forward
In the domestic violence movement, we have known forever that domestic violence abusers intentionally target a victim’s head, neck and face, with terrifying and painful repeated assaults and strangulation. But we haven’t known as much about how these assaults might impact the brain. The Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN) is on the cutting edge of paradigm shifting work to address an unrecognized public health crisis--partner inflicted brain injury (PIBI) --encompassing brain injuries caused by blows to the head, neck and face (traumatic brain injury) and strangulation (anoxic-hypoxic brain injury) in the context of domestic violence.
ODVN, in collaboration with research partner The Ohio State University, conducted groundbreaking research in Ohio from 2016-2019 on the intersection of domestic violence and brain injury. We are learning that these the invisible injuries beneath the surface are rarely identified and almost never immediately treated, and have short and long term physical, emotional, and cognitive consequences that can impact every area of a person’s life—including creating additional barriers for accessing and benefitting from lifesaving medical, domestic violence, justice, and crime victim services. When these injuries continue unidentified and untreated, preliminary data suggest a whole host of other comorbid and costly conditions can develop—including struggles with mental health, substance use, suicide, and a list of physical health problems rarely recognizably connected to domestic violence. And victims suffer, wondering what’s wrong with them, and find no answers.
This emerging knowledge demands a change to services as we know them to better accommodate for and respond to the impact of these invisible injuries and support survivors in accessing the safety, health, justice, and social service needs and supports to heal from their experiences. Come learn about tools to educate survivors and yourself, support your advocacy, and leave ready to raise awareness, acknowledge, and respond compassionately and effectively to survivors whose brains were hurt by their partners.
The discussion will include:
Using CARE: A trauma-informed framework on the intersection of traumatic brain injury, strangulation and domestic violence
Understanding the brain, how it works, and what happens when its hurt
Partner-inflicted brain injury: What it is, what it looks like and what it could mean for survivors and your services
Tools for survivors and advocates from Ohio to help raise awareness, identify needs, and make services work
After this training, participants will be able to:
Recognize the complex relationship between domestic violence, traumatic stress, coercive control, brain injury, and mental health
Define partner inflicted brain injury and understand the ways in which survivors can acquire these injuries
Identify signs and symptoms that could indicate a person might have been impacted by partner inflicted brain injury
Provide survivors with awareness and advocacy tools on head injuries related to domestic violence
Develop ideas to accommodate the unique needs of domestic violence survivors with challenges related to a possible head injury
Free for members / $25 for non-members
Speaker
Rachel Ramirez, MA, MSW, LISW-S, RA
Rachel Ramirez has been with the Ohio Domestic Violence Network for twelve years and is currently the Training Director. Rachel oversees ODVN training initiatives and directs the implementation of a three year national demonstration research and a practice grant on developing best practices for domestic violence programs on working with survivors who experience mental health challenges, traumatic brain injury, and strangulation. Prior to this, she led a multi-year statewide program on trauma-informed approaches and co-authored Trauma-Informed Approaches: Promising Practices and Protocols for Ohio’s Domestic Violence Programs. Rachel has over fourteen years of experience in domestic violence direct service provision, program planning and coordination, project management, resource development, research, training, and program support. She is a bilingual licensed independent social worker with graduate degrees in Latin American studies and social work and is a registered advocate with senior standing in Ohio.