While enjoying a lunch at a local eatery recently, my attention was diverted to a video game sitting silently nearby. This particular game, as do many, involved destroying aliens or some other heinous creature. What drew my attention however, was not the game but, rather, a message that scrolled across the screen. The message read, “There is no knowledge that is not power.”
I am assuming this message was meant as inspiration for those dropping quarters into the slot in hopes of coming out victorious against the designated foe or, better yet, having their score listed as the highest on that machine.
I, on the other hand, took a different meaning from that message. I am the domestic violence investigator for the Sagadahoc County district attorney’s office. Just as the title states, my primary responsibility is to conduct follow-up investigations of reported domestic abuse cases in this county. Aside from being an investigator, I have taken on additional roles including advocacy and support of victims, collaborating with other agencies involved in the field and training of officers on issues of domestic violence.
When people become aware of my position, I receive a variety of responses with a majority frowning, wincing or making some other sorrowful facial expression inevitably accompanied by words that reflect their pity for me. The people who feel compelled to share their feelings fail to recognize I chose this line of work and was not drafted or assigned against my will. In fact, at last count, there are over 24 similar positions throughout Maine, and I don’t believe any are occupied by people coerced into the profession.
Aside from the previously mentioned tasks plus others associated with my position as an investigator, I have included with as much diligence a concerted effort of community awareness as part of my duties. This is where I draw in the message I saw on the video game. Despite the source, the message couldn’t be more spot-on. Knowledge is power in practically every conceivable aspect of life and perhaps none more so than with the issue of domestic violence.
I write this piece because of an interesting phenomenon that occurred in this county recently. During a recent period this past summer, 14 people were arrested for domestic-related offenses. Of those, seven were women charged with assaulting men. In my years in Sagadahoc County, it is not unusual for 10 to 15 percent of the arrests for domestic assault to be women, so 50 percent is out of the norm.
When I share this revelation, otherwise intelligent people do not hesitate sharing their wisdom and making attempts at rationalizing this bump in female arrests. I constantly lament the fact that people feel obliged to provide excuses for abusive behavior. Strong women, weak men, retaliation, better-trained officers, poorly trained officers, gender neutrality, gender equality, gender bias and system disconnect are all words or phrases I hear as logical explanations.
The truth is that for each and every case of domestic violence, regardless of gender, there exist causation factors that are unique to the individuals involved. Regardless of what one may consider as contributing or causation factors, anyone who lifts a hand with violent intent is making a conscious decision and is not driven by drinking or stress from the holidays. The only commonality in any domestic violence case is that someone in a relationship reverted to physical force or the threat of force against someone else.
Returning to our philosophically astute video game, despite the best efforts of police, courts, prosecutors and advocates, the biggest hurdle to preventing any large-scale success at reducing domestic violence is public perception and opinion. Knowledge is truly power and not just for the victims of domestic abuse.
Once the general public understands the dynamics of domestic violence, then — and only then — can we collectively address the core issues that truly are the causes of domestic violence. Until we cease providing excuses and start holding people responsible and accountable for their actions, this problem will never go away.
Let there be no mistake, this is a war, and the enemy among us is the enemy within us; apathy and ignorance. Knowledge is the weapon that combats the enemy within each of us.
Steven Edmondson is the domestic violence investigator for the Sagadahoc County district attorney’s office in Bath.