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For Immediate Release 11/11/2009

Holly Hosler 410-601-8678

Northwest Hospital's Domestic Violence Program Marks Five Years of Service

Five years ago, Northwest Hospital initiated its Domestic Violence Program to help women, children and men who face emotionally, verbally or physically abusive situations. "Over these five years, we have helped nearly 800 victims, about half of who have come through Northwest's ER,” says Audrey Bergin, coordinator of the program. Victims don't always seek out the services of the program directly, she says. "Sometimes we are able to help them because they are identified by a clinician and referred to us.” The Domestic Violence Program, one of four hospital-based programs in Maryland and the only one in Baltimore County, was created in response to the hospital's unique position to intercede on behalf of the abused. At least 45 Maryland women and children were killed by domestic violence last year alone, so if hospital staff members are able to intervene, they can change – and possibly even save – lives. "In 2008, the program identified over five times the number of victims it did in 2005, the program's first full calendar year,” says Bergin. She notes that victims are not always female (about 5 percent of the program's clients are male), but those who die as a result of domestic violence are overwhelmingly women and children. The program staff educates Northwest's entire in-house medical staff about how to recognize signs of abuse, how to screen for it, and what victims' rights and reporting laws are. Also, the program provides 24/7 crisis counseling for the people it helps. Domestic violence victims receive education about their legal options and help finding local community resources for therapy and shelter. This year, program staff also accompanied victims to court 30 times. In efforts to get both law enforcement and medical providers to recognize the seriousness of strangulation, Bergin partnered with the Woodlawn Police Precinct to implement the Strangulation Response Project. Strangulation is a common form of domestic violence that is often underreported and under-assessed. However, if strangulation is not immediately fatal, it can result in progressive neck swelling, brain damage, aspiration pneumonia, miscarriage – or even death – days or weeks later. "About 19 percent of the victims seen by the program so far in 2009 have been strangled on at least one occasion by their abusers,” says Bergin. The program also works with the Baltimore County Police Department, the state's Attorney's Office and Department of Social Services, and local domestic violence agencies. To raise awareness about domestic violence, House Of Ruth Maryland's traveling exhibit, "A Line In The Sand,” is on display in Northwest Hospital's main lobby through the holidays. The exhibit, designed by Alex Castro of Castro/Arts, displays interpretive portraits and short essays that chronicle Maryland's fight against domestic violence. For more information, visit www.alineinthesand.org. Northwest Hospital is a part of LifeBridge Health, one of Baltimore's largest health organizations that also includes Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital, and Courtland Gardens Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. For more information, visit www.lifebridgehealth.org. More News...