Buzz Trexler

America’s fighting wars on the other side of the world, but there’s a continuing war here in Blount County that is sometimes ignored: The war on the home front that we call domestic violence.

Joani Shaver, executive director at Haven House, which serves victims of domestic violence, recently told Alcoa Kiwanis Club, “We’re seeing a horrendous rise because of the economy, but that’s no excuse.”

She explained that domestic abuse comes in many ways, not just physical. It includes emotional, psychological, economic and even spiritual. Each form leaves a devastating impact.

“Abuse is a very private crime, and most people don’t realize it’s going on,” Shaver said.

Haven House suffered a fire earlier this summer and is still in need of financial help to make repairs. According to its Web site, the shelter has raised only a fraction of the money needed to repair its gutted kitchen.

The 30-day shelter currently has 32 beds. “Our capacity is really limited,” she said, explaining that staffing is also an issue. “The problem is each one of those people … has a care plan, each has a safety plan.” With a staff of three, that can be a tough task.

But sheltering abuse victims and their children is not the only service Haven House provides. There are volunteer court advocates, transportation, and prevention programs as well.

Haven House is funded through federal grants, the ALCOA Foundation, Blount County government and United Way of Blount County, the latter of which she calls “our life blood.” Needless to say, the organization can use more help.

This is a topic very close to my heart, because my family has been caught in the web of domestic violence.

In the late 1960s, my mother, sister and I were victims in Florida during a time when law enforcement officers did not answer domestic violence calls. There was no place to turn. It was a remembrance of that battle which led me to become involved with Blount County’s Domestic Violence Task force in the 1990s, which also led to the establishment of a domestic violence unit. In March 2000, my 20-year-old niece was killed in a domestic violence incident in Richmond, Va., leaving a young child behind. It just goes to show that this war has no boundaries and has multiple levels of victimization.

A common epitaph on war memorials is along the lines of “lest we forget.” This need to remember that we have an ongoing war in Blount County is one of the reasons that we, as the newspaper of record in Blount County, publish domestic violence reports in Blount Records. Another reason: It’s common knowledge that one of the most dangerous calls to answer as a public safety officer is one involving domestic violence.

There’s no question that this is a war worth funding. As one lyricist wrote, “War is hell on the home front, too …”