The Link Between Domestic Violence And Law Enforcement
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A North Texas woman is speaking out today about a problem that she claims law enforcement has been reluctant to acknowledge: domestic violence in their own homes.
"To have someone pull out their service weapon on you, to cock shotguns on you, those things are hard to prove," admits Shawn Silvan. [But] "they have easier access to weapons and I feel like there's a brotherhood that surrounds them that also kept me silent."
For years, Silvan was the picture of strength and confidence—an avid cyclist and runner. But, pictures can be deceiving. Early last year, Silvan found herself running barefoot down an unlit street in freezing cold weather, to get away from an abusive marriage with a man she says wore a badge.
"It's extremely intimidating," she says.
And some experts say it's more common than many may realize. The National Center for Women and Policing cites two different studies that found "that domestic violence is 2-4 times more common among police families than American families in general."
"So often a victim thinks they're the only person this is happening to, because no one else is talking about it," says Paige Flink, CEO of The Family Place. Flink declined to speculate on the validity of the studies—saying it is more important to validate the experiences of those looking to survive abuse.
"It happens in the church, it can happen in a doctor's office practice," says Flink, "it happened to the women who didn't report Bill Cosby because they didn't think anyone would believe them. So across the board, victims often feel not heard."
Silvan first went public with her journey on social media—saying she wanted to help empower other women—while also reclaiming her own.
"I got all of this overwhelming response from other women," says Silvan, "some married or previously married to someone in law enforcement—who had gone through the same thing. I was so surprised!"
The stories of other survivors convinced her that abuse can happen to anybody—in any profession.
Several sources in North Texas police departments tell CBS 11 that they are aware that the aggression that means survival on the job, can be career ending if it's taken home—and they're working harder to support officers' emotional well –being. Some departments offer peer support groups and routinely monitor officers closely following critical incidents.
Meanwhile, experts tell me that awareness is also a critical piece of combating domestic violence. According to Flink, whenever domestic abuse makes news, their phones start to ring. And that's a good thing. The Family Place hotline is 214-941-1991.
"I just wanted it put it out there that this is happening to me… and not be silent anymore," says Silvan. She says she did not press charges against her former husband. But, she hopes to encourage other abuse victims to get help and get a plan to escape safely.
"My hope in sharing my story is that it empowers other women to take their lives back."
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