logo
Login Subscribe
Google Play App Store
  • news
  • sports
  • lifestyle
  • commentary
  • obituaries
  • Calendar
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Form Submission / Advertise
    • advertisers pay now
    • news
    • sports
    • lifestyle
    • commentary
    • obituaries
    • Calendar
    • Contact
      • Contact Us
      • Form Submission / Advertise
      • advertisers pay now
Generally Speaking
commentary
October 4, 2023
Generally Speaking

Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an opportunity to acknowledge survivors and to serve as a voice for those who are being victimized. As Oklahoma is plagued by domestic violence more than almost any other state, it is crucial that we recognize its pervasiveness and what we can do to stop these horrific incidents.

In the 10 years that I served on the Tulsa Family Safety Center Board, one of the most striking things I learned about domestic violence is that it does not discriminate. Domestic violence affects people in all walks of life, regardless of age, social status, race, gender or political affiliation.

In the next five minutes, approximately 100 victims in the U.S. will be physically abused by an intimate partner. The number of these victims from Oklahoma will be disproportionately high. A 2023 report by the World Population Review indicates our state has the highest rate of domestic violence in the nation. While that study is based on data several years old, there is no disputing Oklahoma has a grave problem with domestic violence. Approximately 40 percent of Oklahoma women and 38 percent of men have been or currently are being abused physically. We also have the second-highest rate of the number of women killed by men.

The repercussions of domestic violence can span generations. No child should suffer the lifelong consequences of trauma from witnessing an episode of domestic abuse. In Oklahoma, however, children are present at 30 percent of all domestic homicide cases.

The best way to stop these tragic scenarios is to work together. In September, my office hosted the Partners for Change Conference, which focused on domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. State and tribal officials, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, victim advocates and allied professionals met to discuss effective strategies to enhance safety for victims and to end domestic violence.

In the Office of the Attorney General, the Victim Advocacy and Services Unit provides several programs to serve domestic violence victims.

These include:

• The Victim Information Notification Everyday program provides information about inmate custody status in county jails and state prisons. Victims can receive notification about booking and release dates at no cost.

• The Address Confidentiality Program protects the physical address of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking and child abduction.

. The SAFELINE 24/7 hotline provides victims with information about immediate action that should be taken, social services and legal remedies. The hotline is toll free at 1-800-522-SAFE (7233).

• The Oklahoma Victim Advocates Academy is a week-long course of study for crime victim service providers new in their careers.

• Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking Program Certification ensures that 35 victim services agencies and programs are properly certified.

My office also oversees the Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board. This panel reviews domestic violence-related fatalities and works to prevent future deaths by identifying gaps in prevention and protection, and it recommends improvements in the state’s coordinated response to domestic violence.

Oklahomans cherish the family. For far too many, however, domestic violence can make family a source of pain and fear. The collaborative work taking place in Oklahoma is aligned to combat our epidemic of domestic violence. That work will, and must, continue. It is a matter of life and death.

sports
Eufaula Indian Journal names Players of the Year
By Rodney Haltom sports EDITOR 
November 29, 2023
The Eufaula Ironheads had another exciting and winning season (7-4), ending it in a loss to Vian in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs. Eufaula head coach Larry Newton and staff did a fantastic ...
this is a test
Presenting the Evelyn Mynhier Food Pantry
news
Presenting the Evelyn Mynhier Food Pantry
By CHERYL CAMPBELL COURTESY 
November 29, 2023
Dedicated to Eufaula Lake VFW Post 8798 Auxiliary President In 2020, life changed for most people we know because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Men and women who previously had secure employment lost jobs...
this is a test
Basketball Action Starts this Week
sports
Basketball Action Starts this Week
November 29, 2023
The2023 McIntosh County Basketball Preview will be released December 7,2023 The Eufaula Ironheads will kick off the season Tuesday with a road game against Muldrow with a start time of 6 p.m.. On Frid...
this is a test
sports
Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame announces Class of 2024 Inductees
November 29, 2023
The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame is extremely proud to introduce the six inductees that will join the Hall next year as part of the Class of 2024. Steve Davis*, Football Patty McGraw-Coatney, Golf Mik...
this is a test
sports
2023 Big 12 Championship Game set : Texas vs. Oklahoma State
By Rodney Haltom sports EDITOR 
November 29, 2023
No. 20 Oklahoma State locked up the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 Championship Game by outlasting BYU in a 40-34 double-overtime victory Saturday. The Cowboys will play No. 1-seea Texas at 12 p.m. ET on De...
this is a test
Betty Nadine Bumgarner
Obituaries
Betty Nadine Bumgarner
November 29, 2023
Betty Nadine Bumgarner, 79, of Eufaula, Oklahoma, passed away Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, at the St. Francis Hospital of Muskogee. Betty was born on Jan. 3, 1944, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the daughter of Pres...
this is a test
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Editor Picks
Quote of the Week
news
Quote of the Week
November 29, 2023
“Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it.” – William Penn
this is a test
news
State launches suspicious activity reporting app
November 29, 2023
Anonymous reporting for suspicious behavior OKLAHOMA CITY – Better safety is coming to children in Oklahoma with the launch of the ProtectOK app for reporting safety threats. Created by the State of O...
this is a test
Farm bill may not pass by end of year
news
Farm bill may not pass by end of year
By MADDY KEYES GAYLORD NEWS 
November 29, 2023
WASHINGTON — With just days until the country faces another potential government shutdown, it appears unlikely that Congress will pass a new Farm Bill before current funding expires at the end of the ...
this is a test
Westyn Ford
sports
Westyn Ford
November 29, 2023
this is a test
Preston Haltom
sports
Preston Haltom
November 29, 2023
this is a test
Facebook

THE EUFAULA INDIAN JOURNAL
109 S. Main
PO Box 689
Eufaula, OK 74432

(918) 689-2191

This site complies with ADA requirements

© 2023 THE EUFAULA INDIAN JOURNAL

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility Policy