[nfb-talk] Domestic violence Division?

Tue Oct 2 18:07:53 CDT 2007

Oh yeah, and my bad days were with the family that raised me rather than
the family I made, but I gained a lot of strength from being a
Federationist.

Harmeet
-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Sekhon, Harmeet
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 3:48 PM
To: NFB Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Domestic violence Division?

Really good stuff to think about Mike.  Its made me think about how my
life has changed so much from a dangerous, unhealthy, abusive situation
to one where these things are fading memories from the distant past.  A
lot of why this situation changed for me was because of how I started
viewing myself and my blindness.  In a huge way, that's because I
learned about the NFB at the right time.  Things I learned from NFB
philosophy also helped me to deal with the garbage cluttering my head
after the immediate danger was gone too.

Peace All,
Harmeet
-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Michael Bullis
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 3:08 PM
To: 'NFB Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Domestic violence Division?

Sheri's point is a valid one about there being two subjects here.  I
responded to the mugging issues and was frankly not paying close
attention
to the subject line of the message.  So, the other question is whether
NFB
is conscious of domestic violence issues and should there be a division
for
the matter?

My observation and reading suggest that one of the main factors in being
vulnerable to domestic violence is a self image that allows it.  To use
an
antiquated phrase, it's usually a very low self image.  Given that most
blind people are told as they grow up that they are second class,
incapable
of managing their lives, that their decisions should always be
subordinated
to those of others--particularly the sighted, and so on, I would suspect
that blind people fall into a class that has more domestic violence and
abuse than the norm.

One of the things we strive to help blind people come to understand, as
part
of our philosophy, is that they are not second class and their decisions
are
valid and important.  I know of no other organization in the blindness
field
that has more material on self worth and competence than the NFB.  It is
at
the core of everything we do.  More than any accusation made of us is
the
one that we are to militant about our rights and about the rights of
people
who are blind.

Each of us as blind people daily struggle with old attitudes and
incorrect
images of blindness in our own lives.  Not only do we struggle with
society,
we struggle within ourselves as we seek to weed out incorrect beliefs we
have.  

Having said all this, I would still say that a Division isn't an answer
that
appeals to me.  I would though like to see a Monitor article from
somebody
who feels that the greater awareness they have gained from the
Federation
has helped them recognize an abusive situation and stand up for
themselves.

We always struggle in the Federation with the issues we take on.  If we
focus, for example, on domestic violence, the casual reader will jump to
very wrong conclusions.  The thinking will go like this.  "Of course
they're
victimized more than others, after all they're blind."  Or:  "Poor blind
people.  They can't even take care of themselves in a relationship."  

So, I would be uncomfortable with newspaper articles by kind but
misguided
reporters on how blindness makes people vulnerable to domestic violence.
I
would however hope that we are all aware of situations in our affiliates
and
do whatever we can to assist anyone in seeing themselves as better than
to
receive abuse, whether they be sighted, blind, female, male, or the
member
of some other minority class.

Mike Bullis

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On
Behalf Of Sheri Wells-Jensen
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 5:17 PM
To: NFB Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Domestic violence Division?

Mike and all,

It's important to separate the two kinds of violence we're talking about
here since they need to be addressed in very different ways:

I have no clear idea whether blind folks are more or les likely to be
mugged
than sighted folks in general: probably about the same if you take this
as a
measure of the number of pedestrians robbed or attacked by strangers
rather
than the number of people in general who may or may not be found walking
as
opposed to driving cars. An argument can be made that a self-defense
class
(or several) might help in these cases.

The other kind of violence is systematic and occurs within the confines
of
an intimate relationship: between spouses or lovers for example.  there
are
stats to show that there are classes of people who are more vulnerable
here:

anyone, for example with limited transportation options or who is under
economic stress.  A self-defense class isn't the answer in these cases.

It's not my intention to start a discussion of what causes domestic
violence
in general. Rather, I meant to ask whether the NFB might already be
thinking
about this issue since eric broughtit up.

Peace,

Sheri W-J

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Bullis" <mabullis at hotmail.com>
To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 4:04 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Domestic violence Division?

>A new division is seldom the answer to what ails.  You rightly point
out 
>the
> options such as  self defense training.  I think it also comes down to

> good
> training.  Blind people who walk around with their heads down and 
> hesitantly
> are probably more vulnerable to attack than others.  I think that
sighted
> people who walk around like this are also victimized more often as
well.
> Often local police forces have self defense training which involves
how to
> keep onesself from looking like a victim or a target.
>
> Again though, I don't think the problem of blind people being mugged
has
> ever been demonstrated to be greater than among the sighted
population. 
> So,
> I would suggest that a monitor article describing the problem and some
> solutions might be in order.
> Mike Bullis
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On
> Behalf Of Sheri Wells-Jensen
> Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 3:36 PM
> To: NFB Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Domestic violence Division?
>
> Hello, Folks,
> If we mean domestic violence as it is usually defined (violence
between
> intimate partners), it's certainly the case that women with any kind
of
> disability are more vulnerable than general statistics might suggest.
I'm
> not sure if a division as such is what is needed, but it would be nice
to
> know if the NFB has any kind of resources for women caught in such
> relationships.
> Peace,
>
> Sheri W-J
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Eric Calhoun" <eric at pmpmail.com>
> To: <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 1:18 PM
> Subject: [nfb-talk] Domestic violence Division?
>
>
>> Is there any interest in starting a Domestic Violence Division of the
>> National Federation of the Blind?  Too many times we hear of blind
people
>> get accosted, either because they have had no self-defense training,
or
>> people feel that, "i won't _ever happen to me!"  Women are the most
>> vulnerable for getting mugged.
>>
>> Earlier, Nfb of Florida members were horrified to learn that one of
their
>> leaders was being robbed and attacked.
>>
>> Any comments from the membership please?
>>
>> Eric
>> -
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>
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