Unmasking Domestic Violence in Sebastian County

One of the most challenging and painful issues that impacts families is domestic violence. In Arkansas, 40.8 % of women and 34.8 % of men report experiencing physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner during their lifetimes. On a single day in 2022, Arkansas shelters and programs served 384 adult and child victims and logged 60 unmet requests for shelter or services.

At a recent meeting, representatives from the Hamilton Center, Crisis Intervention Center, Monarch 61, and CASA shared insights on recognizing abuse, supporting survivors, protecting children, and fostering long-term healing through collaboration and wraparound services. Domestic violence takes many forms—physical, emotional, and psychological—and often develops gradually through manipulation and control.

Tristan Morgan with the Crisis Intervention Center said identifying it often begins with “seeing how much control they have over their situation and their lives.” Another key factor her team looks for is whether the person has a support system, since abusers often isolate their victims to maintain power and prevent outside help.

She described a common cycle of domestic violence with three stages: honeymoon, tension building, and an explosive situation. Even if children are not direct victims, Morgan says their brains develop and pick up patterns that have long term affects.

"These children are living in constant anxiety that they know that explosion is going to happen at some point.”

Nicole Walton with Monarch 61 noted that many women do not realize what they are experiencing qualifies as abuse.

“There is so many small intricate things that happen with domestic violence that you don’t see that you are going through that.”

Breaking free from domestic violence is rarely simple. Survivors often face fear, exhaustion, shame, and financial barriers that make it difficult to leave. Morgan advised the room to immediately call the Crisis Intervention Center if they know someone who needs help with a domestic violence situation. The Crisis Intervention Center is equipped to assess each family’s situation and connect them with the appropriate services and partners who can provide additional support.

The center also operates an emergency shelter and provides outreach services to help with transportation, application, and advocacy in the courts.

Financial instability is a significant barrier, Morgan said, especially when a person has been isolated and kept from any financial decisions or responsibility. Responders and loved ones must approach survivors with care.

“My first instinct is to go compassion over passion,” Morgan explained. Morgan explained that when responders or loved ones react with shock or strong emotion, survivors often feel the need to minimize what happened or comfort the listener. Overly intense reactions can cause them to withdraw or backtrack on what they’ve shared.

She emphasized that mental health resources are vital to helping families recover and stabilize.

Another significant barrier comes when survivors gather the courage to speak up but are not believed—particularly if the abuser is a respected or well-known individual in the community. Morgan said, “The biggest thing you can do is believe them.” Doubt or disbelief can deepen isolation, reinforce shame, and make it less likely for survivors to seek help again. Validation, she emphasized, can be life-saving.

Walton added that when survivors do decide to leave, that is often “one of the dangerous times for them, one of the hardest times for them.” Support and consistent communication are critical: “Listen and validate. Validate, don’t investigate.”

Domestic violence affects every member of a household, not just the person being abused. Brittney Walker from the Hamilton Center said, “We learn a lot through the interview with the child.”

She explained that abuse can become “normalized for a children,” and that normalization has generational effects. “They are more likely to be in an abusive relationship later on.”

Even with difficult family dynamics, emotional bonds remain powerful. “At the end of the day, those kids still love their mom and dad,” Walker said. That bond can become a barrier to change because, for many children, it’s all they’ve ever known—and even when things are bad, they may still resist change.

Shannon Kelleher with CASA explained that domestic violence has a profound impact on every aspect of a child’s life—from education and development to social skills. She noted that even infants who witness violence can experience lasting effects.

Children also face barriers to speaking out. The fear of being separated from their siblings or going into foster care can make it difficult for children to be open about what is happening at home.

But healing is possible. “Positive experiences and positive role models are very helpful for kids who have been through trauma,” Kelleher said.

She shared the story of a teenage boy and his father who constantly clashed because the father had grown up believing that conflict was normal. Through parenting classes and counseling, he gradually learned healthier ways to communicate and was ultimately able to break the cycle and reunify with his son. It took time and trust for him to buy into the process and recognize that there was another way to parent.

Healing after abuse requires more than escape—it requires rebuilding confidence, identity, and stability. Walton described the deep emotional toll of “social and emotional degrading that happens in those kind of relationships.” The depression and sadness that come from prolonged abuse can slowly erode a person’s energy, confidence, and sense of self-worth—making it incredibly difficult to find the strength to make decisions, seek help, or believe they can build a life on their own.

Her organization, Monarch 61, focuses on long-term restoration—helping women and girls not only escape crisis but rebuild their lives. Rather than responding only in moments of emergency, Monarch 61 invests in healing pathways that support lasting recovery for those experiencing or overcoming domestic violence.

Walton also emphasized the importance of reminding survivors that support exists: “There are choices even if it feels like they have no choices.” Having access to advocates, mentors, and community connections can empower women to see a path forward they didn’t think was possible.

The 100 Families Initiative is a community-based model that helps families move from crisis to stability and on to thriving through coordinated, wraparound support.

Part of the intake process for 100 Families participants assesses safety on a scale of 1–5, with 1 meaning in crisis and 5 meaning thriving. This data is tracked in HopeHub, a secure case management system, and demonstrates that participants—compared to when they first entered the program—are moving from crisis and at risk to stable and thriving in feeling safe.

By surrounding individuals and families with a care team—including advocates, mentors, counselors, and community organizations—the 100 Families Initiative ensures that every person has the support, resources, and relationships needed to build a safer future.

Through collaboration, compassion, and consistent support, communities like Sebastian County are showing that the cycle of domestic violence can be broken—and that healing and hope are always possible.

Statistics from domesticpeace.com