Caledonia Argus

Russian contingent visits June Kjome Place

Posted: 2/4/03

by Andrew Miller
Argus News Reporter

In an effort to gain an understanding of tenable solutions to domestic violence, a delegation of women from Dubna, Russia visited June Kjome Place on January 22.

Domestic violence is a widespread phenomenonñ it is the single major cause of injury to women in the United States, and six million wives are abused by their husbands each year, according to a report by the Attorney Generalís Family Violence Task Force.

Yet the problem is in no way limited to the United States, and is very much a global concern, a complex and far-reaching issue that is not confined to cultural boundaries. The Russian envoys came in hopes of learning effective, compassionate ways in which to cope with an issue that has in their home city become recognized as a social problem.

ìThe purpose of the visit is so the Russians can learn to be women leaders in the area of domestic violence,î said Mary Anderson of World Services, the agency that arranged the visit. ìTheyíre looking into domestic violence in Dubna, and doing special things to help the city cope with domestic violence.î

The tour was sponsored by a grant from the Library of Congress, and the Russian women spent their time in the U.S. visiting community organizations around the country that deal with domestic violence. Their stop at June Kjome Place facilitated the opportunity to hear stories of women who have experienced violence in the home, to tour the apartments, and gain an understanding of what proactive solutions can be undertaken once a home has been shattered by violence.

June Kjome Place, located on East Park Street in Caledonia, is a transitional housing program for formerly homeless battered women and children. Funded through Houston County Womenís Resources, JKP provides safe residential arrangements for victims of domestic violence, allowing families to live independently in the residence for up to 24 months.

The visit commenced with several JKP residents relating the circumstances by which they came to JKP. One woman from Chicago related how she had grown up in an abusive environment, a milieu so antithetical to personal well-being that her mother had once beaten her with a 2x4 board. She left home at 15, got pregnant, and married at 18. Her husband soon became abusive, and after one particularly vicious incident, a doctor told her that had her husband used more pressure when he was choking her, he would have broken her neck.

The woman had been at JKP three weeks, and said she considered it a safe haven, a place where she knew her children could lead safe, healthy lives.

ìI always love my children,î she said, ìalways try to protect them.î

Another JKP resident, a woman from Minneapolis with six children, also told a tale of an abusive relationship, which made living a productive life impossible, and which sheís been able to escape through help from Houston County Womenís Resources and the residence made available to her at JKP.

ìIt was really bad before,î she said, ìand I just got tired of looking at my face beat up like that.î

Her brother gave her a phone number for a shelter in La Crosse, where she ended up staying for 30 days, and in June she moved to JKP. Since then, she said, sheís been making strides toward becoming actively involved in the community, becoming financially independent, and providing her children with opportunities that would have been impossible had she remained in her relationship. She is now in the process of obtaining a driverís license, holds a job in town, and sends her kids to the local public schoolsñ the quality of life now, she said, seems almost the opposite of what it was before she wrested herself from an abusive relationship.

Following the discussion with the residents, the Russian delegation were given a glimpse of the living arrangements at JKP. One, two, and three-bedroom apartments are available to accommodate families of different sizes, and a playground and community room create a communal atmosphere.

While residing there, women are provided with the full range of services offered by Houston County Womenís Resources, including support groups, legal advocacy, and a Childrenís Program, as well as supplemental programs like job training opportunities and enrichment programs.

When asked by the Russian women whether they found the living arrangements amenable, many JKP residents expressed a high level of satisfaction. One woman commented that sheíd been going through hard times and JKP had provided a means of removing herself from an ugly situation. Others expressed the idea that the housing program is an excellent get-back-on-your-feet type of transitional program which, in coordination with Houston County Womenís Resources, makes it easier to gain independence and become economically self-sufficient.

HCWR Director Linda Riddle pointed out that the overall program at JKP is cost effectiveñ women leave the housing program ìstable, with increased income and increased choices, and are less likely to need future public services.î

A mainstay of supportive services at JKP, Riddle said, is the group sessions availableñ a womenís group, a chemical dependency group, and other groups conducive to a transition toward independenceñ and these groups are emblematic of the overall mission of JKP, which is to provide a respite of sorts, an safe escape that, as one JKP resident remarked to the Russian delegation, eliminates the burden of abuse from domestic life, and makes moving on after times of violence more manageableñ

ìItís just a relief,î she said, ìa big relief.î

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