Officials: Help limited for domestic violence victims overseas

Officials: Help limited for domestic violence victims overseas
By Natasha Lee, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, November 13, 2008



Despite a decrease in domestic violence at military bases, some officials say limited resources overseas continue to make tackling abuse difficult.

At Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, referrals to its Family Advocacy Program regarding child and spousal abuse have declined from 259 cases reported in fiscal year 2006 to 197 in fiscal 2008.

But Kadena’s lack of the kinds of services available to military and civilians stateside — namely domestic violence shelters and child protective services — presents challenges for victims and advocates.

"It’s significant. It’s the most intense place in all of the nine PACAF (U.S. Pacific Air Forces) locations," said Air Force Capt. Sundonia Wonnum, chief of Kadena’s Family Advocacy Program, which provides resources and services for Air Force and Army victims.

The only domestic violence shelter that did service military families on Okinawa closed last November due to lack of funding, Wonnum said.

And a language barrier makes it difficult for victims to seek help outside military bases, she said.

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