St. Cloud Hospital collaborates with The Central Minnesota Taskforce on Battered Women to help break the cycle of violence.

Warning Signs of Domestic Abuse

• Suicide attempts, depression or anxiety
• Repeat visits to the emergency room or doctor
• Vague complaints or injuries that don’t match explanations
• Suspicious or repeated injuries
• Considerable delay between time of injury and patient seeking medical treatment
• An overprotective partner – will not leave him/her to talk alone with care giver
• Evasive responses to questions
• Non-compliance with visits or medications

This is a partial list of warning signs. If you have questions or would like more information about domestic abuse, call 320-251-2700, ext. 53224.

It’s not okay when someone…

• Monitors your phone calls
• Gives you “permission” to go out, get a job or use the phone
• Intimidates you with looks or actions
• Threatens to commit suicide
• Constantly pressures you into quick decisions
• Locks you in or out of the house
• Destroys, sells or gives things away that belong to you and are of value to you
• Finds fault with your family or friends
• Checks up on you at work
• Criticizes what you like, tells you what to wear or makes jokes about your body
• Makes you stay in one place “to listen”
• Gets jealous and uses jealousy as a sign of love (i.e. accuses you of flirting)

Personal safety information

• Call 911 if you are in danger or need help.
• Keep the following in a safe place:
  · Keys for house and car
  · Important papers such as social security cards and birth certificates
  · Photo ID/driver’s license and order for protection
  · Cash, food stamps, credit cards, checkbook
  · Medications, children’s immunization records
  · Spare set of clothes, personal items, children’s toys
  · Important phone numbers and addresses (friends, relatives, police, domestic violence shelters)
• If you no longer live with your abuser, inform your daycare provider, employer and school to not give out information about you. Give them copies of your order for protection.
• Plan the safest time to get away.
• Plan with your children. Identify a safe place for them, such as a room with a lock or a neighbor’s house. Reassure them that their job is to stay safe, not to protect you.
• Arrange a signal with a neighbor to let them know when you need help.
• If you partner is in jail, you have a right to be notified before his or her release.
• Contact your local domestic violence program to find out about laws and community resources before you need them.
  

Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October)
In October, the Taskforce works to commemorate deaths due to domestic violence, and to educate the public about issues and resources available to victims. Public displays on the effects of violence, educational teachings and presentations, fundraising drives for the local women’s shelter, and a wide-spread purple ribbon campaign to build awareness have been organized in October.

Child Abuse Prevention Month (April)
The statistics on physical child abuse are alarming. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of children are physically abused each year by a parent or close relative. Thousands die. For those who survive, the emotional trauma remains long after the external bruises have healed. St. Cloud Hospital is committed to ending abuse. Each April, St. Cloud Hospital Violence Prevention Taskforce sponsors awareness building activities to increase awareness of abuse and to promote positive parenting. Activities range from fundraising drives for the local child abuse prevention organizations to distributing brochures and posters to employees and parents.

Safe Place for Newborns
St. Cloud Hospital, Stearns County Attorney and Stearns County Human Services have partnered to offer confidential protective shelter, medical care and treatment in a hospital setting to unwanted newborns, up to 72 hours old.

Safe Place for Newborns is a program developed to provide a safe haven for unwanted, unharmed newborn babies in lieu of abandonment, injury or death.

The police will not be called. You don’t even have to leave your name. Simply bring an unharmed newborn, up to 3 days old, to any hospital. Tell any hospital employee that you want to leave the baby with Safe Place for Newborns.

St. Cloud Hospital Safe Place for Newborns Coordinator:
320-251-2700, ext. 52257
St. Cloud Hospital Emergency Trauma Center: 320-255-5656
Toll free crisis hotline 1-877-440-2229
Learn more at: www.safeplacefornewborns.com

Helpful Resources

St. Cloud Hospital Based Advocacy Program 320-251-2700, ext. 53224

St. Cloud Hospital Parent, Child & Women's Center Social Services, 320-251-2700, ext. 52257

Central MN Taskforce on Battered Women 320-253-6900

Crisis Line 1-800-950-2203

Central MN Sexual Assault Center 320-251-HELP or 1-800-237-5090

National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE

Learn more at: www.endabuse.org

Violence Prevention Awareness Fund
A fund through CentraCare Health Foundation financially supports the taskforce in providing personal safety and resource cards, posters, brochures, table tents, displays, education sessions and other awareness activities. Special events such as conferences or fundraisers are also made possible through this fund. To learn more or to make a gift to the fund, contact CentraCare Health Foundation.

About the Taskforce

St. Cloud Hospital Violence Prevention Taskforce is a group of approximately 13 CentraCare employees and representatives from the Central MN Taskforce on Battered Women who work in collaboration to provide education and training to CentraCare Health System staff and promote services and advocacy to victims of domestic violence.

St. Cloud Hospital Based Advocacy Program
This program provides free and confidential consultation, advocacy, group facilitation and training services for people concerned with or affected by domestic violence. For more information contact 320-251-2700, ext. 53224.