The document is a grant proposal requesting $9,000 to fund a program aimed at reducing domestic abuse of women in Horry County, South Carolina. It provides background on the prevalence and types of domestic violence. The program will use the Transtheoretical Model of behavior change over 6-week cycles to educate women and help them recognize abuse and end violent relationships. Objectives include having women identify abusive behaviors, expand their support systems, and make commitments to change. The goal is to reduce abused women in the county by 20% by May 2010.

1. Grant for Abused Women in Horry County<br />Amount Requested- $9,000<br />Grant Writers- #4<br />Grant for Abused Women in Horry County<br />Domestic violence, defined as the use or threat of use of physical, emotional, verbal, or sexual abuse with the intent of instilling fear, intimidating, and controlling behavior, is the prominent public health issue in the United States. The term ‘wife beating’ was first used in the 1856 campaign for divorce reform in the UK, and its successor, ‘domestic violence’ has been conceptualized to be a problem of male perpetrators and female victims. The more recent term ‘intimate partner violence’ is used to differentiate violence between two people who are involved in romantic relationships from other types of domestic violence such as child abuse and elderly abuse (Heru, 2007. P. 376).<br />One in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. This averages about four million women each year will be a victim of domestic violence (South Carolina Coalition against Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault [SCCADVSA], 2003). Women who reported partner violence in their lives were significantly more likely to report emotional distress, suicidal thoughts and attempts than women who had not suffered violence (Ellsberg, 2008). Domestic violence is the most frequent cause of serious injury to women, more than car accidents, muggings, and stranger rapes combined. According to the National Violence Against Women Survey, they found that violence against women is primarily intimate partner violence: 64% of the women reported being raped, physically assaulted, and/or stalked since age 18 (McCarroll, 2008). Because the majority of victims never report these crimes, it is very difficult to estimate how many individuals are affected. It is estimated that only 20% of all rapes and 25% of all assaults of women in the context of an intimate relations are reported (American Psychiatric Association, 2005).<br />The United States has been facing a growing problem with domestic violence against women. The numbers are rising because boys who witness domestic violence at a young age are twice as likely to abuse their own partner when they get older. This is something that anyone could go through. Not only are women being abused by strangers, but by people that they know. Violence against women is pervasive and violence by intimate partner, rather than by other perpetrators, is the dominant form in women’s lives (Fathalla, 1994).<br />Not only has this been reoccurring incident in the United States, but it hits hard at home. The abuse is happening right here in South Carolina. South Carolina is ranked number two in the nation involving men killing women due to domestic violence (Domestic Violence Assistance South Carolina[DVASC], n.d.). We have to realize the affects that it is having on our own neighbors. In 2005, South Carolina reported there were 35,894 victims of domestic violence, but only 43% of those cases ended in arrest. In 2005, South Carolina reported that there were 32 domestic violence related homicides (SCCADVSA, 2003). Between January 2007 and December 2007 there were 4,318 women and children sheltered because of violence at home. There were also 16,380 women receiving non-sheltered services and there were 18,830 crisis line phone calls answered (SCCADVSA, 2003).<br />Horry County is currently ranked third in the state with 2,844 assaults in 2003. The most common type of domestic violence happens between couples and a lot of women are to afraid to leave. WE need to let these women know that they have a place to go where they can be safe. Women have to know that there is a problem and seek help. A lot of women in Horry County are not getting the help that they need because sometimes they don’t even realize that there is a problem (SCCADVSA, 2003).<br />There are three types of abuse that a woman can be faced with. <br />Physical

2. Sexual

3. PsychologicalThe first is physical battering. This is when the abuser physically attacks or uses an aggressive behavior. This can range anywhere from bruising to murder. It often begins with some small contacts which can quickly escalate into more frequent and serious attacks. The second abuse is sexual abuse. This is a physical attack by the abuser and is often accompanied by sexual violence where the woman is forced to have sexual intercourse with her abuser or take part in unwanted sexual activity. Lastly, there is psychological battering. This is when the abuser uses psychological or mental violence that can include constant verbal abuse, harassment, excessive possessiveness, isolating the woman from friends and family, deprivation of physical and economic resources, and destruction of personal property (American Psychiatric Association, 2005). <br />We are requesting a grant in the amount of $9,000 to help these women realize the danger of staying with an abusive partner. Our program is designed to help these women get the help that they need and deserve. We want to stop this cycle before it gets too late. <br />The program we have made is based around the Transtheorectical Model and Stages of Change. The model is an integration of more than 300 different theories of psychotherapy and behavior change. The model uses the stages of change to help set goals and stages for people to successful change their behavior. The stages allow behavior change to have a “process-involving progress” and “represents a temporal dimension.” The six stages of change are pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination. Pre-contemplation is the stage when people have no intention to change because they aren’t aware that their behavior should change. Contemplation is the stage when people have been made aware of their behavior and intent to change the behavior in the near future or next six months. Preparation is the stage when people have taken some steps to change and plans to take action in the next month or 30 days. Action is the stage when people have made obvious alterations to their behavior within the last six months. Maintenance is the stage when people have made the behavior change and are working to prevent relapse. The last stage is termination when people have no temptation to relapse and have total self-efficacy (Prochaska, Redding, & Evers, 2002).<br />Several studies have been done on how the Transtheoretical Model is a good structure for interventions specific to domestic violence. One study that we found had the specific objective of examining “the application of the Transtheortical Model to women’s experiences of ending intimate partner violence” (Burke, Denison, Gielen, McDonnell, & O'Campo, 2004, p.122). The study shows that the abused women went through the stages of change to eventually end the intimate violence. Through the stages the women’s behaviors directly linked to 7 of the 10 constructs from the Transtheoretical Model. The seven constructs were consciousness raising, self reevaluation, environment reevaluation, self liberation, social liberation, helping relationships and stimulus control. For example, it was found that many women’s motivation to go from preparation to action was the realization of how the abuse was affecting their children. This is something that would be achieved through environmental reevaluation. The study showed that women in the early stages of change, pre-contemplation, contemplation, and preparation, often use more cognitive processes; which link to conscious raising, self-reevaluation and environmental reevaluation. In the later stages of change, action and maintenance, women use behavioral processes; which link to stimulus control and self-libration (Burke, J.G. et al., 2004).<br />The overall goal of our program is to use the Transtheoretical Model concepts to reduce the amount of abused women in Horry County, South Carolina. The objective of our program is that by May 2010 the number of abused women of Horry County, South Carolina will decrease by 20% as compared to the average number from the previous 5 years (program objective). Our program will use the concepts of consciousness raising, self-reevaluation, environmental reevaluation, self-liberation, decisional balance, helping relationships, and stimulus control from the Transtheoretical Model. We have constructed the program so that these concepts will help guide the women through the different stages of change that will eventually lead them to eliminate abuse in their life. The sessions will be held twice a week. One on Mondays and the other on Thursdays; that way women will have the opportunity to go to at least one of them a week. The meetings will be held at Horry County City Hall, on Mondays, and at the Citizens Against Spouse Abuse, C.A.S.A., safe house, on Thursdays. Each meeting will be approximately one hour long. The amount of people allowed for each of the meetings will be a maximum of 100 people. The maximum is at 100 so that the meetings don’t get to crowded and so each woman can get individual help as needed. The program will be 6 weeks long but continue to repeat for a year and half. The reason why the program will repeat every 6 weeks for the year and a half is so that we can reach as many women of the area as possible. Also, this is a benefit because if at any point a woman drops out of the program she can try again at another time. The first cycle will start in January 2009 and the last cycle will end in May, 2010. The program objective will be evaluated by comparing the amount of abused women in Horry County from data obtained by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. <br />The objectives for the program design are as follows:<br />By the end of May 2010, 148 meetings will be provided to 14,800 women of Horry County, South Carolina to educate them about abusive relationships and to help them end domestic abuse in their lives (process objective). <br />Meetings will be held every Monday and Thursday for one hour from January 2009 to May 2010. The program will be provided in cycles of 6 weeks. The concepts of consciousness raising, self-reevaluation, environmental reevaluation, self-liberation, decisional balance, helping relationships, and stimulus control from the Transtheoretical Model will be used. The concepts will be in conjunction with the different stages of change.<br />This will be evaluated by recording the amount of women attending the sessions and obtaining their phone numbers and addresses.<br />By mid April 2010, 11,100 women that have participated in the program will be able to identify the severity of their abusive relationship is (learner objective). <br />The first stage of change is pre-contemplation and we will use the concept of consciousness raising. The first activity we will do with the women is have each individual do an assessment of their relationship through completing a questionnaire. This will help to raise the women’s awareness of the severity of their individual situation and to determine if referrals need to be given.<br />The questionnaire answers will be evaluated to determine and identify the severity level.<br />By the end of April 2010, 11,100 women that have participated in the program will have made a list of ways their relationship affects others (behavioral objective).<br />The second stage of change is contemplation and the concept we will use is environmental-reevaluation. A speaker will show and talk to the women about how the abuse they are dealing with not only affects them but others in their life. They will be asked to make a list of people in their life that they think the abuse effects. Also, to write down how those people are being affected. Writing down the list will help them to see how allowing this abuse to be in their life affects others. This will help to proceed and start the preparation stage.<br />A copy of the lists will be collected to record the number of women that completed the task.<br />By the end of April 2010, 7,400 women that have participated in the program will be able to identify at least 10 ways a relationship without abuse functions (learner objective).<br />The second stage of change is contemplation and we will use the concept of self-reevaluation. A facilitator will discuss the normal functions of an un-abusive relationship. Each woman will write down comparative list of at least 10 functions that happen in their relationship versus what it would be like in a non-abusive relationship. By comparing what their relationship could be like will help make them see the benefit of not having abuse. This will help to reevaluate what their feelings toward their relationship and to see how their life would be, could be if they didn’t deal with the abuse. <br />A copy of the lists will be collected to evaluate how many women identified at least ten functions.<br />By the beginning of May 2010, 7,400 women who participate in the program will expand their social network by making ten new friends (behavioral objective).<br />The third stage of change is preparation and to help with this stage we will use the concept of helping relationships. During the meeting the women will be told about the benefits of having a strong social network for support. They will be encouraged to become friends with neighbors, other women in the meetings, and to join clubs or social groups. They will be asked to join two social groups and make friends with at least one neighbor. This will help to give the women a support group to move into making a change.<br />A list of signatures from the women’s new friends will be collected from each participant.<br />By the beginning of May 2010, 7,400 women who participate in the program will be able to identify benefits and problems with ending domestic abuse (learner objective). <br />The third stage of change is preparation and to help with this stage we will also use the concept of decisional balance. The women will be given a pros and cons worksheet that they will be asked to complete. Having the pros and cons of ending the abuse in their life in front of them will help them see how the benefits, or pros, weight out the harm, or cons.<br />The worksheets will be collected to determine if the women identified the benefits and problems appropriately.<br />By mid May 2010, 3,700 women who participate in the program will have made a commitment to making a change with abuse in their life (behavioral objective).<br />The fourth stage of change is action and the concept we will use to help with this stage is self-liberation. The women will be asked to sign a contract with themselves to make a commitment to changing. They will also be asked to keep a daily journal. The journal will help them write down their thoughts to help them make logically decisions in their life; as well as track their progress. This will help to make sure they are making a conscience effort everyday to stay committed to the change.<br />A copy of the contracts will be collected.<br />By the end of May 2010, 3,700 women who participate in the program will have changed their environment to avoid a relapse of having abuse in their lives (behavioral objective).<br />The last stage of change is maintenance and to help with this stage we will use the concept of stimulus control. A speaker will present to the women ways to change their environment to ensure not to relapse. They will also be told about ways to avoid and get out of bad situations that could be harmful to their new life.<br />A month after each cycle the women will be contacted to track their progress. <br />To Whom It May Concern,<br />Citizens Against Spouse Abuse, CASA, is very pleased to support Grant writers #4 for the purpose of increasing awareness about domestic abuse among abused women in Horry County. Since South Carolina is ranked number two in the nation for the number of deaths caused by domestic violence, it is important that we try to educate and bring awareness to our local population. <br /> Grant writers #4 have come to us to help them with their overall objective of lowering the amount of abused women by 20% by May 2010. CASA puts all of our support behind them as we know from the past that they are very successful in achieving the goals that they set. We here at CASA have supported Grant writers #4 throughout their process of lowering the amount of abuse through increasing awareness. <br />Not only would you be helping Grant writers #4, but CASA as well. We have provided them with help and support and we plan to continue to do so. We appreciate you considering Grant writers #4 because by supporting them, you can help all of us achieve our overall goal.<br />Sincerely,<br />JoAnne Patterson<br />Citizens Against Spouse Abuse<br />ItemAmountCost of oneTotalRent for CASA meeting room74 meetings$25.00$1,850.00Rent for City Hall meeting room74 meetings$35.00$2,590.00Questionnaires200$0.50$100.00PaperOne packet 1,000 sheets$10.00$10.00Speaker24 meetings$100.00$2,400.00Program Facilitators2 people$1,025.00$2,050.00Total$9,000.00<br />Program Budget<br />Bibliography<br />American Psychiatric Association. ( 2005). Let’s talk facts about domestic violence. Healthy Minds. Healthy Lives. Retrieved November 9, 2008, from www.healthyminds.org<br />Burke, J.G., Denison, J.A., Gielen, A.C., McDonnell, K.A., O’Campo, P. ( 2004). Ending intimate partner violence: an application of the transtheoretical model. American Journal of Health Behavior, 28(2), 122-130. <br />Ellsberg, M., Heise, J.H. (2008). Impact of domestic violence. Women’s Health and Domestic Violence against Women Study Team, 371.<br />Fathalla, M.F. (1994). When home is no longer safe: intimate-partner violence. International Journal Gynecology and Obstetrics, 366, 1910.<br />Glanz, K., Rimer, B.K., & Lewis, F.M. (2002). Health Behavior and Health Education (3rd ed.) San Francisco: Josey Bass<br />Heru, A.M.(2007). Intimate partner violence: treating abuser and abused. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 13, 376.<br />McCarroll, J.E., Castro, S., Nelson, E. M., Fan, Z., Evans, P.K., Rivera, A. (2008). Characteristics of domestic violence incidents reported at the scene by volunteer victim advocates. Military Medicine, 173, 865.<br />Patterson, J. (2005). A safety plan in a violent relationship. South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault. Retrieved November 9, 2008, from www.SCCADVASA.org<br />Totherow, S. (n.d.). Domestic violence statistics in South Carolina. Domestic Violence Assistance. Retrieved November 7, 2008, from www.dvasc.org<br />