Hines VA plants 500 flags to raise awareness of Intimate Partner Violence

The display is part of Hines VA’s campaign to share resources and support during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Purple ribbons represent IPV awareness and white ribbons symbolize men standing up against violence and harassment.

"Intimate Partner Violence is a serious and significant health problem that affects millions of Americans, including our Veterans," said Erin Hanrahan, IPV Assistance Program Coordinator at Hines. "It does not discriminate and touches the lives of individuals regardless of age, race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, or religious affiliation."

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence studies shows one in three women and one in four men among the general population have experienced some form of Intimate Partner Violence.

Veterans could be twice as likely to experience it in their lifetimes, according to The National Center for PTSD. 

In 2015, the Department of Veterans Affairs began dedicating staff trained to assist those affected by domestic violence. Currently, more than 90% of all VA healthcare facilities, including Hines VA Hospital, have a designated staff and resources to serve Veterans, their partners and VA employees, according to VA.

"Attention to intimate partner violence among Veterans has increased significantly over the past decade," said James Doelling, Hines VA Hospital Director. "VA recognizes that this is a significant and complex health issue faced by many Veterans and their families, and we encourage those impacted by domestic violence to seek assistance."

More than 150 people have sought help from Hines VA’s IPV program in 2022. 

Veterans can contact Hines VA’s Intimate Partner Violence program at 708-202-7243. Veterans can also find IPV coordinators at VA facilities across the nation at: www.socialwork.va.gov/IPV/Coordinators.asp.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline, at 1-800-799-7233, and the Illinois Domestic Hotline, at 1-877-863-6338 are also available.

Learn more about VA resources for those impacted by intimate partner violence at: www.socialwork.va.gov/IPV/Index.asp.

 

About Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital

Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, located 12 miles west of downtown Chicago on a 147-acre campus, offers primary, extended and specialty care to veteran patients in the Chicago area. We are the largest VA in the state of Illinois, where more than a million veterans reside. The hospital treats more than 44,000 veterans from World War II through the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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