Amador County – Operation Care continues its educational approach to Domestic Violence Awareness Month with a multi sensory 3-D exhibit called “The Cycle of Violence,” which runs through Friday at the agency’s Jackson office.

Tammie Crabtree, interim executive director of Operation Care said the “exhibit presents visitors with the opportunity to see, hear, and experience domestic violence from the victim’s perspective.” The display is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at Operation Care’s office at 619 New York Ranch Road in Jackson. The display ends Friday, Oct. 14.

“This project stems from a real-life 9-1-1 call made by a young girl, afraid because her parents were fighting,” Crabtree said. “It takes viewers on a virtual walk through the stages of the Cycle of Violence. It is a very touching exhibit, designed to educate people about the effects of domestic violence on the entire family and the community.”

Three stages in the “cycle of violence” include the “Tension Building Phase” during which “there is a sense of increasing tension in the relationship. As the tension increases, episodes of verbal and emotional abuse increase as well as the feelings of isolation and denial of rights,” Crabtree said, with “a constant feeling of walking on eggshells” enduring though the stage.

The “Acute Battering Phase” comes when the “tension building phase ends in an explosion of violence, which can include sexual assault,” Crabtree said. “Following the physical abuse, a state of physical and psychological shock may occur. The batterer may discount the episode, underestimate the injuries, and blame their partner for the abuse.”

A “Honeymoon Phase” follows, she said, when the “batterer will express sorrow and may shower their partner with compliments, love, praise, and gifts, promising it will never happen again. They may promise to receive help saying they cannot live without them. This may lead to the partner blaming themselves and feeling guilty for what led up to the abuse.”

The exhibit is free, and open to the public. It contains sensitive material and explicit language and is not suitable for children.

Operation Care has been providing services and safe shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault for more than 30 years. Crabtree said during the 2010-2011 fiscal year, Operation Care housed 36 women, children, and men.

The agency’s advocates helped 52 victims with temporary restraining orders, and provided crisis intervention to 20 sexual assault victims. Staff provided emergency transportation 27 times for domestic violence victims to get to safe shelter, as well as hundreds of transports to appointments, court, or other locations.

The mission of the organization is to provide domestic violence and sexual assault support services, crisis intervention and education in the community.

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