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CNN Live At Daybreak

Interview with Christine Hansen

Aired July 29, 2002 - 07:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. Army officials are searching for answers after four women were murdered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Accused of the crimes: their husbands, three of whom recently returned from duty in Afghanistan.

And there are questions this morning about what role combat stress may have played in the tragedies.

Christine Hansen, executive director of The Miles Foundation, a group that helps victims of domestic abuse in the military, joins us now. Welcome -- good to have you with us.

CHRISTINE HANSEN, THE MILES FOUNDATION: Good morning, Paula.

ZAHN: Is it just a coincidence that these four women were murdered, allegedly at the hands of their husbands?

HANSEN: There are potentially linkages within these four cases that being that Afghanistan is a deployment. There is documentation, both in the Department of Defense, as well as in research materials that prior to and following deployments in a military community, there is an increased incidence of domestic violence.

ZAHN: And isn't it true there was also a history of domestic violence in these relationships?

HANSEN: From the terminology we have heard is that there are family issues, personal problems, that there had been troubled marriages, et cetera.

ZAHN: Move on to the issue of the statistics that show that the rate of domestic violence in the military is two to five times higher than in the general population. Now, these are controversial statistics...

HANSEN: Yes, they are.

ZAHN: ... everybody debates the validity of them.

HANSEN: Yes, they do.

ZAHN: What is the bottom line?

HANSEN: The bottom line is that there is a significant number of cases in the military community that are far and above that of the civilian community, in that also the military community, we consider a special population, if you will. That being that there are certain characteristics of a military community that could lead a victim to be in danger, that being isolation, you are hundreds if not thousands of miles away from your family, friends, any support network. You have frequent deployments. You have residential mobility, moving every two or three years. In other words, you don't become an established member of the community.

There are also issues with financial insecurity. Although you have a regular paycheck coming into the house, unlike in a civilian community, where you might have unemployment issues, you may not necessarily be able to meet your budget. So there are some specific characteristics to the military population.

ZAHN: I want to put up on the screen now part of a statement that the U.S. Army Special Command has put out regarding these tragedies. The quote is: "Each one needs to be looked at individually, and we need to let soldiers know there are resources out there to help him solve his problems."

What kind of help is out there for folks, not only at Fort Bragg, but other Army bases around the country?

HANSEN: I think it's very important for victims of domestic violence, particularly in the military community, to know that there are resources out there.

ZAHN: Aren't they aware of this?

HANSEN: In some cases, yes; in others, no. There may be a lack of information that they are receiving.

One of the things, for instance, my hope in sharing with your audience this morning is that we here in the United States have a national domestic violence hotline, and the number is 1-800-799-safe. And that would be the beginning of gathering information, referrals, whether you're at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, or whether you're in Bremerton, Washington or San Diego, California.

ZAHN: 1-800-799...

HANSEN: Safe.

ZAHN: ... safe.

Now, what about the issue of any stigma that might be attached if someone is having problems in his marriage, and he seeks counseling of some sort? Because I have heard privately some Army, not officers, but members of the Army express just that.

HANSEN: There has been, I think, a lot of concern about the issue of ruining his career, per se. I think that a lot of research actually done by the Department of Defense indicates that in some cases it does occur, in other cases it does not. But I think it's also indicative of if that individual is also having employment problems within their unit and additional problems beyond domestic violence.

ZAHN: Quick final thought on what these soldiers wrestle with when they come home, a wife maybe who has new-found independence? What else?

HANSEN: You do have that. I mean, she may have found a support network that would be able to help her when she -- when he returns. The independence also becomes an issue, because they are making an attempt to reinstate control and have things done in the manner in which it was prior to their departure.

ZAHN: And once again, the Army will continue to investigate these on a case-by-base basis. Christine Hansen, thanks for your time this morning.

HANSEN: Thank you, Paula.

ZAHN: Appreciate your input.

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