TULSA, Okla. — The Broken Arrow Police Department along with DVIS hosted a community forum to discuss a growing problem in BA: domestic violence. Community members heard from experts on the topic, as well as a two-time survivor.
The survivor we met, Felisha Robinson, says embarrassment was one of the main things keeping her from escaping. She said she came from a nice family in small town, Arkansas. A two-parent household with loving parents and a successful time in school, so it was embarrassing to tell anyone, let alone her own mom, what she was going through.
Broken Arrow police officer Kaitlin Anderson said she and her fellow officers responded to about 200 domestic violence calls in August, hoping to break the stigma along the way.
"You know, our officers make an effort to explain this may not be the first time, and this one may not have been as bad as the last time," Anderson said, "but the next time, it could be worse."
Robinson is a two-time survivor of domestic violence, first in a college relationship," Robinson said.
"I was young, I was 19, 20, I did not realize that I was in a domestic violence situation," Robinson said.
She recommended looking out, especially for people in high school or college, who might be somewhat naïve to the situation. Adding to that, she said, abusers rarely show signs to the outside world.
"Normally, the person, the abuser, is very charismatic in front of other people. They don’t show signs," Robinson said, "They’re just very nice, and they put on a show."
Robinson’s second abusive relationship was in marriage, which lasted for a number of years.
- Previous coverage >>> Broken Arrow police see uptick in domestic violence calls
Three major instances stuck out for her – the first time her ex-husband physically abused her, a time he pulled a gun to her head, and another time when she described being flung off the bed and knocked unconscious.
"I kept my promise to myself that if he ever laid his hands on me again, I would leave," Robinson said.
And leave she did.
BAPD Chief Brandon Berryhill told us neighbors in Broken Arrow can anonymously report domestic violence situations to the department.
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