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Most of us don't like to talk about intimate partner violence and sexual assault yet it's very common and it thrives in that silence, Mandy VanLaningham of the Hope Crisis Center told those who gathered at the St. Andrew's parish hall on September 9. The crowd of 16 included people from St. Andrew's and four other Seward churches.
She was joined by victim advocates Shanon Koranda and Cait Ozaki, who work in the center's Seward office in the county courthouse. They pointed out that domestic abuse can take many forms, not just hitting. It is a pattern of intentional behaviors used to establish a system of control over an intimate partner.
The advocates threw some stark statistics at us. Perhaps the most stark of all was the fact that 72 Nebraskans have died because of intimate partner from July 2022 to July 2025. Worse yet, it is on the rise: 15 of those 72 deaths occurred in the first half of this year, including Seward resident Jamie Hagen.
Despite rising numbers of abuse cases, funding for the Center has been drastically reduced. Financial donations are most welcome, as well as donations of items such as Walmart gift cards, gas cards, diapers, hygiene products, paper products, shampoo, etc. To donate online go to hopecrisiscenter.org. Or you can send a check to Hope Crisis Center, P.O. Box 365, Fairbury NE 68352.
What can churches do? Break the silence and talk about domestic violence in church, VanLaningham said. Churches can also let it be known that they are safe places where information about resources for victims is available.
Koranda noted that it's important for a church to be careful not to become part of the problem. For example, she said it's not appropriate to offer marriage counseling to someone who is being abused.
The Hope Crisis Center offers a host of services to people suffering domestic abuse, such as a 24-hour hotline (1-877-388-HOPE), emergency assisstance for those fleeing abusive situations, including food, clothing, hygience items, housing assistance and legal advocacy. One advocate speaks Spanish as well as English.
