A HIDDEN EPIDEMIC THAT EXPERTS SAY AFFECTS MILLIONS OF
AMERICANS.
AMERICANS. >> THAT’S RIGHT MARIA SHRIVER
HAS MORE ON THIS.
>> GOOD MORNING, LADIES.
THE STATISTICS ARE ALARMING.
ONE IN THREE WOMEN AND ONE IN
FOUR MEN HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF
PHYSICAL VIOLENCE BY AN INTMATE
PARTNER.
PARTNER. THIS CAN LEAVE THEM WITH SEVERE
BRAIN INJURIES THAT ARE RARELY
DIAGNOSED OR TREATED.
NOW A TOP BRAIN INJURY CLINIC
MADE IT THEIR MISSION TO HELP
VICTIMS AND BRING ATTENTION TO
THE PROBLEM.
THE PROBLEM. >> IT LOOKS LIKE A SPORTS
MEDICAL CLINIC, BUT AT THE
BARROW NEUROLOGICAL INSTITUTE IN
PHOENIX MANY OF THE PATIENTS
AREN’T ATHLETES.
AREN’T ATHLETES. THEY’RE SURVIVORS OF A VERY
DIFFERENT KIND OF HIT TO THE
HEAD.
HEAD. >> ONE OF MY ABUSERS ACTUALLY
GRABBED ME BY THE NECK AND THEN
WAS POUNDING MY HEAD INTO THE
WALL AND UNTIL HE MADE A HOLE IN
THE WALL.
THE WALL. >> I WAS HEAD IN THE BACK OF THE
HEAD WITH A PIPE.
THERE WAS NOT A DAY I WAS NOT
ABUSED.
ABUSED. >> ABOUT 81% OF THE PATIENTS WE
SEE THROUGH THE DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE PROGRAM HAVE HAD SO
MANY HEAD INJURIES THEY’VE LOST
COUNT.
COUNT. >> RESEARCHERS ARE DOING
SOMETHING REVOLUTIONARY.
SOMETHING REVOLUTIONARY. RUNNING THE COUNTRY’S FIRST AND
ONLY BRAIN INJURY CLINIC FOR
VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
>> AT BARROW WE BELIEVE THE
TRAUMA THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SURVIVORS HAVE IS WORSE THAN OUR
ATHLETES.
ATHLETES. >> THAT’S THE IDEA OF THE
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM. TO GIVE THE LOVE AND CARE AND
ATTENTION THEY HAVEN’T GOTTEN
FOR MANY OF THESE WOMEN THAT’S
FREEDOM.
FREEDOM. >> Reporter: SINCE OPENING IN
2012 MORE THAN 300 SURVIVORS
HAVE BEEN REFERRED HERE.
MAINLY THROUGH PARTNER DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE SHELTERS WHERE WOMEN
LIKE DEBORAH WERE FIRST SCREENED
FOR SIGNS OF BRAIN INJURY.
>> I WAS LIKE OH, THAT’S WHY
I’VE BEEN HAVING SO MANY
PROBLEMS WITH MY MEMORY AND I
KEEP GETTING TOLD I’M STUPID,
AND YOU KNOW, GOOD FOR NOTHING.
>> Reporter: HE SAID YOU CAME IN
HERE, YOU HAD NO CONFIDENCE.
YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE STUPID.
YOU WERE CRAZY.
YOU WERE NOTHING.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOURSELF
TODAY?
TODAY? >> I FEEL POWERFUL.
I FEEL LIKE I CAN DO ALMOST
ANYTHING.
ANYTHING. >> Reporter: SARA, NOT HER REAL
NAME, SAYS SHE WAS BEATEN DAILY
AS PART OF A HUMAN TRAFFICKING
RING.
RING. SHE ESCAPED BUT HER PERPETRATORS
ARE STILL FREE, SO WE’RE HIDING
HER IDENTITY.
HER IDENTITY. HER BRAIN SO BADLY BATTERED IT
AFFECTED HER MEMORY AND BALANCE,
AND CAUSED SEVERE DEPRESSION.
>> HOW HAVE THEY HEALED YOU
HERE?
HERE? >> THEY HEALED ME FROM THE
INSIDE OUT.
INSIDE OUT. GOING FROM NOT WANTING TO LIVE
TO I HAVE A FUTURE.
I HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE NOW.
>> Reporter: OVER SEVERAL MONTHS
OF TREATMENT SURVIVORS RECEIVE
PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP.
PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP. >> THIS IS THE DEFINING
PRINCIPLE OF MY LIFE.
THIS WORK, THESE PEOPLE, THAT
MOMENT THAT A WOMAN FINALLY
UNDERSTANDS THAT IT’S NOT THEIR
FAULT.
FAULT. >> Reporter: WITH HER SERVICE
DOG DEBORAH CAN NOW WALK WITHOUT
A WALKER.
A WALKER. SHE THINKS CLEARLY AGAIN, TOO.
AND WANTS TO BECOME A WRITER.
SO NOW YOU HAVE HOPE?
>> YES.
>> YES. AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE
THAT WITH OTHER PEOPLE SO THAT
THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT YOU CAN RECOVER FROM.
>> Reporter: SARA HAS DISCOVERED
HER TALENT FOR PAINTING AND
HOPES TO BECOME AN ADVOCATE FOR
OTHER SURVIVORS.
OTHER SURVIVORS. >> WE CAN STEP UP, GET MORE
PROGRAMS LIKE THIS OUT HERE, AND
LET’S SAVE ONE WOMAN AT A TIME.
>> Reporter: DO YOU BELIEVE
YOU’RE SAVED?
YOU’RE SAVED? >> I BELIEVE I’M SAVED.
AND IT’S THANKS TO THEM.
>> MARIA, IT BLOWS ME AWAY.
>> I KNOW.
THIS IS SO GROUND BREAKING, THIS
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM. IT’S THE FIRST OF IT KIND.
IT’S CONSTANTLY TRYING TO RAISE
MONEY IN HOPES THAT OTHER
HOSPITALS AND STUFF WILL COPY
WHAT THEY’RE DOING.
IT’S SO MOVING.
I CAN’T TELL YOU THESE WOMEN,
THEY’RE SO OPTIMISTIC AND
THEY’VE BEEN SO BADLY DAMAGED.
AND IT’S THE FIRST TIME ANYBODY
IS LOOKING AT THEIR BRAIN AND
TREATING THEM WITH RESPECT.
>> AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT,
SO MANY OF THESE WOMEN HAVE
TAKEN BLOW AFTER BLOW.
WE TALK ABOUT CONCUSSIONS AND
HEAD INJURIES IN SPORTS.
NOW IT SEEMS SO OBVIOUS.
THANK GOODNESS FOR THE WOMAN WHO
STARTED IT.
STARTED IT. >> I SPOKE TO THE WOMAN WHO RUNS
THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CENTER.
SHE SAID I’VE BEEN IN THE FIELD
FOR 30 YEARS, AND I’M
EMBARRASSED TO SAY NONE OF US
THOUGHT TO LOOK IN THE BRAIN.
THEY’RE EXCITED THEY’RE BEING
TREATED THE SAME AS THE SUPER
BOWL PLAYERS.
BOWL PLAYERS. >> THIS WOMAN WHO SAID SHE
WANTED TO BE A WRITER.
SHE HAS AN AMAZING STORY TO