Description
October is both Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, making it a fitting time to explore what happens when these experiences intersect. A breast cancer diagnosis can upend anyone’s life, but for survivors of domestic violence, it can also increase danger and dependence. Abusive partners may undermine treatment by withholding transportation, controlling finances or insurance, interfering with medications, or cutting survivors off from support networks. Physical vulnerability, changes in body image, and dependence on a partner for care can create new opportunities for control. Meanwhile, the trauma of abuse can delay screening, complicate treatment decisions, and affect recovery. This session examines how these experiences intersect and why health and advocacy professionals are uniquely positioned to recognize and respond.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Describe at least three ways domestic violence can affect a survivor’s breast health journey, including treatment interference and medical control tactics.
2. Identify warning signs of abuse and use trauma-informed strategies to screen safely, respond to disclosures, and integrate safety planning into care plans.
3. Develop strategies for collaboration across systems among domestic violence advocates to address survivors’ safety and practical needs.
This project or publication is A Nā Makawai initiative supported by Papa Ola Lōkahi
Bio:
Michelle B. Toledo Caiñas is the Deputy Director at the Hawaiʻi State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Before joining HSCADV, she was a Program Manager at the Center for Justice Innovation. Michelle managed an Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) grant focused on preventing domestic violence homicides through risk assessment and coordinated community response. In that role, she built strong partnerships among multidisciplinary stakeholders across jurisdictions. Overall, Michelle is known as a trainer, expert witness, and consultant with more than two decades of experience helping individuals, organizations, and initiatives prevent and respond to gender-based violence. Her work is culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and community-driven. She holds a Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology from Argosy University and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Florida Metropolitan University, which gives her a rare lens that combines behavioral insight with an understanding of the system.
Her commitment to culturally responsive engagement began when she founded the Georgia Latinos Against Domestic Violence Task Force, a grassroots initiative that brought together bilingual advocates and service providers. Through the task force, she launched the first Domestic Violence Awareness Month campaign designed specifically for Latino audiences. The campaign drew on traditions such as Día de los Muertos, and its community-centered approach still inspires advocates today. Fluent in English and Spanish, Michelle has designed and delivered workshops nationwide since 2016. Her topics include family violence intervention, risk assessment, trauma-informed practice, and cross-discipline collaboration. Her facilitation is interactive and reflective, helping participants connect theory with practice. Michelle has served as a board member for the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Ahimsa House, and she chaired the Forsyth County Anti-Violence Task Force. She currently serves on the National Advisory Council for the Conference on Crimes Against Women. Her honors include Task Force Member of the Year from the Georgia Commission on Family Violence and the Sister June Racicot Advocacy Award from Forsyth County Family Haven.