Women's Rights Employment Law Blog

Does domestic violence start with the young? Chicago Tribune has an insightful account.

A classroom campaign and new hot line are part of a nationwide push to prevent abuse

By Bonnie Miller Rubin

Scrapping his usual lesson for the day, a South Shore high school teacher asked his students a question: Is it ever OK to be abusive with a boyfriend or girlfriend?

A 16-year-old boy spoke up. "If she does something to provoke you, then you have to put her in her place," he said nonchalantly. "I'm not going to hit her in the face ... but I'm not going to run, either."

With that, a candid discussion got under way that gave teacher Scott Steward an earful.

"A guy may need to get a little physical ... to know where his girlfriend is at all times," one boy argued.

"It's a way to show how he cares about you," another said.

Until recently, most interventions for domestic abuse were geared to older perpetrators and victims. But increased awareness of violence among teens is sparking a flurry of initiatives for teens, including the lesson plan taught by Steward.

In a related program, the country's first national abuse hot line for teens will open Thursday.

When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed 14,000 high school students as part of a 2005 study, 9.2 percent said they had been "hit, slapped or physically hurt" by their dating partners in the previous 12 months. Perhaps surprisingly, the incidence was about the same among girls and boys.

In Chicago, 15.4 percent of high school students reported being a victim, mirroring higher rates in some other big cities.

But experts said hitting isn't the only form of abuse. Today, a boy might send text messages to a girl's cell phone 30 times an hour to keep track of where she is and what she's doing.

Such examples underscore why experts believe efforts to prevent abuse and help victims must be tailored to the age group. Parents often are clueless about the technology used by teens, which can help conceal high-risk situations.

Continue reading "When domestic violence starts young" »

District Chronicles discusses intersection between race and domestic violence.

Marie Tessier

Activists in the growing movement to support battered African-American women agree on what's needed to stem domestic violence: more services that are culturally informed and integrated into victims' communities.

''Color blindness is not what you need if you're trying to serve diverse communities,'' says Oliver Williams, executive director of the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African-American Community at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. ''The trend is toward an increase in community-based, faith-based and grassroots services.''

While the battered women's movement has long strived to serve all women, few projects can identify specific programs designed to reach out to diverse communities. That can be a barrier to safety for Black women, who tend to reach out for help through informal networks in their communities, such as a church, rather than consulting a shelter or hotline, according to experts.

African-American women face a higher risk for experiencing domestic violence than other women, according to the most recent data from the Justice Department. In fact, they are more than twice as likely to die at the hands of a spouse or a boyfriend. They are also at greater risk of more severe violence, according to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta and the Bureau of Justice Statistics in Washington, D.C.

Continue reading "Domestic violence: Is it a Black thing?" »

Reports of domestic violence increase in number, brutality

By Adam Silverman
Julie Robare was terrified for nearly two decades that she was just one beating away from becoming a murder victim.

An abusive boyfriend -- a man Robare met as a teenager who started off sweet and grew more possessive and vicious as the years slid by -- fractured Robare's ribs, broke her nose, shattered one of her wrists, repeatedly strangled her into unconsciousness, left her with countless black eyes.

He pointed a gun at her, chased her with a machete, kept her captive in their home for days. One time in Florida, he told her he was going to throw her corpse into a canal swarming with alligators so no one ever would find her remains.

Robare was too terrified to leave. She knew the abuse she would suffer with the boyfriend and how to manage the pain and humiliation; she had no idea how demonic the boyfriend might become if she moved out. So she stayed.

"Seventeen years I was with him, I feared for my life," Robare said.

Vermont has seen many more Julie Robares lately.

The number of reported incidents of domestic violence and the brutality of individual attacks has been growing steadily for a decade. Occurrences jumped nearly 50 percent between 1997 and 2006, with the largest increase -- 15 percent -- recorded between 2005 and last year, according to data from the Vermont Network Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.

Continue reading "DV cases increase in Vermont" »

A story on how the South Asian communities are grappling with DV issues.


Support groups help South Asian community fight domestic violence
BY LEEMA THOMAS-JOSEPH
Newsday Staff Writer

When "Asma" was 26 years old, her parents found her a suitable husband. She left her native town in South India and in 2001 moved to Pennsylvania to be with her life partner.

But her in-laws were part of the bridal package. Asma's dream of building a new life with her spouse soon turned into a nightmare.

"My father-in-law, mother-in-law and sister-in-law, they were treating me very badly. I wasn't interested in living in a joint family setup. I couldn't put up with the [verbal] abuse anymore."

Within a year, the marriage headed toward a breakup. And after her daughter was born, Asma, who asked that her real name not be used, moved with the child to Brooklyn and started her medical residency.

Sensing that her daughter needed a father, Asma and her parents, all practicing Muslims, felt she should remarry. Her parents arranged for her to meet a man from Atlanta. They wed in July 2004.

"Before the marriage, he told me he's going to be very nice to my daughter and be a good father to her. I never expected he would change so much after getting married."

Initially, "he was extremely verbally abusive," she said, but, after she became pregnant in February 2005, "he started physically abusing me. He'd slap me and push me. Hit me on my belly," she said.

The abuse continued, eventually forcing her to take legal measures after her husband fled the country with their newborn son.

Recalling her story of survival recently, Asma said the experience left her feeling depressed and in "a deep, dark pit." A friend referred her to the Domestic Harmony Committee, an anti-domestic-violence group based at the Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury. The group became her lifeline to safety and sanity. It played a crucial role in her life, Asma said during a recent interview.

Continue reading "South Asians fight domestic violence" »

Kmart's infamous line of children's t-shirts are not just making an accurate reflection of capitalism's representation of women, but is being promoted to sell well. Since pictures speak a thousand words, we'll merely let the image do the telling.


A report follows:

A T-Shirt, that is being sold at the Kmart stores which shows a picture of a stick figure boy pushing a girl over with the words “Problem Solved” has caused a demonstration outside a store in Alexis Road in Toledo, Ohio. Over fifty demonstrators turned up with signs reading "Attention Shoppers: Kmart has an attitude problem. Recall violent merchandise" and "Attention! Domestic violence in Aisle 7." The t-shirt is designed to be worn by young children and has already received complaints from many parents but the store so far has refused to remove the offending shirt. Many drivers passing by honked their support towards the demonstrators, many of which are parents of youngsters that have died through violence and members of the Toledo chapter of the National Organization for Women. Kmart claims that the T-Shirt is intended to be light hearted but many people are complaining that the T-Shirts show that domestic violence is acceptable.

Parents of children who have been killed through violence gave a letter of complaint that was addressed to Aylwin Lewis who is the chief executive and president of Sears Holdings Corporation, the parent firm of the Kmart stores to a man named Charlie because they were not allowed into the building. A spokesman for Kmart said "We've heard and respect the opinions of our customers and the item is no longer available at Kmart. And we have no plans to reorder it." This store is the only store where demonstrators have protested about the T-Shirts but there have been complaints in other areas. A mother said that if such shirts were available at Kmart then "No wonder kids do the things they do." Another parent added "I think people need to speak out about corporations selling violence."

A recent Harvard Law School report discusses an innovative method to tackle potential increase in domestic violence perpetrators.

Domestic violence monitoring initiative proposed by Rosenfeld is signed into law.

Domestic abusers who violate their restraining orders will be required to wear a GPS tracking device, according to a new Massachusetts state law spearheaded by HLS lecturer Diane Rosenfeld '96. Signed into law on January 4, the GPS initiative was first presented to the Governor’s Commission on Sexual and Domestic Violence by Rosenfeld in early 2005.

Under the new law, if a domestic abuser enters a geographic "exclusion zone"—a court-determined restricted area, such as a victim’s home or workplace, or a child’s school—the GPS device will immediately alert both the domestic abuse victim and the police. According to existing Massachusetts law, any individual who violates his restraining order is eligible for a $5,000 fine and a prison sentence of more than two years.

Rosenfeld has also championed legislation that would create a universal danger assessment program, allowing police departments to screen every domestic abuse situation for "lethality factors"—common warning signs gathered from domestic homicide cases over the past 25 years.

Rosenfeld emphasized that the goal of the GPS law is to prevent future violence, while allowing battered women to stay in their homes and their communities without fear. "This legislation puts the responsibility for battering where it belongs—on the offender," she said.

Former Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, who chaired the Governor’s Commission on Sexual and Domestic Violence, called the GPS bill a longtime personal priority. Many victims of domestic violence continue to be abused even after they have obtained restraining orders against their batterers, Healey said. The victims are often forced into hiding, fleeing their jobs, their homes and their families.

KERRY HEALY AND JARRETT BARRIOS
Technology against violence

By Kerry Healy and Jarrett Barrios | January 11, 2007

WHEN assessing domestic violence cases, threats to kill a woman and her children, abuse during pregnancy, and sexual jealousy are all lethality factors taken into account. Had they been used in issuing and enforcing Lien Lam's restraining order against her estranged husband, perhaps her infant daughter and the woman baby-sitting her would not be recovering from burns inflicted by the baby's father, Dung Van Tran, who is also recovering from burns.

According to court records, the Boston man had a long history of abusive violence toward his estranged wife, including violations of restraining orders. What can be done to stop those who seem bent on continuing their abusive behavior when their partner seeks to end the relationship? With the help of Diane Rosenfeld of Harvard Law School, we looked at how to improve the criminal justice system's response to domestic violence. On the last day of the 2005-2006 legislative session, a bill we filed was signed into law that will help remedy the loss of a victim's safety.

Under the new law, an offender who violates a domestic violence order of protection can be required by a judge to wear a device that provides Global Positioning System monitoring. The GPS helps enforce the restraining order by preventing the batterer from entering "liberty zones," such as the battered partner's domicile and place of work, their children's schools, and the residences of extended family members. Probation agents will monitor offenders to ensure that they do not breach these zones. If they do, a record of a restraining order violation will be made, thus making stalking and further violent attacks more difficult. Further, police and the victim are automatically phoned if the offender breaches the battered partner's liberty zone, thus minimizing the victim's fears of an unexpected confrontation with the batterer.

Continue reading "Technology against domestic violence" »

San Antonio faces a surge in the rate of domestic violence incidents. And this has put the administration in a fix. District Attorney is exasperated. She says “I am fed up with me who kill their wives”. Here is the detailed report:

Alarming Number of Domestic Violence Cases in SA

An alarming number of wives and girlfriends are dying at the hands of so-called "loved ones."

In San Antonio, the rate of domestic violence murders has almost doubled since 2005. Out of 119 total murders in the city in 2006, 31 people were killed by an acquaintance, 25 were the victims of domestic violence.

From jealous boyfriends to ex-husbands who cannot deal with a divorce, the numbers are frustrating for those who have waged a battle to stop domestic violence.

"Well, I'm fed up with men who kill their wives," said District Attorney Susan Reed. She added, "We have been working to make awareness of domestic violence a high priority."

In November, 50 billboards went up around the city to help bring awareness to the domestic violence problem. A year ago the Family Justice Center opened its doors. The facility is devoted to helping victims and families of domestic violence opened up.

Despite these moves, the numbers aren't going down.

The goal is to get to those living in an abusive relationship before things get out of control. Reed said only then can the lives of hundreds of San Antonio victims be saved.

Researches indicate majority of homeless people in the country are victims of domestic violence. Time to focus.
A perceptive analysis by Fred Gray for Petoskeynews.com

By far the largest segment of the homeless population in Northern Michigan, as well as in the rest of the country, is made up of women and children who have suffered from domestic violence.

For the past 30 years, the Women's Resource Center of Northern Michigan has provided support for battered women and their children, including shelter, and has sought to educate the public of the problem.

The center recognizes that men can be victims as well, and are eligible for their services, although their numbers are far fewer than women.

Recently the Continuum of Care, a collaborative group that represents 19 organizations in Emmet and Charlevoix counties working to alleviate homelessness, included in its 10-year plan specific strategies toward ending homelessness for victims of domestic abuse

“We are committed to ending domestic violence in our community as well as offering supportive services to people that are experiencing it,” said Jamie Winters, chairperson of the Continuum of Care as well as safe home coordinator of the Women's Resource Center.

Continue reading "Domestic violence a major cause of homelessness" »

Another Possible Hall of Shame.
Sports announcer Jim Lampley has been accused of domestic violence.
News follows:

LOS ANGELES - Sports announcer Jim Lampley denied wrongdoing Thursday after being arrested for investigation of felony domestic violence.

The 57-year-old Lampley was taken into custody Wednesday and booked on the felony charge and investigation of violating a restraining order and dissuading a witness, both misdemeanors, said Mary Helmen, the supervisor of investigators of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department's domestic violence unit.

Sheriff's Capt. Glenn Revell said Lampley was released from the Vista Detention Facility after posting $35,500 bail.
"The circumstances are that there was an altercation between Mr. Lampley and a 28-year-old female with whom he reportedly has a dating relationship," said Revell, adding he could release no additional details pending the presentation of a completed investigation to the district attorney's office.

According to court records, Candice Sanders wrote in an application for a restraining order that Lampley attacked her in her Encinitas apartment on New Year's Eve.

"I received injuries to my head, neck and back from his throwing me against the walls and door," she wrote.

Continue reading "Jim Lampley accused of domestic violence" »

Planning is underway for establishing animal shelter for pets of domestic violence victims in North Carolina. A news report:

WILMINGTON (AP) -- Some groups in New Hanover County are trying to raise money to provide help for pets of domestic violence victims.

The idea is to make it easier for people to get out of abusive situations.
Assistant District Attorney Joy Alford says any time an offender can gain the upper hand or control over their victim, they will use any means to do it.

Rick Hairston, executive director of Carolina Canines for Service, says that probably half of the more than a thousand victims who passed through Domestic Violence Shelter and Services doors in 2006 had pets.

Hairston says Carolina Canines' existing kennel doesn't have enough room to take on a project to help those victims and other families. Carolina Canines' volunteers will be on call 24 hours a day to pick up the animals once the shelter opens. The New Hanover County sheriff's office is donating a K-9 vehicle to pick up the animals and a cell phone for an on-call volunteer.

Actor Tyrese Gibson has been accused of domestic violence by his girlfriend. News report says:

Washington, Jan 5(ANI): Tyrese Gibson is in the center of a domestic violence investigation, after his pregnant girlfriend whose identity remains undisclosed, alleged that the 2 Fast 2 Furious star got violent with her during a verbal dispute.

The three-month pregnant live-in girlfriend claimed that the actor hit her twice in her arm and leg after the verbal quarrel in his Hancock Park home, following which he left the place and has not been seen since.

She was taken to a hospital, where the Los Angeles police say that she was examined and discharged with no visible injuries.

No arrests have taken place and the police are looking out for the actor for further inquiries.

Continue reading "Tyrese Gibson accused of domestic violence " »

According to Justice Department, domestic violence rate has fallen sharply in the US during the last decade. The International Herald Tribune says it could be thus owing to implementation of 1994 Violence Against Women Act that facilitated better police training and more funding for prosecution.
However, what is alarming is that racial disparities remain at large. Following is the detailed report:

WASHINGTON: Domestic violence rates fell sharply between 1993 and 2004, the Justice Department said, noting that American Indian women and native Alaskan women are far more likely to be victimized than whites and other minorities .

The Bureau of Justice Statistics said that "intimate partner violence" rates fell by more than 50 percent. The decline mirrored a decade-long trend in other violent crimes, and the department did not suggest a cause.

"There's still generally no consensus about why any crime in general has dropped," said Shannan Catalano, the study's author said Thursday. "It's safe to say it's more than one factor that went into it."

Some experts attribute the decline to better training for police and more funding for prosecution, two key elements of the 1994 Violence Against Women Act. Investigators increasingly are better trained to handle abuse cases and bring them to court.

"For the first time, there are entire domestic violence units in law enforcement," said Lonna Stevens, director of the Sheila Wellstone Institute, a domestic violence organization. "We've had protocols and policies developed for responding to this."

In 1993, there were about 5.8 incidents of nonfatal violence for every 1,000 U.S. residents above the age of 12. By 2004, that number had fallen to 2.6, the agency said. Homicides fell by about 30 percent, from 2,269 in 1993 to 1,544 in 2004.

The Justice Department defines intimate partner violence as violence by a current or former spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend or a same-sex partner.

Stevens said police have been less successful responding to and deterring abusive behavior in some minority communities, where racism and cultural differences can keep reporting rates low.

Over the 12-year reporting period, about 18 out of every 1,000 American Indian and native Alaskan women were victimized — a violence rate three times higher than among white women.

Black women were more likely than white women to be abused but the study also found that they were more likely to report their abuse to the police than white women.

Women in their early 20s and women who were divorced or separated had the greatest risk of being abused, the study found. Violence was also more common in low-income households.

Asian males, white males and the elderly reported the lowest rates of partner violence.

In 2006, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control [NCIPC] reported that 5.3 million women between the ages of 18 years and older experienced domestic violence in the U.S.

PR Leap furthers the discussion on some truths about domestic violence:

Annmarie Edwards, author and community leader, launches a new program focused on raising $100,000.00 for the “Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence Campaign”, part of Interlace, a non-profit organization located in Asheville, NC. Edwards is giving 50% of the proceeds from the sale of her e-book, 50 Ways to Maximize Your Potential in support of Interlace and their efforts fighting domestic violence.

Continue reading "More truths about Domestic Violence" »

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North Carolina-based News 14 reports that 59 victims of domestic violence are being honored this Christmas in Durham. The city hall tree has been decorated with ornaments that carry the names of the victims.

Read the complete story:

-- Janice Carmack's name could have been on any one of the ornaments hanging on a Christmas tree in Durham's City Hall.

"I'm no different from any of those women. I'm just very, very fortunate and blessed," she said.

The ornaments represent 59 reported victims who lost their lives to domestic violence across the state this year. Carmack is a survivor.

"My husband has a mental disability and I excused his behavior because of that," said Carmack.
From Charlotte to Winston-Salem to Fayetteville, the City of Durham commemorated those who did not make it out alive with a memorial tree lighting ceremony.

Each name was read as an ornament was hung. It was a time to remember and a time to deliver a message.

"Domestic violence is about abusers and about us as a community standing up to them and holding them accountable to their behavior and that is what's going to stop domestic violence," said Marie Brodie with the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

It's watching a dramatization and standing in front of the tree, Carmack has a message of her own, get out and get help.

"Please reach out before it's too late for you and especially if you have children," she said.

It's a survivor's story in honor of those gone and their families who won't have their loved ones this holiday season.

City of Durham employees, community members, and organizations helped create the 59 ornaments that are hanging on the tree. It's on display in city hall until after Christmas.

A report from Colorado:

An Aurora man is facing several charges for breaking into his ex-girlfriends home and taking her Siamese fighting fish and putting it in the garbage disposal and turning it on as she watched in horror.

Uriah Williams, 23, is free on three-thousand dollars bond. He could not be reached for comment.

Prosecutors say the case is serious because he was allegedly trying to intimidate his ex-girlfriend.

He will be back in court January 9th on charges of first-degree criminal trespass and aggravated cruelty to animals.

Prosecutors declined to name Williams' 24-year-old ex-girlfriend, since she's a victim of alleged domestic violence.

Holidays may not be all fun, what with the social demands and expectations raising stress levels, which in turn perpetuates the agonies of domestic violence victims, current and potential. Examiner has a report on the holiday trends affecting domestic violence.

Brentwood, MD - The holiday season brings cheer and joy to most people but also brings together factors that cause domestic violence, experts believe.

“There is more stress during the holidays over money, and people consume more alcohol at parties,” said Rena Pina, who works with the District of Columbia Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “It’s a combination of a lot of things.”

Denise McCain, the director of the Family Crisis Center in Prince George’s County, said her organization sees more victims seeking assistance in January, after the holidays pass.

“The incidents occur during the holiday period, but there is a strong desire to want to put up a front during the holidays and to be with your family during the holidays,” McCain said. “They know they need help, they just wait until January.”

McCain’s organization will have an extra counselor to help the violence victims because of a $66,500 grant the center received Wednesday from Verizon Wireless. The money will give the center five full-time and two part-time counselors.

The crisis center’s grant was part of the $300,000 award Verizon distributed Wednesday among 11 nonprofit organizations throughout Maryland in honor of outgoing Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran.

In Montgomery County, the Family Support Center Inc. received a $10,000 grant from Verizon to assist the Keeping Sisters Strong Program, which teaches women how to protect themselves against becoming domestic violence victims.

“Few social issues touch individuals and families as profoundly as domestic violence and its devastating aftermath,” said Paul Wood, Verizon Maryland vice president.

Michael Cohen, of the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, said some crime statistics show that more domestic violence cases are reported to police during the summer months than other times of the year, including the holiday season.

“No one’s ever done a good study of why that happens, but there is plenty of speculation,” she said. “Maybe it is because the kids are out of school so women are more likely to report it. Or the windows are open more often so the neighbors hear it and call the police.”

A ContraCosta Times columnist narrates how pervasive domestic violence is.
“That a police officer would become a victim of domestic violence surprises us, but it shouldn't. Domestic violence is like cancer. It does not discriminate in its choice of victims. It doesn't care how smart, educated or rich you are.”
The full report:

Even toughest can fall victim to domestic violence
by TAMMERLIN DRUMMOND

RICHMOND Police Officer Kaliah Harper might have been small in stature but she was one tough police officer.

As a rookie, Harper so impressed her superiors that they transferred her to the narcotics squad, where she kicked butt.

Badge No. 156 racked up dozens of arrests, many of violent felons. Harper was awarded 12 commendations for outstanding performance during her four-year career on the force.

If anyone knew how to handle herself in a dangerous situation, it was Harper.
But despite all of her street smarts and self-defense training, Harper couldn't protect herself from a former boyfriend who wouldn't take "no" for an answer.

The day after Thanksgiving, Harper was shot and killed in a parking lot in Fairfield. Police have arrested Quartus Hinton, also 28, for the murder. Harper had just broken up with Hinton, whom she had dated for about six months.

She was in Fairfield paying her respects to the families of two little boys who'd been killed in a head-on crash. The children were related to Hinton. Outside the memorial service, Hinton is accused of pulling a gun and shooting Harper multiple times.
That a police officer would become a victim of domestic violence surprises us, but it shouldn't.

Continue reading "Even toughest fall victim to domestic violence" »

Actor Lou Diamond Phillips, has been awarded three years probation after admitting to domestic violence.

Phillips was initially arrested for alleged domestic violence on August 11, 2006 this year. According to Los Angeles Police, 0Phillips was arrested at his home in the Los Angeles suburb of Northridge following an alleged dispute with his girlfriend, makeup artist Yvonne Boismier. Before being released on bail set at $50,000 he was held "on suspicion of 'co-habitant abuse'".

But after being charged a count of domestic battery, ABC News reports:

Three years probation for Lou Diamond Phillips, who pleaded no contest today to a misdemeanor count of domestic battery stemming from a fight with his live-in girlfriend.

The 44-year-old actor must also undergo one year of domestic violence counseling and 200 hours of community service.

Phillips, best known for his roles in "La Bamba" and "Stand and Deliver," could have faced a year in jail if convicted.

His spokesman says Phillips would --quote-- "abide by the court's decision."

Authorities said an August argument between Phillips and his girlfriend escalated into a physical fight, during which she was pushed and dragged across the house.

Ohio Supreme Court agrees to hear case in which a man says marriage amendment makes it unconstitutional to charge him with crime

By Staff Writer Tiffany Y. Latta

A South Lebanon man charged with assaulting his live-in girlfriend says an Ohio domestic violence law doesn't apply to unmarried couples.
The state's top court will consider whether is right

Michael Carswell, 29, is taking his argument all the way to the Ohio Supreme Court, which agreed Friday to hear oral arguments in the case 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Carswell, 430 Mary Lane, was charged with felony domestic violence Feb. 28, 2005 after assaulting girlfriend, Shannon Hitchcock.

Warren County Common Pleas Court Judge Neal Bronson amended the charge to misdemeanor assault in November 2005 after Carswell's attorney argued an amendment to the state constitution approved by voters in 2004 rendered the 1979 domestic violence law unconstitutional in cases involving unmarried couples.

The state's 12th District Court of Appeals in December 2005 reversed Bronson's ruling and said Ohio's Defense of Marriage amendment banning gay marriage and the domestic violence laws were "reconcilable.''

Other appellate courts, including the fifth, seventh and ninth districts agreed. But the 2nd District Court of Appeals ruled in March that the amendment runs afoul of the domestic violence law.

The 2004 amendment states that Ohio cannot "create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the ... effect of marriage.''

Continue reading "Does assault on girlfriend constitute domestic violence?" »

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Let ‘Turkey’ (lest we forget the country on Thanksgivings) show some ways today:

Hürriyet İnternet reports:

The 2nd international conference on ‘Ending Domestic Violence’ came to a close yesterday at Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul. Workshops were organised throughout the two-day conference, where groups came together to create proposals and projects with the aim of eliminating violence within the home.

One of the issues discussed was the role of men against domestic violence, especially towards women. It was stated that men needed to speak out. A ‘white ribbon’ campaign was launched encouraging all men to wear a white ribbon in support of women suffering from domestic violence.

An interesting editorial on Lahontan Valley News on OJ controversy:

It's hard to fathom what Rupert Murdoch and his employees at News Corp. were thinking when they first decided to broadcast an interview with O.J. Simpson in which the accused murderer reportedly described how he would have killed his ex-wife, Nicole Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman 12 years ago.

Fortunately, Murdoch and Fox television came to their senses and at the last minute aborted the planned two-part interview and recalled the planned release of Simpson's book, "If I Did It," before it hit the shelves next week.

In a country where nearly three women a day are killed by their husbands or boyfriends and nearly a million more are beaten every year, to give Simpson a platform to describe how he "hypothetically" would have murdered his ex-wife is the height of insensitivity and bad judgment. The Simpson story and its hypothetical, which publisher Judith Regan characterized as a "confession," are not only an affront to women but also an insult to the intelligence and decency of all law-abiding citizens.

In the aftermath of Murdoch and News Corp.'s decision to cancel the Simpson interview, members of the Fox television news staff, who were among the most vociferous critics initially, have been heaping praise on their boss for "doing the right thing." It's too bad that Murdoch was unable to arrive at this decision using only his own moral compass. Sadly, he was unable to find his way without the threat of boycotts by customers and advertisers - in other words, only when his company's financial future was at stake. Wouldn't it be refreshing once in awhile to see the people running these companies make a move without parsing for the effect on the almighty dollar?

If there is a silver lining in all of this, perhaps it is collectively that the American people have voiced their extreme disgust over people who engage in, minimize or glorify domestic abuse, a sickness and a crime that tears at the fabric of every community. It should now be clear that the vast majority of Americans do not find domestic violence the slightest bit funny, acceptable or entertaining. And though many strides have been made toward raising awareness of this national epidemic, thanks to many dedicated volunteers and public servants, there is still much to be done, as News Corp.'s ill-fated affair with O.J. Simpson so dramatically illustrates.

As Utah state releases its domestic violence report today, here are some more DV tips:

Domestic violence is:

1. Slaps, punches, kicks, bites, chokes, pulls your hair or burns you
2. Tries to make you have sex when you don't want to
3. Calls you obscene names
4. Tries to keep you from seeing family and friends
5. Controls the money so you have to account for every penny or beg for money
6. Threatens to harm you, your children or him/herself

Signs of a DV abuser:

1. Threatens violence
2. Breaks objects
3. Uses force during arguments
4. Shows intense jealousy
5. Shows controlling behavior
6. Quickly gets involved in relationships
7. Sets unrealistic expectations
8. Isolates partner
9. Blames others for their problems
10. Hypersensitive
11. Uses "playful" force during sex
12. Defines rigid sex roles
13. Rapid mood swings

Detailed report can be accessed on Daily Herald.

A Midland police department (Texas) report indicates that cases of domestic violence increase during holidays. Months of November and December are worst affected. Of course not to say that the cases drop down after the holidays, but their increase are most notable during this time.

Experts say it could be because of the stress related to holidays, the expectations involving celebration, additional financial demands, leading also to alcoholism and narcotics for the stressed ones. Midland Police Department's criminal analysis department reports show that a total of 6,192 emergency calls of domestic violence were made during the months November and December over the past five years. And the number only is slated to go up, unless the core issues are addressed.

A published report can be accessed here.

There is an increase in deaths involving domestic violence in Hawai’i. In fact all homicides recorded on the Big Island are as a result of domestic violence. Much of it is being blamed on lack of access to public educational programs.
A Honolulu paper today says:

Police statistics to the end of August show domestic abuse cases on the Big Island are running ahead of figures for last year in all parts of the island except for Hilo and Puna, said Lillian Tavares, domestic violence and sex assault victim service coordinator with Big Island police.

As of the end of August, there were 622 cases reported on the Big Island, compared with 582 for the same period the year before. The largest increases were in Kona and South Kohala, while the numbers of reported cases dropped in Hilo and Puna.

However, Tavares believes the true number of domestic violence cases is higher. She said some abuse cases may never be reported because the victims don't want family members to be jailed.

Jeannie Claire, author of the book, Another Search for Shelter (regarding transition from victim to survivor of domestic violence), writes a thought provoking letter to the editor on Rocklin & Roseville Today.
Excerpts:

"Every seven seconds a woman is a victim of domestic violence, and one in four women are victims of domestic violence.

How many one in four women live in your city? No city or community is immune to domestic violence and it is important not to remain silent if you know someone that needs help, or if you yourself need help. Think about it: The victim could go to your church, live in your neighborhood, be your family member or friend, or the victim could be YOU."

Arizona-based Tucson Centers for Women and Children has expanded its domestic-violence education beyond abused women to include their children.

Its 11-week Family Violence Prevention program meets once a week and provides counseling for all age groups, in groups that are separated by age. While moms are learning about what constitutes domestic violence and how to parent when they've been a victim of domestic violence, their youngest children learn about feelings and listening skills and the preteens learn about conflict resolution.

Teenagers learn how to define abuse and to identify sex role stereotypes. The shelter also offers support for domestic-violence survivors three other nights each week.

A Police Chief has been arrested on charges of domestic violence and harassment. Jamestown Police Chief John J. High has been booked for engaging in a pattern of "intentional, substantial and unreasonable intrusion into the private life" of the victim, after a restraining order was signed by a family court judge.

The Sun News quotes one warrant that shows High of repeatedly making phone calls, sending e-mail and sending letters to and driving past the victim's place of employment, as well as following the victim for over a couple of months.

An excellent piece by Vicki Lutz shatters some myths around domestic violence.

She debunks three widespread myths. One, in terms of domestic violence not being a big problem in the US. She says DV is just not a big problem, it is an American epidemic. Indeed, family violence is the leading cause of injuries to women ages 15-44, more common than automobile accidents, muggings and cancer combined in this country.

Secondly, she says that the proposed solution regarding batterer just needing to learn how to control their tempers is itself based on a myth. She opines instead that, domestic violence is a pattern of abuse where the abuser's goal is to obtain or maintain power and control over a partner, love interest or family member by means of emotional, psychological, physical, sexual or economic abusive behavior.

Finally, it’s a myth that drinking or drug abuse causes domestic violence. Indeed she cites Alcoholics Anonymous saying that a batterer who completes the 90-day program will "graduate" as a sober batterer eventually.

Violence against women by their live-in spouses or partners is a widespread phenomenon, both in the developed and developing world, as well as in rural and urban areas, the most comprehensive and scientific international study on the topic has confirmed.

A New York Times article also mentions the following:
The rate of abuse by partners is estimated to be around 20 percent to 25 percent in the European Union, smaller studies have found, although the problem is reported to the police in only a tiny fraction of cases.

In the United States, national surveys by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that about 25 percent of women said that they had been physically or sexually assaulted by a spouse, partner or date.

Edwardsburg hosting Oct. 3 domestic violence vigil

Alternatives to Family Violence Honors 28 Years!

Women's shelter sponsoring 5K-10K run and Domestic Violence Speak-Out

Victims of domestic violence remembered

Work vs. domestic violence honored

Domestic violence court a success ‘by any yardstick’

Event to raise awareness of domestic violence

Shining a light on domestic violence

Domestic violence stings Mesa

Area raises awareness of domestic violence

SILENT WITNESS: Event kicks off Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Greenwood authorities investigate another domestic violence killing

Time to judge the system in domestic violence

13th Annual Domestic Violence Remembrance Vigil

Breaking a cycle of violence

Upcoming events for domestic violence month:

7 p.m. Tuesday, Moravian College: Beginning Over Foundation will hold a public presentation along with a silent witness display, which features life-size silhouettes to represent women killed by domestic violence.

12 to 2 p.m. Oct. 14, St. Paul United Methodist Church, Hellertown: Patching Hearts, a free program for children of parents affected by domestic violence. To register call Siusanne Nichols at Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley at 610-797-0530, Ext. 221.

6:30 p.m. Oct. 19, Muhlenberg College: Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley will hold a candlelight vigil.

5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 26, T.C. Salon in Bethlehem: Girls Night Out, which will benefit Beginning Over Foundation and Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley. For tickets or information call chairwoman Donna Bartos at 610-438-8533.

In what appears to be grotesquely insufficient punitive action, a man has been sentenced to only 90 days in jail on a misdemeanor charge, with credit for 72 days served.

The crime? He is a serial domestic abuser, and this time his victim’s stomach was burnt with hot skillet, cut with a knife, and abused on a regular basis. “He got a slap on the wrist”, said Regina Hawkins, the domestic violence surviver.

What defies logic is that even as this abuser Dusty Bowman, 33, had been previously convicted of domestic violence charge, and this time he fled the Tri-State to evade arrests, the sentence has still been this inconsequential.

More researches suggest that the conviction cases in domestic abuses are pathetically low, whereas the amount of abuses is astronomically high. One can possibly find reasons within the very sexist framework of judiciary system that’s hugely dominated by men. Two, there have not been enough serious efforts to sensitize the lawmakers about the uniqueness of the domestic abuse cases.

Most often, the judges cite lack of enough evidence for the absence of appropriate conviction. But the reality is such an argument is fallacious simply because not all cases will be able to produce desired evidence. For one, the victim of domestic abuse already lives in a highly vulnerable condition. The vulnerability extends to the workplace which is male-centric and hostile. And usually, the victim has other responsibilities, such as children. Within the existing domains, to expect that the survivor “promptly” reports abuse by just normally walking out of the door is a highly improbable proposition.

As a rule, the law and order administrators and executors are dominantly male, and uncritically judgmental. And the domestic survivors face the dual oppression of the abuser, and the larger sexist system that perpetuates the abuse. The sooner we realize the need for radical reforms to the existing laws to uniquely accommodate domestic abuse cases with some exceptions, the better it will be.

Lawrence Journal-World has an analysis this week on the difficulties faced in prosecuting domestic violence cases. It showcases some specific domestic violence incidents to demonstrate how charges in these cases are frequently dropped. The report discusses how recent crimes in the area, including a beating that led to the death of a repeat victim, have raised questions about how well the criminal justice system deals with domestic violence.

Eric Weslander writes:

“Partly because of the unique nature of the crime, prosecutors acknowledge charges are dropped much more frequently in domestic cases than in other crimes. Factors driving that include the back-and-forth nature of relationships, the potential for intimidation of the victim and a law that requires police to make arrests whether the case is ultimately strong enough to prosecute or not.”

A federal law 1994 Violence Against Women Act brought about changes to the ways domestic battery cases were handled by the courts. It enabled formation of protection-from-abuse orders that could be enforced across state lines, released more money for police training and support for prosecutors’ offices in handling domestic-violence cases.

But even as the law requires police to make an arrest if they find evidence of domestic violence upon their arrival, the result of the cases vary depending on the what follows in the courtrooms which have been described as not very adept at handling such cases.

There is largely a vague understanding among attorneys and judges who still view domestic battery as an interpersonal problem instead of a crime, thus leading the cases to nowhere.

ABC News has a news story following the murder of a Lawrence-area woman by her boyfriend. (Please click the link to watch the video)

Even as cases of domestic violence are hogging headlines, federal grants in the direction to contain and sensitize the issue are reportedly on the decline.

At least seven domestic-violence shelters and three legal-aid agencies that are funded by the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education will be unable to help potentially hundreds of victims of domestic violence in Arizona.

The Arizona Republic reports that shelters may be forced to close down in want of grants as low as $17,000. In fact, domestic-violence shelters are making up their losses through donations from affiliated thrift stores!

Not that it surprises us, considering that when the hawks wage a masculine war by not keeping the balances well, they can only leave the victimized women behind in unkept shelters.

Cases of domestic violence incidents involving pets are on the rise. The Bay City News Wire
reports a Vacaville resident John Vincent is facing a felony charge of cruelty to animals in addition to charges of felony attempted homicide, felony kidnapping, felony criminal threats and felony spousal battery following a violent argument he allegedly had Friday with an unidentified female victim.

The suspect had thrown the pet cat against a wall and dropped a bed onto it during an argument with the female victim.

A walkathon is being organized in Stockton, California to raise awareness about domestic violence.

The event “Break the Silence on Family Violence” is a walkathon of three miles. Proceeds will benefit the Women's Center of San Joaquin County in assisting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in south San Joaquin County.

The Record says that pledge and registration forms are available at Starbucks locations and at the Women's Center's satellite office inside Healthy Connections, 35 E. 10th St., Tracy. Forms are also available at the Women's Center's main office, 620 N. San Joaquin St., Stockton.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. at Starbucks, 1857 W. 11th St. The walkathon starts at 9 a.m. For more information or route details, call the Women's Center of San Joaquin County at (209) 941-2611.

American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence has outlined some extremely critical safety tips:

Domestic violence: Safety tips for you and your family
IF YOU ARE IN DANGER, CALL 911

or your local police emergency number

Or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-SAFE or for hearing impaired (TTY), call (800) 787-3224.

Whether or not you feel able to leave an abuser, there are things you can do to make yourself and your family safer.

IN AN EMERGENCY

If you are at home and you are being threatened or attacked:

• Stay away from the kitchen (the abuser can find weapons, like knives, there).

• Stay away from bathrooms, closets or small spaces where the abuser can trap you.

• Get to a room with a door or window to escape.

• Get to a room with a phone to call for help; lock the abuser outside if you can.

• Call 911 (or your local emergency number) right away for help; get the dispatcher's name.

• Think about a neighbor or friend you can run to for help.

• If a police officer comes, tell him/her what happened; get his/her name and badge number.

• Get medical help if you are hurt.

• Take pictures of bruises or injuries.

• Call a domestic violence program or shelter (some are listed here); ask them to help you make a safety plan.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AT HOME

• Learn where to get help; memorize emergency phone numbers.

• Keep a phone in a room you can lock from the inside; if you can, get a cellular phone that you keep with you at all times.

• If the abuser has moved out, change the locks on your door; get locks on the windows.

• Plan an escape route out of your home; teach it to your children.

• Think about where you would go if you need to escape.

• Ask your neighbors to call the police if they see the abuser at your house; make a signal for them to call the police, for example, if the phone rings twice, a shade is pulled down or a light is on.

• Pack a bag with important things you'd need if you had to leave quickly; put it in a safe place, or give it to a friend or relative you trust.

• Include cash, car keys and important information such as: court papers, passport or birth certificates, medical records and medicines, immigration papers.

• Get an unlisted phone number.

• Block caller ID.

• Use an answering machine; screen the calls.

• Take a good self-defense course.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR CHILDREN SAFER

• Teach them not to get in the middle of a fight, even if they want to help.

• Teach them how to get to safety, to call 911, to give your address and phone number to the police.

• Teach them who to call for help.

• Tell them to stay out of the kitchen.

• Give the principal at school or the daycare center a copy of your court order; tell them not to release your children to anyone without talking to you first; use a password so they can be sure it is you on the phone; give them a photo of the abuser.

• Make sure the children know who to tell at school if they see the abuser.

• Make sure that the school knows not to give your address or phone number to ANYONE.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF OUTSIDE THE HOME

• Change your regular travel habits.

• Try to get rides with different people.

• Shop and bank in a different place.

• Cancel any bank accounts or credit cards you shared; open new accounts at a different bank.

• Keep your court order and emergency numbers with you at all times.

• Keep a cell phone and program it to 911 (or other emergency number).

HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF SAFER AT WORK

• Keep a copy of your court order at work.

• Give a picture of the abuser to security and friends at work.

• Tell your supervisors - see if they can make it harder for the abuser to find you.

• Don't go to lunch alone.

• Ask a security guard to walk you to your car or to the bus.

• If the abuser calls you at work, save voice mail and save e-mail.

• Your employer may be able to help you find community resources.

USING THE LAW TO HELP YOU

Protection or Restraining Orders

• Ask your local domestic violence program who can help you get a civil protection order and who can help you with criminal prosecution.

• Ask for help in finding a lawyer.

In most places, the judge can:

• Order the abuser to stay away from you or your children.

• Order the abuser to leave your home.

• Give you temporary custody of your children and order the abuser to pay you temporary child support.

• Order the police to come to your home while the abuser picks up personal belongings.

• Give you possession of the car, furniture and other belongings.

• Order the abuser to go to a batterers intervention program.

• Order the abuser not to call you at work.

• Order the abuser to give guns to the police.

If you are worried about any of the following, make sure you:

• Show the judge any pictures of your injuries.

• Tell the judge that you do not feel safe if the abuser comes to your home to pick up the children to visit with them.

• Ask the judge to order the abuser to pick up and return the children at the police station or some other safe place.

• Ask that any visits the abuser is permitted are at very specific times so the police will know by reading the court order if the abuser is there at the wrong time.

• Tell the judge if the abuser has harmed or threatened the children; ask that visits be supervised; think about who could do that for you.

• Get a certified copy of the court order.

• Keep the court order with you at all times.

CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS

• Show the prosecutor your court orders.

• Show the prosecutor medical records about your injuries or pictures if you have them.

• Tell the prosecutor the name of anyone who is helping you (a victim advocate or a lawyer).

• Tell the prosecutor about any witnesses to injuries or abuse.

• Ask the prosecutor to notify you ahead of time if the abuser is getting out of jail.

BE SAFE AT THE COURTHOUSE

• Sit as far away from the abuser as you can; you don't have to look at or talk to the abuser; you don't have to talk to the abuser's family or friends if they are there.

• Bring a friend or relative with you to wait until your case is heard.

• Tell a bailiff or sheriff that you are afraid of the abuser and ask him or her to look out for you.

• Make sure you have your court order before you leave.

• Ask the judge or the sheriff to keep the abuser there for a while when court is over; leave quickly.

• If you think the abuser is following you when you leave, call the police immediately.

• If you have to travel to another State for work or to get away from the abuser, take your protection order with you; it is valid everywhere.