An Abuse Survivor's Search for Support

By: Marci Manley, KARK 4 News

Updated: July 16, 2012

Video Available on original article

"Since I left a domestic violence relationship in March, it's been really hard," she said, reading from the screen.

Dana has been searching for support in Little Rock after leaving an abusive relationship that lasted two and a half years.

"I still have nightmares every night, and I'm scared, she said. "I'm always looking around. If my children run up on me, wanting to play, I jump."

Finding a support group of women, outside of a shelter living situation, has been tough. Dana believed deciding to leave the abuse behind would have been the hardest part.

"Once you've made that decision, it's not over. It's important to leave, but it's also important to have support once you've left, instead of people saying here's a phone number and you falling through the cracks. That's what I felt like happened to me," she said. "Every time I would call the numbers, it was the same thing that support groups were only available to those residing in the shelter facilities."
Instead of giving up, Dana checked out. A book that is, written by another survivor. Mildred Muhammad is the ex-wife of the man known as the D.C. Sniper. Before his 10-person killing spree, his violence began in their home.

"I checked out the book and there were a lot of things in there I could identify with," Dana said. "Ms. Muhammad's email was in the book, and I decided to write her."

That memoir marked a turning point. Dana never expected a response, from Mildred Muhammad. But she got one.

"She sent my email to someone else, and my phone started ringing almost instantly last week.," Dana said.

"It's been difficult to get victims in touch with resources, and here recently it seems to have gotten more difficult," said Community Outreach Coordinator Meredith Looney of Women and Children First. "There are so many shelters that offer so many services, sometimes there's confusion."

Domestic violence organizations like hers know getting the right information to survivors can be a challenge, especially with staff turnovers.
"We do have staff turnover and we train the best we can, but if someone forgets that we have outreach programs for people who don't stay at our shelter, they might tell someone that. Then, that creates confusion," Looney said. "But we do have those resources and we do want survivors to be able to use them."

Women and Children First offers an whole host of support groups held throughout the week.

"They can be really comforting," Looney said. "Getting into these groups allows you to plug yourself into the reality that you're not the only one, you're not stuck."

"You still feel embarrassed, ashamed, and lonely," Dana said. "And I think being with a group of survivors who have been there would be good for me. Understanding how they're coping, and what they are going through. I don't want to feel alone."

After four months, Dana is plugged into the Women and Children First's program, and she's hoping other women find the help to heal as well.
"I needed help, and I'm sure there are other women in that situation who called," Dana said. "Hopefully they'll know the support is there."

To see the complete list of support groups offered by Women and Children First, click here.

Domestic violence fair to give voice to Missouri victims

Mark May 1st on your calendars and go out and help support this event or gain the knowledge that is needed! Silent Witness red life-size silhouettes of women will be on display for this event.

Domestic violence fair to give voice to Missouri victims

Normandy (Mo.) police Officer Amanda Cates was shot to death in August 2006 at the hands of her boyfriend. Since then, the number of Missouri residents that have been the victims of domestic homicide continued to grow.

University of Missouri–St. Louis students have set out to bring awareness to this growing epidemic and tell the stories of those unable to do so themselves. “The Silent Witness Initiative Domestic Violence Fair” will begin at 2 p.m. May 1 in Century Room C at the Millennium Student Center on UMSL’s North Campus. Students in the Violence Against Women class of Kristin Carbone-Lopez, assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at UMSL, will present the stories of several women killed at the hands of their partners over the last year in Missouri.

Family members of Amanda Cates also will speak about her story. Biographies of each victim will be recorded and added to the Silent Witness National Initiativeand accompany red life-size silhouettes of women which will be on display in the Millennium Student Center. The silhouettes are on loan from the National Council of Jewish Women.

UMSL counseling and local organizations will be on hand to provide information about domestic violence and assistance. Refreshments will be provided.

The event is free and open to the public. It’s sponsored by UMSL’s Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Gender Studies Program, The Current, Criminology and Criminal Justice Graduate Student Association, Police Department, Health Wellness and Counseling Services and Center for Teaching and Learning.

Judge outlines reasons for domestic violence increase

By Elizabeth Marie Himchak
In San Diego County, more than 200 restraining orders are issued weekly, often for domestic violence, according Superior Court Judge Christine Goldsmith.

A judge in the family law division for the past dozen years and wife of San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, she spoke about a rise in domestic violence cases at a Feb. 23 Continuing Education Center at Rancho Bernardo lecture.

Though domestic violence can happen at anytime and to anybody, Goldsmith said there is usually an uptick in restraining order requests during or following holidays, three-day weekends and sporting events like the Super Bowl. There has also been a correlation to the recession.

“We’re seeing more (cases) during the bad economy,” Goldsmith said. “They are not just violent but desperate, doing extreme things we did not hear of a few years ago.”

Goldsmith, who has been a judge for more than 25 years, said domestic violence reports have risen in the last couple decades because before then victims — most often women, but sometimes men — did not know where to go for help and society did not discuss the issue. Judges have also been trained to better identify and understand it.

“It was the common belief that women stayed with their abuser because it was no big deal and the man was entitled to run his home (as he saw fit),” she said. “That belief infiltrated society and the bench … (so victims had) nowhere to go.”

“Domestic violence is abuse committed by a person who has some relationship with the victim of abuse. … (It) can occur between teenagers in a young relationship and … in long-term marriages,” according to San Diego Volunteer Legal Program. Another form is elder abuse.

Though sometimes difficult to recognize, SDVLP says signs include jealousy and possessiveness, control, manipulation, mood swings, and attitude of disrespect, or history of domestic violence.

Goldsmith said some children at 8 or 10 years show tendencies toward committing domestic violence, such as fighting at school, using drugs or alcohol when they are 7 or 8 years old, and doing things like “setting a cat on fire.”

If not caught early and addressed through counseling, she said they could become homicidal or commit crimes like kidnapping or aggravated assault.

Some act out because they witness domestic violence at home. Others were exposed to drugs or alcohol while in the womb, so their brain development was affected, which influences their behavior, she said.

Though some abusers’ behavior cannot be changed, Goldsmith said through counseling others choose to modify their behavior.

“When I sit in family court I deal with domestic violence (incidents) every week, usually every day,” Goldsmith said.

Often the victim is requesting a restraining order. While there have been some well-publicized local incidents of where a restraining order did not prevent a victim’s assault or death, Goldsmith said it is important to have one so there is a record of the abuser’s history and police can arrest the abuser if the order’s conditions are violated.

She explained the process, starting with a temporary restraining order, which if there is sufficient cause becomes a permanent order lasting any length of time; often at least five years.

Goldsmith said she has also seen more restraining orders in paternity cases where non-married parents are fighting about the child.

She said family court judges in San Diego County combined typically hear 165 to 230 restraining order hearings per week. This does not include restraining order requests that come before judges for criminal or juvenile court proceedings.

“Throughout the county I can safely guaranteed more than 200 restraining order per week are issued,” she said. “Most of these are new applicants.”

About one-third are repeat applicants or those who feel a restraining order needs to be renewed, she said.

“Most applicants are women who run the gamut in age — 13 up to any age,” she said. “We now will take applications from people who are 12 or 13. Usually they are with a parent who comes in and makes the request for someone that young. At 16 or 17 they can come … to make their own application, which is heard in adult court.”

As for the 12- and 13-year-olds, she said they are typically being molested or have a boyfriend who is battering and abusing them.

“It is very sad for me to read the request from a 13-year-old who is usually dating someone 17 or 18,” Goldsmith said. “Frankly, it makes me wonder where was the mother or father … who saw no problem with dating at such an early age.”

Goldsmith said those needing a restraining order are given a packet containing all needed forms. They do not need to hire a lawyer and can receive assistance from the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program’s Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinic.

It provides walk-in services on weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to noon, 1-4:30 p.m. at the Madge Bradley Building, 1409 Fourth Ave., 4th Floor in downtown San Diego. For details, go to www.sdvlp.org or call 619-450-7588.

Original Article

Domestic violence review sought

By Tracey Roxburgh on Sun, 4 Mar 2012

Principal Family Court Judge Peter Boshier is proposing a new way of handling domestic violence cases.

He says it would include a "wholly revolutionary" engagement process in court with families.

Judge Boshier spoke exclusively to the Otago Daily Times before his Queenstown presentation co-ordinated by Jigsaw Central Lakes.

Submissions on the Family Court Review, announced in April last year by the Government, closed on Wednesday.

One of the questions asked in the terms of reference was if the state should be investing in private law.

Speaking publicly for the first time about the review, Judge Boshier said the present process did not work "anywhere near as well as it should".

The court was last reviewed in 1993 and following that the Care of Children Act was introduced, which was prescriptive about things which had to be done quickly to reduce delay - terminology was changed, Family Court was opened to the media, children were involved in the process, and "a whole lot of teeth" were added to enforcement.

"Parliament added a whole range of steps, from counselling ... to admonishment, right up to enforce orders and also breach-of-parenting orders.

"Away we went on a wonderful new platform. The Care of Children Act was introduced in 2005, there was no recession and we had $9 million.

"[Then] there's a recession and a change of tack with a new Government and there's a perception that "should the state be investing in private law?"

"That is the present question ... is this the state's business?"

Judge Boshier said as it was, the Family Court was "not a sustainable court" - each year it handled about 670,000 cases. Of those, 27,000 related to the Care of Children Act.

"It is that Act that's the troubling one for sustainability. Have we been overdoing it? It is pretty nerve-wracking when you have been involved in a court for such a long time and you see the structure of it about to be reviewed by others.

"There does need to be [a review] of the family court. There are too many cases before judges that do not need to be before judges."

One example given was a dispute over care arrangements for a child, which could be handled effectively by a mediator who had the right to arbitrate.

However, the most widespread changes Judge Boshier had suggested related to domestic violence cases.
"What I am suggesting is that when the Family Court makes a domestic violence order to protect the victim, hand in hand with the judge making that order, is ... a requested or required assessment and information session with the victim."

It would occur "on the spot".

The victim would be run through the consequences of the protection order put in place, a safety plan established and a risk assessment carried out.

"A judge should not, in isolation, make a protection order ... there must go hand in hand with that engagement with the victim to go through the consequences [of the order] and the need for safety."

At the moment, a victim seeking a protection order either went to their lawyer or filed an application for protection with the court, which was handled by a judge.

The second change Judge Boshier suggested was regarding the delivery of the protection order to the other party. It should not be served by police or the bailiff days later or posted to the violent party.

"Rather, they are to compulsorily engage with the person who has been violent within 24 hours. The person is required to come into the court where the judge has made the order. There will be a risk assessment ... and preliminary screening to see what sort of programme that person is best to attend.

Judge Boshier said the third element of change he had suggested was "utterly different" and required engagement from both parties' families or whanau within 14 days of a protection order being made by way of a family group conference. Family group conferences are held only in Youth Court matters or Care and Protection work.

"There must be invited the family ... or whanau of both sides, there must be invited the agencies who are engaged with this couple, either separately or together. It could be any number of people who hold information and can assess [the individuals involved]."

At the conference, the risk assessments and screenings would be made publicly available and programmes would then be recommended to either the victim and the person offering violence, either separately or jointly.

"This is wholly revolutionary. We have never gone down this track before, but it's time we did this, in my opinion.

"My proposal is the family group conference will compel the family and the whanau to recognise the violence and the effect it's having on the children and the family."

While $63.2 million was spent on stopping violence, excluding the core work of the police, Judge Boshier questioned whether there was "value for money".

"I don't think we're talking about more money. What I'm asking for is better use of what we've got."

Original Article

Volunteers for DV Hotline Needed in Washington County, ME

By Tom Walsh, BDN Staff

Posted March 11, 2012, at 11:09 a.m.
Last modified March 11, 2012, at 5:36 p.m.

MACHIAS, Maine — Stepping into a domestic violence altercation can be among the riskiest situations that those on the front lines of law enforcement ever face.

“What an officer is walking into is the most lethal point of a relationship,” said Travis Willey, a patrol lieutenant with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department. “Each situation is different and is very dynamic, and these are some of the most dangerous calls to which police respond.”

How police respond can keep a victim safer or put that person in more jeopardy, he said. “You’re dealing with a very intimate situation between two people at one of the most stressful times of their lives. And when substance abuse is involved, it makes it more unpredictable.”

Willey is the liaison between the Sheriff’s Department and Next Step, the domestic violence project that for 20 years has served domestic abuse victims in Washington and Hancock counties. The agency provides shelter to those dealing with spousal abuse, offering counseling and providing alternative living arrangements in safe houses for battered spouses and their children. Next Step maintains a 15-bed shelter at an undisclosed location in Washington County, with stays ranging from a few days to a few months.

“Domestic violence is about power and control,” said Rebecca Hobbs, the executive director of Next Step. “It’s a lethal relationship, and it’s a very difficult childhood to live in an abusive home. Leaving can be very traumatic, and it’s difficult as a victim of abuse to know what’s best for the kids. We talk with victims about safety and whether there are other safe home living options. We also need to assess whether they are able to live in a communal setting.”

Willey said Next Step caseworkers are essential to the process of victims preparing statements that can be used in prosecuting abusers on charges ranging from assault to criminal threatening, criminal mischief and harassment.

“Next Step’s involvement keeps victims on board,” Willey said. “It improves the quality of the case for the District Attorney’s Office, which increases the chances of conviction.”

Such statements are also crucial, he said, to obtaining court-issued protection orders.

“Protection orders can sometimes provide the break that allows Mom and Dad to regroup and to get the help they need,” Willey said. “There are some success stories out there.”

On a per-capita basis, domestic violence is less of a problem in Hancock County than in Washington County, Hobbs said. That, she says, may be related to higher unemployment, poverty and substance abuse in Washington County.

“Last year we served 900 people, and 400 of those were in Washington County, which has a population that is much smaller than the population of Hancock County,” she said. “It’s more of an issue here.”

Hobbs said her agency is in the process of recruiting and training volunteers who staff a telephone hotline that fields calls from victims of domestic violence. The next training session is on April 7, she said. For more information, call 667-0176.

Original Article

Clark apologizes to mother of Schoenborn children

JUSTINE HUNTER

VICTORIA— From Friday's Globe and Mail

Published Thursday, Mar. 01, 2012 6:45AM EST

Last updated Monday, Mar. 12, 2012 7:59AM EDT

A series of failures that allowed an abusive and psychotic Allan Schoenborn to murder his three young children in 2008 remain largely unaddressed, leaving families exposed to risk, says a new report from B.C.’s watchdog for children.

Following repeated commitments by the province to fix its patchwork of domestic violence services since those murders – promises that have not been sustained – Premier Christy Clark pledged Thursday to do better.

In her report on the Schoenborn murders, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond noted that the government has not yet acted on a series of recommendations she made two years ago following another domestic violence case that left five dead.

B.C. has not established domestic violence courts. It has not broadly provided risk assessment training to police, Crown counsel, child protection and victim services workers. Resources for child protection, income assistance, mental health, addictions and domestic violence remain starved after last week’s budget, she said. And if anything, the justice system is more frayed and fragile than it was four years ago when the Schoenborn children were killed in their beds.

Ms. Turpel-Lafond’s new report chronicles a series of missed opportunities and says children exposed to domestic violence continue to be placed at risk by a protection system so weak, “there really isn’t a system at all.”

Parents in the midst of domestic violence are often left to assess the risks their children face.

“A frustrating and sometimes fatal concept continues to exist,” she told reporters, “that a mother in a dangerous domestic violence situation is capable of, and responsible for, taking on the staggering responsibility of protecting her children from a dangerous spouse.”

That was the case with Darcie Clarke, who had rebuffed entreaties to reunite with Mr. Schoenborn in the hours before he murdered their children. But she left the children in his care believing he would not harm them.

It was also the case with Sunny Park, who was seeking to leave her abusive husband Peter Lee when he stabbed her to death, along with his six-year-old son and the boy’s grandparents.

Ms. Turpel-Lafond’s report on the Peter Lee murders in 2009 led to a government pledge to reduce domestic violence, but services for victims of violence were later cut. She said Thursday she needs to see concrete action and new resources, not just speeches, this time.

On Thursday, the government conceded that its many attempts to fix the system have been haphazard and transient.

The Premier stood in the legislature and apologized to Ms. Clarke, the mother of the three children. She said the province’s fragmented system of domestic violence services failed to help the family. “We as a province can and must do better,” she said. “None of us can reverse the past, but we can learn from this tragedy and make sure that families in these circumstances receive better support than did the wife and children of Allan Schoenborn, a sick man who did so much harm.”

Her government announced a new domestic violence unit under the direction of Mary McNeil, the Minister for Children and Family Development. Ms. McNeil told reporters she is comfortable with the current budget, but her new unit will examine whether additional resources are needed. First it has to conduct an inventory of what services exist. “We need leadership on domestic violence,” she said. “We are going to make this work.”

The report on the deaths of Kaitlynne, Max and Cordon concluded that professionals who interacted with the family seemed blind to the risk to the children despite Mr. Schoenborn’s long history of mental-health issues and violence, which had escalated dramatically in the week prior to the killings.

One of the last chances to intervene occurred at a tele-bail hearing just days before the killing, where Mr. Schoenborn was freed against the recommendation of police. The justice of the peace said he was giving Mr. Schoenborn a break and urged him, “don’t let anything [go] wrong.”

Ms. Turpel-Lafond called that hearing “a disgrace to the justice system.”

Today, B.C. continues to allow cases involving domestic violence to be managed through that system of bail hearings by telephone. Justice Minister Shirley Bond promised to raise that issue with the province’s chief justice, but she said it will be up to the courts to make changes.

New center helps families of domestic violence with supervised visits, child exchanges

Huge Kudos for this center!!!  Mary and I were just discussing the other day how so many women are at risk when dealing with exchanges with their past abusers, and how many are in fear when their children are made to go to a visitation with their past abuser.  One of the mothers we know who had just started having to let her daughter go to exchanges was in a full panic much prior to having let her daughter spend the weekend with her past abuser, not wanting to give her daughter over because she was in total fear of what may happen, yet having to do so anyway because she was court ordered to.  Throughout the weekend she was a mess, and it was very heartbreaking to see a mother in such fear but having no other alternative because it was court ordered.  Thankfully things went well and her daughter came home safe from the visitation, but no parent should have to be made to live through that fear! 

We also talked about how exchanges can be used as a means to further manipulate and abuse the victim, and how the children are caught in the middle.  How many mothers go to these exchanges in total fear of their abuser, but having to do so because of a court order.  How it would be wonderful to get Advocates together who would go to these exchanges with the mothers, but I’m glad that centers like this are available to some victims at least.

February 28, 2012, 2:53 pm

By Nadia Crow/SourceMedia Group News

CEDAR RAPIDS-

“We help unite the families without them having to communicate with one another,” said Family Visitation Center of Linn County Program Director Elizabeth Riechers.

It’s a difficult task for parents who have a no-contact-order after a domestic violence incident.  Now families in Linn County can find a Safe Haven at the county’s Family Visitation Center.  The first-of-its-kind center in the state allows for supervised visits and child exchanges under supervision. The center opened in December, but staff hopes Tuesday’s open house gives them more attention.

It’s a relatively new resource for victims of domestic violence. Through federal dollars, this center allows kids to have both parents in their lives regardless of the serious problems their parents might have.

“Exchanging the children in front of the police station, McDonald’s, someplace in the open,” said Riechers.

But now families affected by domestic violence can come to the Linn County Family Visitation Center.

“Alot of times the batterer uses the time with the kids as another way to hurt the other parent.  Whereas here that won’t happen. We would stop the visit or do an intervention and ask the parent to change the subject,” said Family Visitation Center of Linn County Program Coordinator Cassandra Gibson.

Each visitation room also has a double-sided mirror so staff can monitor appointments.

“A lot of times, children feel in the middle or it’s their fault.  Where here the focus is on their relationship with the other parent,” said Gibson.

Safety and security top priorities here at Safe Haven. That’s why anytime someone comes to the building they have to be buzzed in to get inside the facility.  All clients and visitors are watched on multiple security cameras throughout their stay at the Family Visitation Center.

“It could be as risky as death, violence, shooting,” said Riechers.

Staff say the center is most crucial during the first few months of separation when lives are most at risk.  A family may only use the Family Visitation Center if they’re involved in a domestic violence situation.  The center ultimately hopes to help about 100 families a year.  They’re also working to serve a six-county radius and not just Linn County.

Original Article

Calgary police buoyed by drop in domestic violence charges

I’m glad to hear that the complaints are rising slightly, may mean more victims are getting reached and reaching out for help!  I like that they have gotten social workers involved with the team, and think it would be great to add in Domestic Violence Advocates to that team to make it more rounded.  Other areas have been seeing good outcomes when building such teams, and I pray that it’s the same for Calgary.

Complaints rise slightly, according to new data

By Jason van Rassel, Calgary Herald March 5, 2012

CALGARY — Domestic violence continues to exact a high toll on society, but in Calgary there are signs more people are seeking help before it’s too late.

In 2011, the number of domestic complaints received by Calgary police climbed to approximately 16,500 — an increase of more than 4.5 per cent over the 15,789 recorded the previous year.

While that statistic points to a high number of families in conflict, police and agencies that work in the domestic violence field say there’s reason for optimism because the number of criminal charges arising from those incidents is going down.

“After a dozen years of working on this thing, maybe we’re finally making a difference,” said Kevin McNichol of HomeFront Calgary, the coalition of police, prosecutors and local agencies behind a specialized court that hears domestic violence cases.

Calgary police laid 3,772 criminal charges while responding to domestic calls in 2011, down from 4,044 charges the year before.

Authorities in Calgary have worked for years to bring police, prosecutors and local agencies together in a coordinated effort to reduce domestic violence.

Established in 2000, the domestic violence court works to break the cycle of abuse by offering treatment to perpetrators who are willing to change and jailing the ones who aren’t, while at the same time ensuring shelter, protection and support for victims and children.

When it first began hearing cases, between 30 and 35 per cent of defendants would go on to face a new accusation of domestic violence. The recidivism rate among domestic abusers eligible for the specialized court now sits at about 12 per cent, McNichol said.

Despite some encouraging signs, domestic violence continues to kill people — most recently 33-year-old Andrea Conroy, who was stabbed to death in her Airdrie home by ex-boyfriend Richard Doucette.

Doucette later killed himself in a Nanton hotel room.

The RCMP had no reports of trouble between the couple, but Doucette had a long history of violence.

Doucette, 41, spent time in prison for the attempted murder of a girlfriend in the 1990s and had two more recent convictions in Calgary for assaults on another woman.

Historically, domestic homicides have accounted for just over 25 per cent of killings in Calgary.

Of 364 reported homicides in Calgary since 1992, 97 involved a spouse, intimate partner or family member who either committed the crime or stands accused of it.

As is the case generally with domestic violence, perpetrators and suspected killers in those family homicides are mostly male: 74 men, compared to 23 women.

Although only one of Calgary’s 11 homicides in 2011 involved domestic violence, police are still dealing with thousands of cases and local women’s shelters are often running at capacity.

“We’re super busy,” said Staff Sgt. John Guigon of the domestic conflict unit, which reviews all domestic calls handled by police and becomes involved in cases deemed to be a higher risk.

Guigon credits a pilot project that employs police and social workers to steer families toward community resources before their domestic crises become more serious with cutting the caseload (see sidebar above), but it’s still a significant one.

“How do we fix that? I really wish I had a really good answer,” he said.

Like McNichol, Guigon said the lower number of criminal charges resulting from those police visits may be a sign families are seeking help sooner.

“I think it’s getting easier for people to talk about it,” he said.

While Calgary may be finally seeing results from its collaborative efforts, smaller communities often can’t offer the same.

Some municipalities have their own specialized courts and the RCMP has teams of domestic violence investigators at some larger detachments, but those resources don’t exist in many communities.

“In some ways it’s a postal-code lottery, depending on where you live,” said Jan Reimer, provincial co-ordinator for the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters.

Many communities don’t have the population to support the same resources as cities like Calgary, Reimer acknowledged — but she added they are still lagging behind in more basic areas, such as shelter spaces.

Reimer’s organization is one of many in the domestic violence field pushing for the Alberta government to establish a body that would examine each domestic homicide and make recommendations.

“There could be a great deal to learn,” she said.

jvanrassel@calgaryherald.com Twitter:@JasonvanRassel

INITIATIVE BOOSTS FIGHT AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

It’s great to see this model being used in Minnesota now!  I’ve heard some good outcomes when using the LAP, and I pray that it helps Minnesota victims and that much success comes out of it and lower DV homicide rates and more help for the victims is a result.

From Chisago County Attorney Janet Reiter—

Fifteen women from Minnesota lost their lives to domestic violence in 2010, according to the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women.

Over the past decade, 194 women were killed by a current or former husband, boyfriend, intimate partner, household member or family member.

Last week, officers from Wyoming, North Branch and Lakes Area Police Departments attended training to implement an innovative program designed to address the level of domestic violence in their communities.

More than 30 officers from the three departments are now ready to use a scientifically-based tool, called a “Lethality Assessment,” to direct their response to domestic violence calls and assist victims seek help from battered women’s shelters like The Refuge Network.

The program is the Lethality Assessment Program — Maryland Model (LAP). It’s based on 25 years of research at The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. The research revealed:

• Only 4 percent of domestic violence murder victims nationwide had ever availed themselves of domestic violence program services.

• In 50 percent of domestic violence-related homicides, officers had previously responded to a call on the scene.

• The re-assault of domestic violence victims in high-danger situations was reduced by 60 percent if they went to a shelter for help.

The goal of the LAP: to prevent domestic violence homicides, serious injury and re-assault by encouraging more victims to use the support and shelter services of domestic violence programs.

How it works

A specific series of questions are used by officers to determine a level of risk associated with an abuser and the victim. When victims’ responses rate as high-risk on the Lethality Assessment, an immediate call is made to The Refuge Network’s hotline.

The immediate connection has been found to be much more effective than simply leaving a business card for the victim who often does not follow through once the abuser has been arrested and removed from the home.

“The Lakes Area Police Department is excited to take part in the Lethality Assessment process,” said Police Chief Stenson. “Ours is but the initial step in several elements working together to make sure the needs of domestic violence victims are being met to the best of our ability. A few minutes to assess and get a few questions answered is well worth the time to improve services.”

Later, the information gathered from the Lethality Assessment may be used by prosecutors to charge and prosecute the cases and by probation officers to determine levels of intervention — with the ultimate goal of keeping victims safe and reducing recidivism.

Chisago County probation officer Bruce Hagstrom supervises misdemeanor offenders. “We look forward to this new tool providing greater victim safety, and increased offender accountability by identifying higher risk domestic offenders,” he said.

Lethality Assessments will also be made available to judges making bail and pre-trial release determinations to assist the court in determining appropriate bail and pre-trial release conditions. Chisago County is already prioritizing domestic abuse cases by placing them on the fast track, allowing cases to reach jury trial on a priority basis.

Sgt. Randy McAlister, from the Cottage Grove Police Department, assisted with the training sessions in Chisago County. He has been an outspoken proponent of the LAP after its implementation in Washington County.

McAlister has seen the LAP assessment tool serve as the objective evidence that is sometimes needed to convince reluctant victims to get the help from the available domestic abuse programs and shelters.

Group effort

The implementation of the LAP in Chisago County is the result of positive collaboration between the Chisago County Attorney’s Office, Chisago County Court Services, The Refuge Network and law enforcement.

The adopted two-pronged intervention process features the law enforcement administered lethality screening tool and an accompanying referral protocol that provides direction for law enforcement, victims’ advocates, court services and prosecutors.

Assistant County Attorney Jennifer Bovitz, probation officer Bruce Hagstrom and advocates from The Refuge were instrumental in initiating the LAP in Chisago County.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence in their relationship, help is available at The Refuge Network. In Chisago County, call 651-247-2890.

Original Article

Pottstown police aim to curb domestic violence

“It doesn’t matter how good of a police agency you have when it comes to domestic violence ... those are crimes that happen in the privacy of people’s own homes. Good police work isn’t going to prevent domestics from happening,” he said. However, he emphasized, educating people about domestic violence and providing resources to victims, “those are things that can be done to reduce incidents of domestic violence.”

By Brandie Kessler
bkessler@pottsmerc.com

Posted: 02/26/12

Mercury file photo Pottstown police chief Mark Flanders.

POTTSTOWN — The Mercury had no sooner confirmed a murder in the borough Feb. 2, than rumors began to fly about the motive of that killing.

Comments on PottsMerc.com, The Mercury’s website, and its Facebook page immediately began referencing “PottsVegas,” and the misguided belief, summed up in one comment that the killing was “prolly over a measly 20 dollar drug exchange.”

Although some people made comments defending Pottstown, stating that crime can happen anywhere, the overwhelming majority of comments painted a picture of a community littered with crime, drugs and murder.

But just as police confirmed the Feb. 2 murder — the first murder in the borough in more than four years — stemmed from an alleged domestic incident in which a 31-year-old mother of two was allegedly strangled by her boyfriend, police also say Pottstown’s reputation and the statistics regarding crime within the borough’s borders don’t jibe.

Police Chief Mark Flanders recently spoke out about the reality of crime in Pottstown, and the necessity to stop giving credence to the misinformation when real issues, like domestic violence, deserve the attention.

“Crime is proportionate to population across America,” Flanders said. “We’re no different. (But) our crime rate is perceived to be high with no consideration to our population.”

With more than 22,000 residents in the 5.1-square-mile borough, Flanders said there’s bound to be crime, much as there is crime every place that people live.

“Crime is unacceptable, but it’s a reality,” he said.

Another thing that is unacceptable, he said, is the perpetuation of misinformation regarding crime in Pottstown.

“When I hear people say ... ‘there’s a murder that happens every weekend (in Pottstown),’ it’s totally not true. We haven’t had a murder since 2008,” Flanders said. “When I hear comments that drug dealers are killing each other left and right, no, that’s not accurate.”

Flanders said that through his career in the borough, “most of the homicide investigations have involved individuals who had a relationship with one another,” meaning they were married, dating, friends or acquaintances, and the murder was not a random act of violence.

That is once again the case with the Feb. 2 murder of Alicia Schmidt, allegedly at the hands of her boyfriend, Edwin Carrero II. Police found Schmidt’s body in the basement of her residence after they responded there to follow-up on a report. According to court records, Carrero made an early morning phone call to his ex-wife and told her he may have killed Schmidt. He stated he choked Schmidt and pushed her down the stairs. He then asked his ex-wife to give him “a half hour to an hour” before she called police.

Carrero was captured by authorities on Feb. 7. He allegedly fled from Pennsylvania in Schmidt’s vehicle, and he was arrested at a Florida resort casino after he was observed in Schmidt’s vehicle. He is awaiting extradition back to Montgomery County where he will face murder and related charges.

Although Flanders would not speak about the Carrero case, as it is his department’s policy to not comment on ongoing investigations, Mercury archives indicate the relationship between Carrero and Schmidt is typical of relationships where domestic violence is present.

Court records and Mercury archives indicate Carrero was arrested in December 2010 for a prior incident at Schmidt’s residence on Cherry Street. During that incident, Carrero allegedly stole Schmidt’s vehicle after an altercation in which he told her if she called the police and he got arrested, he would “do my time and then get out and come after you.”

Speaking in general about incidents of domestic violence, Flanders said it’s not uncommon for domestic violence incidents to evolve and escalate.

“Generally speaking,” he said, “when we investigate serious crimes of domestic violence,” meaning those that fall into the Part I category of crimes, such as homicides and aggravated assaults as opposed to harassment or stalking, “typically there is a history.”

And that previous murder in 2008? Also domestic violence.

One challenge of policing domestic violence, Flanders said, is that it’s not something that responds to policing.

“It doesn’t matter how good of a police agency you have when it comes to domestic violence ... those are crimes that happen in the privacy of people’s own homes. Good police work isn’t going to prevent domestics from happening,” he said. However, he emphasized, educating people about domestic violence and providing resources to victims, “those are things that can be done to reduce incidents of domestic violence.”

Flanders said he considers all incidents of domestic violence serious “because, if left unchecked, it’s going to escalate.”

Flanders said that although it’s a mistake to say there are a lot of murders in the borough, he would agree with someone who says domestic violence is a problem in the borough.

“In Pottstown, we have traditionally handled what I think is a lot of domestic calls,” he said.

The peak of such calls came in 2005, when the Pottstown Police Department handled nearly 2,000 calls for domestic violence. Since then, Flanders has addressed the issue of domestic violence differently.

“From 2005 to 2008, we started training our officers better,” he said.

There was new information regarding the psychology of domestic violence incidents, and there was also a push from advocates and agencies helping victims for law enforcement to do more.

Flanders recalled the days when very little was done to address domestic violence.

“When I started in police work (33 years ago), ... typically we split the parties up. We’d tell one party, typically the man, to go somewhere for the night to go cool off.

“Police didn’t get involved in family business,” he said. “That was the wrong approach.”

Flanders said the approach was not only ineffective, because the abuser knew there would be little consequences to their actions, but it often exacerbated the problem.

“Why would you report something if you know you’re not going to be taken seriously,” Flanders said, referencing victims of domestic violence. Furthermore, why would you report an incident to police if you knew the consequences could result in more abuse?

Pressure from organizations that advocated for victims of domestic violence affected change, going to legislators and law enforcement officials, Flanders said. “It forced us to get involved in family business.”

Thanks to those who pushed for change, there are now more programs that help victims, Flanders said. Among those programs in Montgomery County are Laurel House, the Women’s Center of Montgomery County and the Domestic Abuse Response Team (or DART) program. There are also programs that address batterers, like The S.A.F.E. Project, which stands for Stop Abuse Foster Empowerment, run by social worker Chuck Gallun.

Flanders said these programs also enable police to do a more effective job. For example, the DART program sends a volunteer to provide support to a victim of domestic violence as soon as they’re notified there is an issue. That support, Flanders said, is invaluable It “provides us with the ability to have a responder come out immediately to be with a victim. It’s given law enforcement to provide services we couldn’t before.”

Flanders recalled the frustration that he and many of his colleagues felt years ago.

“When I started in law enforcement in the late 1970s, the generation I was hired with, many were frustrated,” he said. “There were no consequences (for perpetrators of domestic violence.) There was a lot of work (done by police,) but no consequences.”

Today, “I think we’re in a much better place in that regard. But I think we have a long way to go,” Flanders said. He said he feels the “number one tool” to continue making strides against domestic violence is education. Addressing youth, in particular, is of extreme importance, he said.

It’s also important, Flanders said, that people speak up when they see, hear or suspect something is happening, even if it’s happening behind closed doors.

“If somebody observes domestic violence occurring, I hope they would give us a call and get us involved,” Flanders said. He noted that a neighbor who reports hearing abuse next door need not worry that they will be found out as the person who called police. “We don’t make it a habit of telling the names of people who call us,” he said.

Acknowledging that some people don’t want to involve the police, Flanders said there are resources victims can use that don’t mean going to the police. “There are a lot of places you can go without anybody knowing,” he said.

If you know someone who is dealing with domestic violence, help is available. Montgomery County Women’s Center can be reached at 610-970-7363; the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County can be reached at 610-431-1430; Berks County Women in Crisis can be reached at 610-372-9540; and Laurel House can be reached at 610-277-1860. The SAFE Project can help abusers stop being abusive. The Children’s SAFE Project can help kids who witness or are affected by violence in the family. For information on these programs call 610-326-9250 ext. 1197.

Follow reporter Brandie Kessler on Twitter @I_M_BrandieK

Original Article

Officials hope stronger laws help curb domestic violence Read more:The Daily Home - Officials hope stronger laws help curb domestic violence

by David Atchison

Feb 26, 2012

St. Clair County has seen an increase in domestic violence murders committed by men against women.

“I find it disturbing we saw an increase last year,” said Carrie Leland, the YWCA Central Alabama Rural Domestic Violence Services coordinator.

She said St. Clair County logged one homicide each year resulting from domestic violence in 2009 and 2010, but that number jumped to two last year.

Leland said there have been two domestic violence murders committed against women already this year, and it is only February.

“I’m alarmed we had two in the first month of 2012,” she said.

Leland said she hopes the recent strengthening of new domestic violence laws will help curb domestic violence and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.

“In September 2011, some changes were made to Alabama’s domestic violence laws, which added new felony and misdemeanor crimes and mandatory jail sentences for multiple convictions,” Leland said. “There are now mandatory jail sentences for people convicted for their second and third domestic violence offenses.”

She said domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women in the United States, and in 2010 Alabama was ranked second in the nation for women killed by men in domestic violence incidents.

Leland said since 2009, 97 women and 78 children have stayed in the YWCA confidential domestic violence shelter in St. Clair County.

“Unfortunately, we are a very busy operation, but we also know that every victim does not reach out to us for help,” she said. “Some suffer in silence and some do not know help is available.”

In 2011 alone, the YWCA St. Clair County office served 1,904 victims in courts and through crisis calls.

Court systems across the state are filled with domestic violence cases, with most cases involving the abuse of women committed by a boyfriend or husband.

“I think one of our biggest problems is that the victim refuses to cooperate,” St. Clair County Assistant District Attorney Gwendolyn Connelly said. “We try to make them understand that we are trying to get their partner help. The violence is going to increase over time unless they get help.”

She said St. Clair County contracts with outside services to help break the cycle of domestic violence against women.

Domestic violence offenders sometimes volunteer and others are ordered to the six-month domestic violence intervention program.
Connelly said the program can work.

“It seems to be really effective for first-time offenders,” she said. “It certainly gets their attention.”

She said some offenders return to court and face prosecution.

Connelly said offenders could face up to 12 months in jail for domestic violence misdemeanor convictions.

Felony convictions could mean stiffer penalties and possible prison time.

If convicted, she said, an offender could lose their right to carry a gun.

Connelly said it is not uncommon for domestic violence offenders to use alcohol or drugs.

“I have seen alcohol and drug abuse as one of the factors in the majority of domestic violence cases,” she said. “It can be a challenge to get the defender clean before you can address the domestic violence issues.”

Connelly said it’s important that women cooperate with law enforcement so their partner can get help before the violence escalates.

“They could end up being a homicide victim,” she said.

Talladega County District Attorney Steve Giddens said his office has and will prosecute domestic violence offenders with or without a victim’s cooperation, but he said it is a challenge for law enforcement if the victim does not cooperate.

“We tried a case three years ago where the wife refused to testify,” Giddens said. “He (her husband) hit her in the head with a hammer.”

He said the children testified in the case. Prosecutors used 911 tapes and the victim’s statements made to officers who arrived on the scene.

“She refused to testify, but we tried the case, and the guy was found guilty by a jury,” Giddens said.

He said one of the biggest changes in recent domestic violence laws that has helped law enforcement prosecute domestic violence offenders is the “probable cause law.” The law enables police to arrest a suspect of domestic violence if there is probable cause that a domestic violence crime occurred.

Giddens said the Talladega County District Attorney’s Office also employs a victim’s advocate who assists and aids victims. He said the victim advocate can assist in filing restraining orders and help the victims through the court process.

Giddens said the Domestic Violence Victim’s Advocate position is funded through a federal grant the District Attorney’s Office applied for several years ago.

He said domestic violence cases are sometimes difficult to prosecute when the witnesses refuse to testify in court or refuse to go forward with charges against the offender.

Giddens said there are many reasons a witness may refuse to testify against their husband or boyfriend, including fear.

“Sometimes they move back in with them and, of course, they (the offender) are absolutely on their best behavior,” he said.

He said the District Attorney’s Office had one case where the offender pointed a gun and attempted to shoot his wife. The gun malfunctioned.

“Instead he beat her with the gun, breaking the butt of the rifle,” Giddens said. “If that gun had operated like it should have, we would have been trying a murder case.”

The woman did not want her husband prosecuted.

He said it is important that people report domestic violence incidents.

“People need to be held accountable for what they have done,” Giddens said.

Leland agreed, saying domestic violence is not a momentary loss of temper and is inexcusable.

“It is a behavioral choice that only the batterer is responsible for and is not caused by job stress, economic stress, family stress or substance abuse,” she said. “Domestic violence is a deliberate pattern of abusive tactics by one partner in an intimate relationship to obtain and maintain power and control over the other partner.”

Leland said everyone should feel safe in their own home, which is where most domestic violence incidents occur.

“Victims of domestic violence my be isolated from friends, family and neighbors and lose their network of social support,” Leland said. “With time, the abusive partner may use increasingly severe methods to maintain control. Eventually, the violence may lead to serious injury and can result in hospitalization or death.”

Leland said the YWCA offers confidential shelter, legal services, assistance in filling out protection from abuse petitions, support groups and relocation assistance to victims of domestic violence.

“There is no excuse for domestic violence, and its costs are just too high,” Leland said.

Contact David Atchison at datchison@dailyhome.com.

Original Content

Externships link Arkansas law students, women

What a wonderful program!  Kudos for those doing this, it is very much needed!

They’re right, women are many times more then overwhelmed when attempting to navigate the court system.  So often they are not mentally capable of doing so, their mind being in such fragments from the abuse, the change, it’s as if their system goes into shock.  So often this stops women from going to court against their abuser, not to mention the fear factor involved and at times the financial issues.  Women really need someone to fully guide them through, to support them through the process.  People that understand that it isn’t going to be easy on them, and that more time may be involved to help a victim through the process then it would someone whose world hasn’t been torn apart.  Include self esteem issues, many women come out of abusive situations with the mind set that they can’t do anything correct and couldn’t possibly go against their abuser in court.

I’ve heard other programs such as this, and it’s great to see yet another program starting up to help women through the court process.  I hope to see more of them in the future!

Externships link Arkansas law students, women

Feb 26, 2012 3:00am

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Victims of domestic violence are often overwhelmed navigating the court system while tending to all the details as they try to rebuild their lives, say those working on their behalf.

Hiring an attorney is also a financial hurdle for a woman escaping abuse, so a new program between the University of Arkansas and the Donald W. Reynolds Peace at Home Family Shelter provides legal assistance to domestic violence victims.

Samantha Leflar, a licensed attorney overseeing the program, hopes it will allow her to assist more victims from Peace at Home, which serves only women.

Leflar also hopes UA law students, known as fellows under the program, will find solutions that will help her clients and all victims of domestic violence, she said.

"They're really motivated and excited," Leflar said of the students. "Putting that human face on it gives you a reason to get up in the morning. You're actually providing a tangible benefit to somebody's life who needs your help."

Leflar, a 2010 UA law graduate, said the program is the brainchild of Susan Schell, director of career services at the law school.

Schell volunteers at Peace at Home, and she saw the "externship" program as a way to connect to law school students interested in public service and providing free legal services for women at the shelter.

The pieces for the externship program came together after Leflar secured a two-year Skadden Fellowship that focused on domestic violence.

That means Leflar could be the licensed attorney needed to supervise the students, Schell said. Then the UA Women's Giving Circle awarded the program a $10,000 grant that allows law students to earn $1,000 to $3,000 while assisting Peace at Home clients.

One law student is selected as a fellow each semester.

"Everything came together at the right time," Schell said.

Domestic violence victims can represent themselves in pursuing an order of protection, but they are at a disadvantage if the abuser has an attorney, said Jayne Ann Kita, executive director of the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Hiring an attorney is a financial burden for a woman in that situation, she said. Women receive assistance from attorneys who sometimes offer free services, she said.

There are also free legal aid organizations, such as Legal Aid of Arkansas, but those firms often struggle with funding, Kita said.

"The shelters are struggling with basic needs," Kita said. "They would love to be able to pay for attorneys."

Leflar's fellowship allows her to provide direct legal representation to victims of domestic violence. Also a staff attorney for Legal Aid of Arkansas, she said she is interested in helping victims combat financial dependence that can lead them back to living with their abusers.

Common legal issues for domestic violence victims involve orders of protection, child custody and divorce, Leflar said. She's also given legal advice on their rights and protections in the law and counseled clients on credit and housing issues.

"There's a lot of room for helping with interviewing victims and seeing what they need and backing that up with legal research," Leflar said.

Legal concerns go beyond what the law provides, Leflar said.

Victims weigh whether protection orders will make their situation more volatile, or the legal impact on their children and whether they need to hide to prevent further harm, she said.

The externship program has given her the ability to take on a few more individual cases, Leflar said. With the assistance of the fellows, Leflar can consider how laws could be changed to improve the protection of domestic violence victims, she said.

Once the fellows are trained, Leflar anticipates being able to interview up to 15 clients a day, up from the five she can handle alone, she said.

The externship program gave current fellow Whitney Wayne, a second-year law student from Blanco, Texas, an opportunity to explore her interest in women's issues, she said. So far, she has gone to the shelter to interview clients with Leflar a couple of times.

"It was kind of sobering," Wayne said. "It's surreal until you meet real people in the community. They come in and talk about their issues with us."

Wayne has drafted protection orders and other documents to send to the court, she said. She's enjoyed interacting with clients and getting to know them.

Molly Magee, the first fellow who started in December, is a second-year law student from Conway with an interest in legal research and writing, she said. Her fellowship is overlapping with Wayne's.

She has studied the Arkansas Domestic Abuse Act, similar laws in other states and how courts have interpreted those laws. The experience has given Magee an interest in learning about other groups who need further protections, she said.

"It's something that somebody has to do," Magee said. "It's something I feel like I can contribute. The clients (Leflar) has now and clients in the future in similar situations will be affected by the work that I've done."

Family law cases make up about 60 percent of the volume of cases for the Legal Aid of Arkansas regional office in Fayetteville, said Marshall Prettyman, director of litigation.

"Almost all the family law we do is domestic violence related," Prettyman said.

It's a rare week that the office does not have two or three cases related to domestic violence, Prettyman said. Despite cuts in funding from the state and federal government, Legal Aid of Arkansas has avoided reducing services for domestic violence victims, he said.

"Domestic violence has always been one of our high priorities as far as cases to handle," Prettyman said.

Working with victims of domestic violence, though, requires more than assistance with legal procedures and court filings, Prettyman said.

Legal Aid of Arkansas's Fayetteville office follows a holistic approach in assisting victims of domestic violence, so the victims are able to be on their own and safe and less likely to return to an abuser.

"That always eventually saves lives," he said.

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