Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Things are changing around here at the UAADV News Blog!  We are un-cluttering the sidebars, adding some features, and moving the main website over to integrate the two.
First let’s talk about the Friend Connect Social bar that you now see at the bottom of the window.  This replaces the Followers module, where here it does!  You can still Follow Us or Sign in over on the left of this bar.  

Want to be friends with someone here?  Then look to the far right of the Social Bar and click ‘members’; followers are now members.  You can click each thumbnail to view that member and which blogs they follow, and add them as a friend.

Want to leave a comment about the entire site?  Or ask a question in general?  You can now do so with the Social bar.  Find the ‘comments’ just to the left of the ‘members’; click there and leave your comment.  It will show in the timeline for the entire blog (largest section of the Social bar).  You can of course still comment on each blog post just like always!

As for moving the main UAADV website over and integrating it, this will take us some time.  Please be patient with us as we get this done.  Once this is done you will be able to use the tabs across the top of the blog to access the many informational articles that were on the main website.
You probably already noticed that there is a new tab at the top “UAADV Network”.  This tab will take you off the blog and into the UAADV Network that is set up on the Ning platform.  This is a social network within Ning much like other social networks.  There you can have your own profile, enter discussions in a forum area, join groups, have chats and many other things.
As always, if you have questions regarding how to access or use any of these features please don’t hesitate to ask!  UAADV is for YOU, so let us know how YOU want to use it! 
UAADV is for victims, survivors and advocates alike!

A Mother’s Letter

This was written by a mother who recently won the right to keep her child safe. She fought a long, hard battle… against too many people willing to help her abuser keep the abuse alive. HER abuser is (or was?) stationed in Charleston, SC. As we celebrate her victory, please remember that there are SO MANY other victims being treated just as badly, or worse by those sworn to protect us. We will not stop. Our children deserve safety, and we are all dedicated to this. The mother’s are speaking out.. Can YOU hear them?? ~WyldeFaerie~

I was asked to share an update of my long journey in search of justice with others. Others, who like me, have been forced to learn many of life’s most terrifying lessons the hard way and by those who we entrusted our safety with.

When I first began my long journey, I never even knew that we had two different types of Senators in each state. But because the crimes committed against me, were inflicted by a member of the United States Coast Guard, I quickly learned the Multi Levels and Confusing Structure of our Government. Three years later and I am still confused. Because not only was I victimized by the man that I loved and trusted, but I also suffered by the lack of actions by his colleagues and superiors. I like to reference these individuals as. “ The boys in blue club”

I learned due to hands on experience of having dozens of doors shut again and again while I continued to hope, plead, pray and search for safety. I can’t even tell you (because it was a lot) how many times, I heard the statement from Law Enforcement and Government Officials

“How sorry they were because their Office was unable to help me, because it was outside of their Jurisdiction”…

And then this Office gave me another number of another Office to call, and Guess what,,, 9 out of 10 of these Offices told me the same damn thing. Talk about frustration, disappointment and worse of all Despair.

When I finally had enough money, I hired an Attorney. When I first met with my Divorce Attorney, she told me that the Court frowned upon parents who refused to allow the other parent contact with their child. I remember staring at her in disbelief and saying, “Why would any legal/law official force me to place my child in danger and she said because that’s just the way it goes. I went home from her office that day and cried. I remember being so confused, terrified, disgusted and not knowing what to do or which way to turn.

A few days later I had to go down to the Police Station to report threats, that I received from my ex husband. I was informed by the SGT on that my husband had just been down to the police station with an Order out of a State (FL) (note a State He DID Not LIVE IN) and that he requested that NH Police assist him in serving me with this Emergency Custody of our Daughter. The Officer informed me, that I was lucky that I held a Restraining Order against him or they would have helped him serve this order. I perceived this as they would have assisted him in ripping my everything (my child), from my arms.

I remember not believing that a Judge could never have allowed this, I remember the feeling of horror when I realized they had. I kept replying the “What if’s over and over in my head. What if they enforced this order, what if he took her, What if I didn’t have the RO Order Against him, what if, What if. For weeks I couldn’t get out of my own way. I wanted to die, but if I died, I knew that all I did was endanger my child even more.

Prior to this I had sought the help of Coast Guard Work Life members and Coast Guard Commanders and watched how their definition of confidentially, meant informing the member that a report had been placed against them and then I suffered both physically and mentally because that member took out his rage on me.

For a long time I debated on whether or not it was easier being a victim of domestic violence verse that of a being a Survivor. I never ever thought that our Court and Justice System were favorable to the Offender verse that of the Victims…. but I soon learned that most times that was the case….

I called organizations who “marketed themselves as those who help domestic violence victims”. Sadly, more than less informed me that the crimes and abusive actions I suffered from and continued to suffer from were just not “Not Bad Enough”… Well, I personally view any form of abuse, whether it be mental, physical or sexual abuse as equally as horrible and terrifying as the other.

To date the UAADV is the only one who did not display prejudice towards me and require that I be a “specialized victim of a certain form of abuse”.. Thank you UAADV for fighting equally for all victims of violence.

I went back to my Attorney with a message, I told her that I hired her to fight for what was right and that was exactly was she was going to do. I told her ‘Screw the Bandwagon Approach” because I would rather die than place my child in harm’s way. Well she did just this and guess what? It got worse, the harder I stood the harder my Ex tried to make me fall. He falsely accused me of crimes and then his boys in blue fans arrested me. Each time I wanted to give up/give in but I kept remembering that I was dead if he ever got her.

My daughter and I went into hiding, my ex found us, the court showed little and in many occasions no mercy. The Coast Guard continued to enable a Mad Man because he could drive a boat. They even failed to garnish this jack asses pay for 14 plus months until Senator Kennedy's Office kicked the crap out of them and I went public and had to let the world know all about my worst nightmares, in order to expose their Dishonorable Actions.

I am still fighting them til this day and I will continue to do so until they get their Shit Straight and realize why men went to war… “ To Protect the Women and Children at Home”…. They need to go back to their Grass Roots instead of their continuous acts to cover up their many violations of the Lautenberg Amendment and concerns with obtaining Qualified Bowsenmates, instead of Protecting Safety of Women and Children,

To tell the remainder of the 3 year story would require me to write a Novel. But what I learned was that Our Justice-Court System is in Need of Renovating. To many people turn a blind eye….I learned how important it is for Women to be familiar with the laws, acts and amendments that we have in place to protect us. And how we need to remind Congress and Our Justice System on the reason why each was put in place…

As of Friday March 13, 2009, I won the most important thing in my entire world. My ex husband terminated all of his parental rights to my daughter. It cost me every penny I had plus some. Essentially I bought her Freedom. But This Day became my Independence Day.

I finally won because he gave up his right to ever hurt me again.

The rest of issues caused because of this tragedies actions, I will deal with… And I will deal each of them. I am smarter and I am stronger now. The wrongful actions only enabled and empowered me.

Knowledge is Power.

I will fight Even Harder Because

“I Will Never Forget”

Remember

“A Mothers Love is the Fuel That Gives Us the Strength to DO the Impossible and Together We Are Unstoppable.”

“ Never Forget”

del.icio.us Tags: military abuse,mothers,abuse,hope

Missing South Carolina Boy Found In Virginia

   posted 11:19 am Mon June 16, 2008 - South Carolina

An amber alert for a missing child ended Monday night.

Colin Nathaniel Custer was found with his father, Robert William Custer II, 45, in Virginia.  Authorities cancelled the amber alert around 6:00 p.m.

The alert was issued in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia after Lexington County authorities found the boy's mother locked in a gas station bathroom Monday morning. She told them the child's father abducted them Sunday after a court-ordered visitation.

Robert Custer has a history of violence with women.  Renee Pennell-Rashell says Custer placed a cloth over her mouth and nose and she lost consciousness.

There is no word on charges in this case.

What You Can Do To Help Prevent Domestic Violence

By Winnie Williams
May 8, 2008 - 12:00 a.m. EST

Special to the Daily Journal/Messenger

Winnie Williams

Criminal domestic violence is the number one crime problem in South Carolina, according to the Attorney General’s report in 2006. He also reports that a woman is battered 12 to 15 times before she reports the abuse to law officials to file a report. According to the SC Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse, Oconee County ranks 36th out of 45 counties in incidents of domestic violence with 429 abuses reported, Pickens County ranks 42nd with 382 abuses, and Anderson County ranks 14th with 1480 abuses reported. These figures represent an approximate number of women violated by a partner each year in South Carolina.

The above incidence rates should be a wake-up call for immediate action to combat this criminal dilemma in our community. Not only do we have obligations to rescue women from violence, but also the eight million plus children each year who are at risk from witnessing domestic violence in their homes. A boy who witnesses his father’s domestic violence is 10 times more likely to engage in domestic violence than a boy from a nonviolent home (SCCADVAS). A worthy goal would be to have a violence-free generation.

How can a community address this most prevalent crime? It will "take a village” working together to significantly impact this mammoth problem, but it can happen by one person or organization at a time daring to take the initiative to become an advocate for battered victims.

The following are suggestions for communities who desire to address the domestic violence issue:

— Alert the public.

— Ensure that our county, school and libraries have books related DV.

— Help our communities become aware of the availability of programs.

— Make people aware of Hotlines and Safe Homes.

— Become aware of laws for DV.

— Encourage law enforcement officers to be aggressive.

— Encourage schools to provide education resources for teens.

Additional research needs to be done to determine, for example, how youth violence is linked to aggression at home. A study by Dr. Kurt Fischer, of Harvard/Brandeis University found that “Violence by youngsters 7-13 is more related to the amount of aggression children witness in their parents and is a powerful predictor of how violent children will become.” These children learn to use violent behavior as a solution to their problems. Stopping domestic violence can come through political will and determination. Contacting your legislators to develop and enforce strong laws regarding domestic violence would be a muscular deterrent to violence.

There are multiple means of tackling this horrible crime, and many resources are available that have not been tapped. Dollars do help in providing a safe haven for women and children, but the greatest challenge is the prevention of the abuse in the first place. Prevention is the key to solving this age-old problem that tends to be disregarded and often unnoticed by communities.

MORE>>>>

del.icio.us Tags: Domestic Violence,SC Mother's Alliance Against DV,United Angels Against Domestic Violence,Winnie Williams

Family Courts State Profiles

Alabama
Alabama Administrative Office of the Courts Family Court Division: Features history and mission of Court Improvement Program, Juvenile Services, volunteers, visitation, court referees, training, program information, and an organizational chart. Also includes links to state and federal resources and organizations for family court-related issues.

Jefferson County Family Court: Jurisdiction, maps, contact information, programs, drug court, teen court, mental health services, training and volunteers, and child support.

California
Judicial Council of California, Center for Families, Children, and the Courts: case summaries, reports, program information, and resources.

Placer County Family Court Clinic.

San Francisco Superior Court, Unified Family Court: contact information, FAQs about various processes, local rules, delinquency, child support, dependency, mediation, family law facilitator, juvenile traffic, forms, maps.

Santa Clara County Family Court

Superior Court of California, County of Orange Family Law Court.

Delaware
Family Court of Delaware: History, court rules and fees, structure, and other information is available on the site. See especially the Family Court Performance Standards and Measures, an application of the Trial Court Performance Standards to the Delaware Family Court (December 1999). See also Delaware State Personnel Office, Quality Counts: A Manual of Family Court Performance Measurement (Wilmington, DE: December 2002).

Florida
Family Court Initiative: rules, opinions, standards, pro se information, reports, and other information.

Fourth Judicial Circuit (Clay, Duval and Nassau counties) Family Court Services: forms, Family Nurturing Center, divorce, drug court, foster care review, mediation, guardian ad litem, and other information.

Georgia
Superior Court of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit, Family Division

Hawaii
Hawaii Family Courts Web site includes rules, forms, records, fees and other relevant information related to Hawaii family courts.

Louisiana
Family Court of East Baton Rouge Parish.

Fourth Judicial District Court Family and Domestic Rules (Ouachita and Morehouse Parish)

Maine
Family Division includes contact information, publications, Division goals, FAQ, and more.

Maryland
Department of Family Administration includes information about and links to the Committees on Family Law; foster care; forms; juvenile delinquency; legal resources; local coordinators and circuit court family divisions; publications; family services; and treatment/evaluative services.

Massachusetts
Massachusetts Court System, Probate and Family Court: jurisdiction and contact information. Also includes links to the following probate and family courts, plus contacts, directions, hours, fax and e-filing information, jurisdiction, etc.:

Barnstable Probate and Family Court

Berkshire Probate and Family Court

Bristol Probate and Family Court includes ADA information.

Dukes County Probate and Family Court

Essex Probate and Family Court

Franklin County Probate and Family Court

Hampden Probate and Family Court

Hampshire Probate and Family Court

Middlesex Probate and Family Court includes press release (June 23, 2003) regarding Family Law Information Center.

Nantucket Probate and Family Court

Norfolk Probate and Family Court

Plymouth County Probate and Family Court: directory, court statistics, forms, pamphlets, filing and fees, probate court, information for pro-se litigants, common legal, terms, parent education programs, legal assistance, legal research links, scheduling information, trial lists, motion calendars, probation, domestic relations, paternity, equity, change of name, adoption, abuse prevention, trial. See also general information.

Suffolk Probate and Family Court

Worcester Probate and Family Court

Michigan
Calhoun County: biographies of family court judges, contact information for court staff, and information about SMILE (Start Making It Livable for Everyone), a program for divorcing families.

St. Clair County Family Division contact information.

Washtenaw County Family Division links to probate, juvenile, mental health services, guardianships, and judge profiles, opinion bank, friend of the court, resources on family violence and other domestic relations issues.

Minnesota
Anoka County District Court, Family Division general information and services.

Dakota County Family Court contact information, forms, and self-help center.

Fourth Judicial District (Hennepin County): overview, records, FAQs, divorce education requirements, guardian ad litem program. Very comprehensive site.

Isanti County Family Services

Second District Special Courts Division (Ramsey County) contacts and forms.

Sherburne County District Court, Family Division mission and phone number.

Mississippi
Fifteenth Chancery District, Copiah and Lincoln Counties. Jurisdiction (equity—includes divorce and custody), history, divorce information, visitation guidelines, contacts, plus log-in for registered users (attorneys and administration

Missouri
Family Court in Jackson County, Missouri.

Nevada
Clark County Family Court: Forms, records, codes, divorce information, e-filing information, link to online case inquiry.

Washoe County Family Court (mouse over "family division" for judges and calendar.)

New Hampshire
Family Division history, annual report, mediation, neutral case evaluation, guardians ad litem, and goals.

New Jersey

Family Practice Division comprehensive site with overview, mediator roster, domestic violence information and initiatives, domestic violence procedures manual, parenting time, forms, reports, and information for litigants.

Passaic County Family Division: contact information, general description, intake information, program outlines.

Somerset County Family Division (Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren Vicinage): information about delinquency, non-dissolution, dissolution, domestic violence, family crisis intervention, child abuse and neglect, child placement, and adoption.

Morris/Sussex Vicinage Family Division: contacts, non-dissolution/dissolution team, domestic violence, juvenile, children in court, records, links to programs (ADR, support, intake, CASA, parent education, etc.).

Union Vicinage Family Division: domestic violence, central case reception/intake, matrimonial team, juvenile, administration.

New York

Broome County Family Court: contacts, forms and petitions, child care center, instructions for filing, access, hours, directions.

Chemung County Family Court: legal research, guide to family court, support collection unit, law guardian office, contacts, hours, security statement.

Chenango County Family Court: overview, guide, domestic violence programs, forms, dispute resolution services, attorney list, links to agencies, contacts, hours, map.

Cortland County Family Court: hours, contacts, forms, jurisdiction.

Delaware County Family Court: contacts, hours, forms, mediation and petition intake assistance, links to related agencies, legal aid contacts, terms of court.

Dutchess County Family Court: contacts, directions, public transportation, parking, accessibility, children’s center.

Herkimer County Family Court: contacts for all county courts, including family.

Jefferson County Family Court: contacts for all county courts, including family.

Lewis County Family Court: contacts for all county courts, including family.

Madison County Family Court: contacts, hours, filing instructions, forms and petitions, community resources phone list.

Nassau County Family Court (Long Island): contact information.

New York City Family Court: Contacts, forms,  and the Introductory Guide to the New York City Family Court, which includes detailed information on proceedings, history, authority, child-waiting rooms, and “Who’s Who in the Courtroom.”

Oneida County Family Court (Rome and Utica): contacts for all county courts, including family.

Onondaga Family Court: contacts for all county courts, including family and supreme court, dedicated matrimonial part.

Orange County Family Court: contacts, directions, public transportation, accessibility.

Oswego County Family Court: contacts for all county courts, including family.

Otsego County Family Court: contacts, hours, jurisdiction, instructions for completing petitions, link to FAQ on access to petitions, mediation information, forms, children’s center information.

Putnam County Family Court: contacts, directions, public transportation, accessibility, hours.

Rockland County Family Court: contacts, directions, public transportation, accessibility, hours.

St. Lawrence County Family Court: family court forms, domestic violence forms, contacts.

Schuyler County Family Court: contacts, forms.

Suffolk County Family Court: contacts, judicial terms of office, jurisdiction.

Third Judicial District Family Court (Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster Counties): adoption, child abuse and neglect, support, custody and visitation, guardianship, paternity, PINS, court services, forms, contacts, directions.

Tioga County Family Court: contacts, forms, information about other county courts.

Tompkins County Family Court: contacts, schedule, forms, instructions, agencies, overview, lawyer referral, domestic violence court, family treatment court, Collaborative Family Lawyers of Central New York, dispute resolution, “bill of rights” for children whose parents are separated, jurisdiction, etc.

Westchester County Family Court  (New Rochelle, White Plains, Yonkers): contacts, directions, public transportation, accessibility, hours.

Wyoming County Family Court: contacts and directions for all county courts.

North Carolina
Family Court: overview, locations of existing programs, administration, history, FAQ, need for program, target population, mission. Eight judicial districts in North Carolina have family courts. Some information available in Spanish.

Cumberland County Family Court: custody mediation rules and program, support guidelines, resources, financial mediation, domestic court rules, juvenile court rules, directory, support group for children, guardians ad litem, overview, contacts.

Durham County Family Court: staff, FAQs, domestic court, juvenile court, rules, forms, pro se divorce packet, links to programs.

Greene County Family Court: overview, administration, case managers, services, and programs.

Lenoir County Family Court: overview, administration, case managers, court services and programs.

Mecklenburg County Family Court: overview, mission, judges and staff, services, fatherhood program, volunteer and intern opportunities, FAQs. See also the Mecklenburg County Child Support Court and the Domestic Violence Court.

New Hanover Family Court: overview, plus links to the general information provided by the North Carolina Court System.

Pender County Family Court: overview, plus links to the general information provided by the North Carolina Court System.

Wayne County Family Court: overview, administration, case managers, court services and programs.

Ohio
Butler County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Division: rules, forms, fees, contacts, mediation, domestic violence, and other related information.

Clermont County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Division: rules, forms, contacts, programs.

Mahoning County Domestic Relations Court: judge bio, magistrates, staff, services, visitation center, educational program for children, mediation, pro se divorce program, domestic violence information, forms, local rules, FAQ.

Stark County Family Court: judges, mission, local rules and forms, reports, services, news releases, contacts, directions, divorce overview and procedures, domestic relations division, missing children link.

Oregon
OJD Family Law Website: forms, parenting plan information and enforcement, resources, contacts, family law facilitation programs, parent education programs, child support guidelines and calendars, free legal information for low-income parties, etc. Also in Spanish.

Lane County Circuit Court, Domestic Relations Unit: contacts, divorce, family court assistance office, adoption, custody, emancipation of minors, restraining orders, paternity, mediation, visitation, modifications, local rules, statutes, etc. Also in Spanish.

Multnomah County Family Court Services: conciliation, family counseling, mediation, evaluations, parent education, etc.

Pennsylvania
Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas, Office of Domestic Relations: FAQ (mainly on support).

Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, Civil/Motion/Family Court Division: overview, history, custody, procedures, motions, links to rules and forms, etc.

Rhode Island
Rhode Island Family Court: overview, contacts, FAQ, forms, parent education, family drug court, parenting time, truancy court, adoption reunion registry, CASA, case management, juvenile court, filing fees, family services, divorce mediation, domestic violence court.

South Carolina
Uniform Statewide Family Court: exclusive jurisdiction over all matters involving domestic or family relationships; sole forum for cases concerning marriage, divorce, legal separation, custody, visitation, termination of parental rights, adoption, support, alimony, division of marital property, and change of name; exclusive jurisdiction over minors under the age of 17 alleged to have violated a state law or municipal ordinance.

Tennessee
Hamilton County Chancery Court: includes some domestic relations forms, parenting plans, etc.

Texas
Dallas County Family Courts: links to each family court (there are 7). Each site contains contact information, biography of court clerk, plus policies and procedures.

Harris County District Courts: The Family Courthouse site contains contact information plus links to Texas Bar Family Section and other state and local family law professionals, codes, Houston Public Library, missing children, and other resources.

Travis County Family Court Services: Q&A on guardians ad litem, plus links to information about child support, forms, children’s bill of rights, information about common-law marriage, guide for divorcing parents, information about probation. Travis County Domestic Relations Office contains information about support, visitation, family court services, parenting class, forms, divorce, community resources, etc.

Vermont

Vermont Family Courts: links to county contact information and calendars, jurisdiction, divorce information, child support, mediation, domestic abuse, juvenile, etc.

Virginia
List and links to Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts. (Note: Virginia does not have a family court; Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts have jurisdiction over most family matters. Divorces and other cases in equity are heard in the chancery side of Circuit Court.)

Chesterfield Circuit Court, Civil/Chancery: includes general information, fees, divorce, guardians, adoption, name changes.

Prince William County Circuit Court (Manassas): contacts, fees, forms, procedures, dispute resolution, FAQ, law library, announcements.

Prince William County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court: contact information, forms and relevant statutes, custody and visitation information, procedures, paternity, FAQ, volunteer opportunities, programs, announcements, juvenile information. Taken with the county’s Circuit Court site (above), this is informative, comprehensive, and easy to use.

Virginia Beach Courts includes links to Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and Circuit Court. Information includes introduction, appeals, community resources for families, court services, pleadings and policies, proceedings, FAQ, dress code, intake, etc.

Washington
Superior Courts in Washington State. Superior courts have exclusive jurisdiction over domestic relations.

Clallam County Unified Family Court: overview, mediation, at-risk youth, program for children of divorcing parents.

Clark County Superior Court: includes Family Law Practice, Family Court Services, contacts, etc.

Pierce County Superior Court: Civil/Domestic Trials procedures, misc. links.

Thurston County Unified Family Court: History, mission, judges, and contact information.

West Virginia
West Virginia started a unified family court in January 2002.

Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, the Circuit courts have original jurisdiction in all civil and criminal matters within the state.

Green County Family Court, Monroe, Wisconsin.

Milwaukee County Civil and Family Courts Division: contacts, general information about records. The Office of the Family Court Commissioner site includes custody/home study information, mediation services, parent education, procedural information, etc.

Ozaukee County Family Court Commissioner: contacts, overview, forms.

Racine County Family Court Commissioner: contacts, overview, Paternity Resource Handbook, Family Court Resource Handbook.

Waukesha County Family Division: contacts, jurisdiction, fees/costs, FAQ, links to self-help site, counseling resources, records search, local rules, departmental news.

INCOMPLETE, BUT A START!!

Technorati Tags: Family Courts,United Angels Against Domestic Violence,SC Mother's Alliance Against DV,Politics

Timmonsville Man Charged with Murder in Domestic Violence Case

Wednesday, Apr 30, 2008 - 08:08 PM Updated: 02:50 PM

By Jamie Rogers

E-mail

A Timmonsville man is charged with murder after the mother of his children died from a domestic assault that happened a week ago, Florence County Sheriff’s Capt Todd Tucker said.
Lori McFadden, 42, died Wednesday afternoon at a local hospital during surgery as a result of injuries she suffered during a domestic assault, Florence County Coroner M.G. “Bubba” Matthews said.
The autopsy results show McFadden died from a strike to the abdomen and chest area, Matthews said.  Her death has been ruled a homicedy by the coroner's office.
Cleveland Burgess, 41, of 1130 W. Smith St. was arrested Tuesday and is charged with murder, two counts of criminal domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, Florence County Detention Center booking reports show. 
One of the charges stems from an incident that happened three weeks ago; the other, from an incident that happened April 23, Tucker said.
Deputies say that on April 23, the suspect assaulted McFadden, who was found unresponsive a day later by family members, Tucker said.
Investigators are reviewing  an autopsy report and expect to upgrade one of the charges Burgess faces to murder very soon, Tucker said. 
Based on information from the pathologist and doctors, Matthews said, he is convinced McFadden died as a result of being struck by her boyfriend.
“At this point, I am working a homicide,” Matthews said.
Burgess remains in custody at the jail in Effingham.

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Man sentenced to 40 years in woman's brutal killing

ORANGEBURG -- A man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing an Orangeburg County woman and setting the home they shared on fire.

The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg reports that 29-year-old Oscar Beecher McDowell was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to killing 31-year-old Ruby Rawls.

McDowell also was sentenced to 25 years for arson.

Rawls’ mutilated body was found in her burned Cordova home in February 2007. Authorities said her hands and legs had been cut, and her genitals had been mutilated. She had also been shot a dozen times.

Prosecutor David Pascoe called the crime one of the most gruesome he had ever seen.

GreenvilleOnline.com | The Greenville News

del.icio.us Tags: Domestic Violence,News,SC Mother's Alliance Against DV,United Angels Against Domestic Violence

Real ID Worries Domestic Violence Groups

Every year, about 1,000 domestic violence victims legally change their Social Security numbers in an attempt to elude people who may pose threats, and many more change their legal names, according to figures compiled by advocacy groups.

But hiding from stalkers may become more difficult under a federal law called the Real ID Act that's scheduled to take effect on May 11.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's new regulations mandate specific standards for what personal information states must print on the face of Real ID drivers licenses and encode on their machine-readable zones. Although there's some consideration for people who qualify for special confidentiality treatment, critics argue the protections don't go far enough.

Homeland Security hasn't yet stipulated what information must be exchanged among the state-to-state databases, saying only that it will be "limited," nor has it specified exactly how the database linking will work, leaving lingering worries among privacy and victim advocates.

All it would take is a determined, persuasive stalker--many have tricks, like saying an ex-spouse is suicidal or otherwise in need of help--and a gullible or corrupt DMV employee, and a victim's identity could be divulged, Southworth said.

"Given that there are less than six degrees of separation between most abusers and a friend or relative who works for the DMV, we are concerned about victims' location information housed in state databases that could be searched nationally," Southworth said. "Prior to national search ability, a victim could move to a different state and increase her safety and privacy, but national search functionality could place countless victims at risk."

"We still have this problem of the backbone of this system, which is that we're creating this nationwide system of databases, all interlinked," said Guilherme Roschke, an Electronic Privacy Information Center fellow who focuses on domestic violence privacy issues. "A breach in one is a breach in all of them."

MORE:

 

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WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Judiciary Committee passes cockfighting bill, tables domestic violence bill

(Columbia) April 20, 2005 - The State House took up two pieces of legislation this week aimed at protecting two different groups. Up for debate was cracking down on gamecock fighting and protecting victims of domestic violence.A bill protecting cocks passed through the House Judiciary Committee. Rep. John Graham Altman (R-Dist. 119-Charleston) was in favor of the gamecock bill, "I was all for that. Cockfighting reminds me of the Roman circus, coliseum."A bill advocates say would protect victims against batterers was tabled, killing it for the year. Rep. Altman is on the committee that looked at the domestic violence bill, "I think this bill is probably drafted out of an abundance of ignorance."Wednesday, Vicki Bourus, an advocate for victims of domestic violence, was inundated with phone calls and e-mail. The people were reacting to Graham Altman's comments against the bill, "There's just an outcry going on."Both cockfighting and domestic violence are currently misdemeanor crimes, punishable by 30 days in jail. If the bill passes, cockfighting will become a felony, punishable by five years in jail. Domestic violence crimes will remain a misdemeanor.Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D-Dist. 66-Orangeburg) says of the two bills, "What we have said by the actions of the Judiciary Committee is we aren't going to create a felony if you beat your wife, partner. But now, if you've got some cockfighting going on, whoa! Wait a minute."Rep. Altman responds to the comparison, "People who compare the two are not very smart and if you don't understand the difference, Ms. Gormley, between trying to ban the savage practice of watching chickens trying to kill each other and protecting people rights in CDV statutes, I'll never be able to explain it to you in a 100 years ma'am."News 10 reporter Kara Gormley asked Altman, "That's fine if you feel you will never be able to explain it to me, but my question to you is: does that show that we are valuing a gamecock's life over a woman's life?"Altman again, "You're really not very bright and I realize you are not accustomed to this, but I'm accustomed to reporters having a better sense of depth of things and you're asking this question to me would indicate you can't understand the answer. To ask the question is to demonstrate an enormous amount of ignorance. I'm not trying to be rude or hostile, I'm telling you."Gormley, "It's rude when you tell someone they are not very bright."Altman, "You're not very bright and you'll just have to live with that."In the follow-up interview, Rep. Altman commented, "I wanted to offend that snippy reporter who come in here on a mission. She already had the story and she came in with some dumb questions and I don't mind telling people when they ask dumb questions."Rep. Cobb-Hunter says, "The reality is the law says domestic violence regardless, first, second or third offense is a misdemeanor, and what they passed yesterday says cockfighting is a felony."Rep. Altman spoke about domestic violence, "There ought not to be a second offense. The woman ought to not be around the man. I mean you women want it one way and not another. Women want to punish the men, and I do not understand why women continue to go back around men who abuse them. And I've asked women that and they all tell me the same answer, John Graham you don't understand. And I say you're right, I don't understand."Gormley, "So it's their fault for going back?"Altman, "Now there you go, trying to twist that too. And I don't mind you trying. It's not the woman's fault, it's not blaming the victim, but tell me what self respecting person is going back around someone who beats them?"Bourus says there a number of reasons, "She may have children with that person, and she may fear that it will harm them to live without their dad, or she is majorly financially dependent on his check to feed her children."Bourus adds another reason women sometimes stay, "After an incident a violent incident, quite often the batterer will say I'm so sorry, it will never happen again."Rep. Altman has worked with abused women, and in a second interview with a Lowcountry station he said he tells them not to go back, and when he does, "They listen to me, they don't don't go back."When asked whether he was sure, he said, "At least not while I'm representing her."During the same interview, he responded to the reporter's question, "You seem to be drawn to this fixation that women have to go back. I don't think that speaks highly of women. I think women can think and be responsible for their own actions. Woman are not some toys out there, drawn back to the magnet of the man. A lot of these men are bums and cretins and they have to be punished but I think women are independent enough to not go back to the men who beat them. And we have a lot of men who are abused by women, but they are too ashamed to admit it."Rep. Cobb-Hunter explained her bill, "The question that needs to be asked is this. Should a woman because she decides to go back for whatever the reason to return to an abusive relationship, does that mean it's okay to beat her, to kill her, for her to lose her life, for her children to witness the violence they witness?"Rep. Altman, "I know you are after a story. And it's kind of a nice story, that we've tabled a CDV bill. Because then you can talk about the insensitive man, the insensitive legislator, but it's not the case. But I don't know why a woman, there would ever be a second offense."Cobb-Hunter admits there was a lot of information in the bill, which she co-sponsored, but she is already working on breaking it down, "One of the things I've learned, having been here as long as I have, is that if at first you don't succeed, try, try again."Rep. Altman spoke out against a number of items in the bill, including dealing with restraining orders and training judges, "Clearly this bill is drawn by people who don't know what is going on out there."Rep. Altman doesn't agree with the training, "What are you going to tell a family court judge that a family court judge doesn't already know about domestic violence?"Vicki Bourus helped draft the bill, and what she calls a key item in it, the training of family court judges and magistrates, "There is very little if any training in domestic violence for them on a mandatory basis."Bourus says, "You may know that many magistrates are not trained as attorneys so they wouldn't even have that piece of it that attorneys might get."Speaker David Wilkins issued the following statement Wednesday regarding this story, "Criminal Domestic Violence (CDV) and animal cruelty are both critical issues that this body takes very seriously. The House is working diligently to improve the language on the CDV bill and pass meaningful legislation. That is our goal. In its present form, the bill has a number of legal and technical problems that would have made it very difficult to pass. We intend to fix those problems and get a bill to the floor of the House."While Bourus doesn't agree with what Graham Altman has to say, she is happy that people are starting to talk about the issue of domestic violence, "Is Graham Altman alone in his way of thinking? Oh, no, no, no. I think he's a very vocal rep, resistant to really seeing domestic violence as the serious crime that it is, but we know that sentiment is runs throughout the House and Senate as well. But we also know there are some very valiant allies."Wednesday, Rep. Altman told the Lowcountry television station that he didn't mean to offend victims of domestic violence, but had no apology for the interview.Cobb-Hunter plans to reintroduce the bill in January. If you want to voice your opinion on these bills, you can call the House Judiciary Committee at (803) 734-3120. Rep. Altman's office phone number is (803) 734-2947 and you can contact Rep. Cobb-Hunter's office at (803) 734-2809 or you can email Cobb-Hunter at gch@scstatehouse.netReported by Kara Gormley

WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Judiciary Committee passes cockfighting bill, tables domestic violence bill

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Group Targets High Domestic Violence Rate « Family Corruption In The Big Easy

Group Targets High Domestic Violence RatePosted by familydynamics on February 1, 2008The Community Alliance Against Interpersonal Violence has been meeting monthly in a room of the Noisette Building to try to combat alarming domestic abuse statistics in South Carolina. The state of South Carolina is ranked seventh in the United States for incidents of domestic violence. And from 1991 to 2004, Charleston County had the greatest number of domestic violence victims in the state.The group’s newest venture has been to disseminate petitions across the Charleston area in support of a U.S. Senate bill that would establish a domestic violence volunteer attorney network to represent domestic violence victims. Petitions have been posted at the College of Charleston, The Citadel, Trident Tech, City of Charleston Police Department, My Sister’s House and to area businesses in Mount Pleasant and West Ashley.Once signatures are collected, the petitions will be presented to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Copies will also be given to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; state Sen. Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston; State Attorney General Henry McMasters; and Vicki Bourus, executive director of the S.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.The Senate bill introduced by Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., would allow the attorney general to award grants to the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence to work with other organizations to recruit lawyers who would help victims pro bono. If the bill is approved, the U.S. Department of Justice would establish a pilot network in five states. Alliance committee members hope South Carolina’s domestic violence statistics and Graham’s position on the Senate Judiciary Committee will help make the case that South Carolina should be one of the five.Anyone interested in the petition may contact Crises Assistance Response and Education by calling 953-3390 and asking for a CARE team member. The Community Alliance Against Interpersonal Violence will hold its next meeting from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 4 in the Noisette Building, 1360 Truxtun Ave., North Charleston.

Group Targets High Domestic Violence Rate « Family Corruption In The Big Easy

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Kaufman County mom sees seminar as way to help others protect kids from sexual abuse

Kaufman County: After seminar, mom hopes to help others protect kids

09:35 AM CDT on Saturday, March 15, 2000

By RICHARD ABSHIRE / The Dallas Morning News

Predators aren't easy to spot.

MIKE STONE/Special Contributor

Anne Ferguson (center) of the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center
comments as Sara Cantu (left) and Barbara Landregan work through a
role-playing exercise during a recent Stewards of Children seminar on
child abuse detection and prevention.

But Brandy Walker knows the signs – and she's made it her personal
mission to spread the word on how to identify those who victimize
children.

"I think if we educate people, it's the first
line of defense," Ms. Walker said recently after finishing a Stewards
of Children train-the-trainer seminar given by the Dallas Children's
Advocacy Center.

Ms. Walker, a single mother with a
10-year-old son, a 14-year-old daughter, and a full-time job with a
consulting firm, makes the time to speak to groups throughout Kaufman
County about protecting children from sexual abuse.

"The profile of a predator is that there's no profile," Ms. Walker said. "It could be anybody."

Most abusers are friends or family members. People who prey on children
– mostly men – usually rely on charm and guile to get close to their
targets.

In a process called "grooming," they befriend or
romance a single parent and feign a wholesome interest in the child.
They volunteer to help supervise or entertain kids in the family,
informally or by acting as coaches or counselors in youth-oriented
groups.

Child sex abuse sometimes progresses from viewing
pornography to inappropriate touching to sex. It's all criminal, and
too often goes unreported.

Darkness to Light, a South
Carolina-based organization that provides training materials on
preventing and reacting to child sexual abuse, cites a study by the
Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault at the University of
Texas at Austin that found that 9 percent of female Texans were
assaulted before the age of 14.

Another study cited by
the group found that embarrassment is the most common reason children
do not report abuse and that a close relationship to the offender makes
prompt reporting less likely.

Child sexual abuse victims
may show physical signs – bruises or bleeding, for example. Or their
behavior may change: They may withdraw or act out. Children who have
stopped bed-wetting may regress.

The kind of information Ms. Walker teaches is not meant to frighten children or parents.

"There's a way to teach this where it's not intimidating," she said.
"It's empowering. It's telling people it's OK to say 'no.' "

Armed with knowledge, children who are abused are more likely to
recognize that it is wrong and report it to parents, teachers or other
adults.

Ms. Walker credited the Kaufman County Sheriff's
Department for its support of her efforts and for the job it does
keeping track of registered sex offenders.

Sgt. Bryan
Francis, a spokesman for the department, said that local cases have
followed national patterns. Victims tend to be easily accessible to
offenders, who often live in the home or have close associations with
the victim's family.

Already in 2008, Kaufman County has logged a conviction for murder and rape of a juvenile.

Two child sexual abuse cases are pending in the county, according to
Sgt. Francis. One involves alleged possession of child pornography by a
teacher. The other involves child porn and assault allegations against
a registered sex offender.

In 2007, one defendant pleaded
guilty to indecency and assault on his stepdaughter. Another, found
guilty of sexually abusing his granddaughters, was sentenced to four
99-year prison terms.

In 2006, a man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a neighbor and was sentenced to 30 years.

At the Stewards of Children training session, Anne Ferguson of the
Dallas Children's Advocacy Center led discussions based on material
provided by Darkness to Light.

Ms. Ferguson said the
session was designed to prepare attendees to make presentations to
groups – churches, sports teams and leagues, schools, parents, service
organizations, homeowners associations, Scouts and even licensing
boards – "anybody that works with kids."

She went around the room asking why students had come to the class.

"Because I saw a need," said Jerry Waynant of the Child Abuse Prevention Coalition.

"It felt like a calling," said Ana Lilia Aguirre, who works at a Dallas church.

"I felt like this can totally, dramatically improve my ministry at the
orphanage," said Sara Salguero, a house parent at a Guatemalan
orphanage. "I see the results of [abuse] every day."

The
material includes philosophical principles and practical tools, but Ms.
Ferguson told the class that what mattered most was commitment.

"The most important ingredient of your success as a facilitator is to
know what you are passionate about," she said. "Always go back to why
you do it – for the safety of children."

WHAT EXPERTS SAY

To help prevent child sexual abuse:

• Learn the facts and understand the risks.

• Minimize opportunity.

• Talk about it with children and adults.

• Stay alert.

• Make a plan – where to go, whom to tell.

• Act on suspicions.

• Get involved.

Possible consequences of child sexual abuse:

• Drug and alcohol dependence

• Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder

• Eating and sleep disorders

•vDelinquency

• Teen pregnancy

DallasNews.Com

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IDB approves US$24.5 million loan for citizen security program in Trinidad and Tobago

IDB approves US$24.5 million loan for citizen security program in Trinidad and Tobago

Washington -- March 13, 2008 -- The Inter-American Development Bank announced today the approval of a US$24.5 million loan to Trinidad and Tobago for a citizen security program to reduce crime and violence.

The operation will focus in 22 high crime pilot communities through the financing of preventive interventions addressing the most proximal and modifiable risk factors. The program will include community action, support to the police services and the institutional strengthening of the Ministry of National Security.

“The program will contribute to the decrease in the rate of homicides, robberies and wounding in partner communities and will increase the perception of safety in the partner communities,”  said IDB team leader Jorge Lamas. “It will also reduce injuries related to firearms, child maltreatment, domestic violence and youth violence; and increase the collective efficacy to prevent violence”.

The loan is for a 20-year term, with a 6 year grace period at an adjustable interest rate. Local counterpart financing will total US$10.5 million. The Ministry of National Security will carry out the program.

Source: iadb.org

IDB approves US$24.5 million loan for citizen security program in Trinidad and Tobago

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N.C. - Suspect in Toddler's Death Arrested in S.C. - alt.true-crime | Google Groups

N.C. - Suspect in Toddler's Death Arrested in S.C.

Fayetteville, N.C. - South Carolina authorities have arrested a Fayetteville man in the beating death of a 1-year-old child over the weekend, authorities said Wednesday. Marcus Dontell Miller, 32, of 2918 Dwelle Drive, Fayetteville, was arrested Tuesday in Greenville by the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Apprehension Team. Authorities charged him  with first-degree murder and felony child abuse. He was being held in Greenville awaiting extradition to Cumberland County. The unidentified toddler was found dead Saturday morning, authorities said. An autopsy report from the State Medical Examiner's Office determined the child died of blows to the head. Miller was a recent boyfriend of the child's mother, and she left the child in Miller's care at his home last Friday while she went to work, authorities said. Investigators said Miller disappeared before the mother awoke Saturday morning, and they said he took her keys, car, money and a cell phone. http://wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/2563897/

N.C. - Suspect in Toddler's Death Arrested in S.C. - alt.true-crime | Google Groups

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UAADV Groups

UAADV has several peer-support groups that you may interested in.  Below you will find the group names, with a description and link to find out more info or to join each group.  If you have any questions or are not sure which group may be the right one for you please email UAADV.Founder@gmail.com or UAADV.National@gmail.com

AbusedApplyHere (AAH):  a group for Domestic Violence Victims, Survivors, and Advocates that are working together to not only offer each other support, but to do something to help end DV.



Click to join AbusedApplyHere

UAADV Advocates:  a group for all of the Domestic Violence Advocates as well as Survivors, family members, and friends to come together and work towards DV Awareness and Prevention. This group is member only and is fully moderated.



Click to join uaadvadvocates


UAADV Faith Outreach (FO):  a group for DV survivors to help reconnect you to your past beliefs or to find new ones.  Sometimes as a part of our healing process we feel the need to get back intouch with the faith and beliefs that we had prior to our abuse.
We are not attempting to change anyone's thoughts of religion but to provide answers to questions that may help you in your journey of reconnecting to your God. We welcome all religious beliefs. And, ask only that you talk with respect for others that may not agree with you. We do not wish for this to become a place where we put people down for their feelings, but a place where we can share our feelings, and our knowledge to help each of us get to the next step in our faith.



Click to join uaadvfaithoutreach


Angel's Outreach Ministries (AOM):  This is a Non-Denominational Christian Outreach peer-support Group for Victims and Survivors, for Women, and for Teens; that have lost their faith in God due to abuses suffered.  This group is separate from our DV Survivors Group in that here we can openly talk about our faith in Jesus, not have to worry about who we may offend in doing so. We are not here to judge, we are not here to stuff our own beliefs down anyone else's throat, but we are here to share,grow and heal in our faith.



Click to join angelsoutreachministries


Wings of Hope-Crafty Angels (WOHCA):  a group of crafty people who wish to assist victims of Domestic Violence with our handmade items.





Click to join wings_of_hope_crafty_angels

Social Networking:  We also have a social network set up for UAADV using the Ning platform.  It is comparable to Facebook, Myspace, etc.  We do screen members for the network to attempt to make it safer for victims, survivors and advocates alike.  You can set up your personal profile page, join the forum discussions and groups as well as interact with other victims, survivors or advocates to share resources and gain general peer support.  Please go to:   http://uaadvnetwork.ning.com/  to request membership.