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To better acquaint our readers with Domestic Violence Awareness Month, here is some information from the Domestic Violence Awareness Project:
The Domestic Violence Awareness Project...
In 1995, the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) convened several national domestic violence organizations – the Family Violence Prevention Fund, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and later the National Network to End Domestic Violence – to launch a new effort to support domestic violence programs’ awareness and education efforts for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), observed annually in October. The collaborative effort became the Domestic Violence Awareness Project (DVAP). Today, the DVAP is a diverse and unique partnership of local, tribal, state, and national domestic violence organizations and networks. The DVAP collaborates to collect, develop, and distribute resources and ideas relevant to advocates’ ongoing public and prevention awareness and education efforts not only in preparation for DVAM, but also throughout the year.
The work of the DVAP strives to creatively bring to life its statement of purpose:
The Domestic Violence Awareness Project (DVAP) supports the rights of all individuals, especially women and girls, to live in peace and dignity. Violence and all other forms of oppression against all communities and families must be eliminated. The purpose of the DVAP is to support and promote the national, tribal, territorial, state, and local advocacy networks in their ongoing public education efforts through public awareness, strategies, materials, resources, capacity-building, and technical assistance.
These strategies include campaigns that address the victimization of women throughout their lifespan. The voices, leadership, and expertise of women who have been battered are acknowledged as critical and necessary components of these campaigns. To change belief systems and practices that support violence and abuse that disproportionately affects women, and other marginalized people, the DVAP recognizes and promotes the participation of the entire community in building social intolerance towards domestic violence. We will use our diverse and collective voice to promote safe, respectful, and equitable relationships; increase survivor’s access to support systems that are culturally and linguistically appropriate; and foster programming that is responsive to the needs of the LGBTQ community, as well as survivors of abuse in later life.
©2009 Domestic Violence Awareness Project3605 Vartan Way, Suite 101 - Harrisburg, PA 17110800-537-2238 ext. 5717-545-9456 (fax)The Domestic Violence Awareness Month Project is coordinated by the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, a project of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Vilolence.
To better put this in perspective was this article I came across from Topeka, Kansas from 'TheWeek.com':
Legalizing domestic violence: Topeka's 'terrible' plan to save money
Just in time for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Kansas' capital city is on the verge of decriminalizing domestic battery as part of a budget standoff
posted on October 7, 2011, at 11:35 AM
Due to budget cuts, domestic violence cases may no longer be prosecuted in Topeka, Kan., potentially sending a "terrible message" to victims of domestic battery. Photo: Gaetano/Corbis SEE ALL 24 PHOTOS
What happens if Topeka follows through?If the City Council repeals the domestic-battery ordinance, municipal courts wouldn't be able to take on those cases, effectively sending the ball back to Taylor's court. Domestic violence is still a state crime. But "because only Taylor has authority to decide what cases he files and prosecutes," domestic violence prosecution could slow to a trickle, says The Topeka Capital-Journal in an editorial. Repeat offenders are charged as felons, and the D.A. would still take those cases.
How bad could this get?Already, the standoff is putting victims in grave danger "in the world that does not exist inside of an Excel spreadsheet," says Erin Gloria Ryan at Jezebel. Taylor has rejected at least 30 domestic violence cases since Sept. 8, and the 18 people arrested in Topeka for domestic battery have all been released from county jail because no charges were filed. And even if Taylor eventually blinks, and decides to resume prosecuting first-time offenders, the City Council's decriminalization of domestic violence would still send "a terrible message to victims of domestic battery and the entire community," says The Topeka Capital-Journal's editorial board.
How dire is the financial situation?In 2012, the D.A.'s office expects to see $347,765 cut from its budget — which is $3.5 million this year. Of course, if nobody takes these domestic violence cases, it could save some money in the short run, says Marie Diamond at ThinkProgress. But domestic violence has "staggering financial consequences" — medical costs, for instance. There are bigger human costs, too, says Topeka victims' advocate Claudine Dombrowski. If the city and county keep up this "disgusting" fight, "they need to invest in headstones, because these women are going to end up in cemeteries."
Who should shoulder the blame?Everyone involved says they believe domestic violence needs to be prosecuted vigorously, but that they can't pay for it, says Maya Dusenbery at Feministing. And "it’s hard to blame them too harshly for that," given the deep budget cuts hitting states and cities. "Thanks, austerity!" Maybe, says National Organization for Women's Kari Ann Rinker. But right now, local officials are just "finger-pointing and blaming" like 5-year-old children, and they all deserve "some amount of blame" for putting women at undue risk.
Sources: Feministing, Fox 4 Kansas City, The Frisky, Jezebel, Mother Jones, ThinkProgress, Topeka Capital-Journal (2,3,4)
Thank you for this. TN released a woman today who has been imprisoned for 26 years for having her abusive husband killed. Until our system of justice does more to protect these women, they - out of sheer desperation - will continue to feel there are no other alternatives for them. People don't know until they've walked in their shoes. Just walking out is not always an option.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great post Dog Gone and connecting it with that ridiculous misogynist crap that's happening in Kansas is most appropriate.
ReplyDeleteI have to draw the line, though, at having your abuser killed or killing him yourself like the lady in NY was recently judged non guilty for. I realize it's not easy to walk out as Leslie said, and I certainly haven't walked in their shoes, but some of these cases are as bad as what the men do. You cannot take the law into your own hands.
I agree about not taking the law into your own hands.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, this woman in NY had a very real reason to believe apparently that she was in immediate danger, possibly danger to her life, but at the very least danger of violent injury.
Do we know she could have walked out? Or was she in fear that if she tried to leave, at any time, her husband would act violently?
Because he was a policeman, he would know the addresses of shelters, and quite possibly have access to information that mere civilians would not have, making getting away from him a different challenge than for other abuse victims.
from http://www.purpleberets.org/violence_police_families.html
Domestic Violence in Police Families
Officer Curt Lubiszewski is not an anomaly. Hundreds of women, partners of police officers, are beaten every year. Just this April, Crystal Brame was killed by her estranged husband, the police chief of Tacoma, Washington. Here are some facts on cops as batterers.
Domestic violence is 2 to 4 times more common in police families than in the general population. In two separate studies, 40% of police officers self-report that they have used violence against their domestic partners within the last year. In the general population, it's estimated that domestic violence occurs in about 10% of families.
In a nationwide survey of 123 police departments, 45% had no specific policy for dealing with officer-involved domestic violence.
In that same survey, the most common discipline imposed for a sustained allegation of domestic violence was counseling. Only 19% of departments indicated that officers would be terminated after a second sustained allegation of domestic violence.
In San Diego, a national model in domestic violence prosecution, the City Attorney typically prosecutes 92% of referred domestic violence cases, but only 42% of cases where the batterer is a cop.
or check out this site:
http://policedomesticviolence.com/