Yesterday, Obama named a Domestic Violence Adviser to place the important issue of domestic violence back on the national agenda! Alleluia! This woman gets it. She totally understands the complicated issues involved in domestic violence for both victim and offender.
Time Magazine reported: "In announcing the appointment of Lynn Rosenthal, Vice President Joe Biden said that creating the job allows the White House to revive a focus on domestic violence issues. The White House said Rosenthal will advise President Barack Obama and Biden and work with government agencies to ensure that violence against women isn't ignored and the perpetrators are held accountable. A former director of a women's shelter, Rosenthal was executive director of the National Network to End Domestic Violence from 2000 to 2006. And she worked as director of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence."
I am VERY EXCITED to hear this. It gives me great hope that with an emphasis on domestic violence, we may see some real progress in our society. Is it possible that we may put more resources into prevention and intervention of domestic violence? Imagine that! No really.... imagine that....
Domestic Violence is a preventable crime - meaning there is so much more we can do to reduce domestic violence in our society - IF we choose to focus our energy and resources there.
People often ask what keeps me working in this field that is tough, tragic and includes stories filled with overwhelming pain. My answer? Progress. Progress toward safer homes and safer relationships. And this step, my friends, is progress.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
DV homicides of women increase
The U.S. Department of Justice just released in June, 2009, the latest study that indicates the trends in domestic violence over the past few years. It reads: "According to the Supplementary Homicide Reports of the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program in 2005, 1,181 females and 329 males were killed by their intimate partners. Intimate partner homicides constituted 30 percent of all female murders (1976-2004), and 3 percent of all male murders (1976-2005). The proportion of female homicide victims killed by an intimate partner is increasing."
What do we need to do as a society to decrease homicides of domestic violence? After working in this field for years, and seeing that we are making some progress, this study clearly indicates that things are not getting better for victims - they are getting worse. This obviously concerns me greatly - not just concerns me - but I am angered and saddened at the disparity in which we make domestic violence a priority - or should I say not a priority. As a country, we can send astronauts into space, we can find cures for diseases, and use technology for innovation, - which are all very good - and I know we can reduce domestic violence - but it is not a priority on the agenda.
Domestic Violence Center's experience clearly indicates that when domestic violence is in the news, or DVC is on TV, our hotline calls increase greatly. At times, they have doubled. So, one step we can all take is to make sure that we are always talking about it - that we are writing about it - that we are showing it and not hiding it. Another step - is to increase the funding for domestic violence programs. DVC is bursting at the seems with a great demand for services. A third step is to affect public policy and work for social change and systems change. But how can we serve more people in danger and in crisis - how can we keep women, men and children safe - when there is not an increase in funds for victims? This is such a critical issue when we are talking about people's lives and their safety.
Do you have any outlets that we can talk or write about domestic violence - print, radio, news?
What are your ideas about increasing funding? This is a community problem, as the costs are high - and we would like to hear your ideas. Lets work even harder at making domestic violence a priority - so the next report that comes out shows a decrease in DV homicides - not an increase like now.
What do we need to do as a society to decrease homicides of domestic violence? After working in this field for years, and seeing that we are making some progress, this study clearly indicates that things are not getting better for victims - they are getting worse. This obviously concerns me greatly - not just concerns me - but I am angered and saddened at the disparity in which we make domestic violence a priority - or should I say not a priority. As a country, we can send astronauts into space, we can find cures for diseases, and use technology for innovation, - which are all very good - and I know we can reduce domestic violence - but it is not a priority on the agenda.
Domestic Violence Center's experience clearly indicates that when domestic violence is in the news, or DVC is on TV, our hotline calls increase greatly. At times, they have doubled. So, one step we can all take is to make sure that we are always talking about it - that we are writing about it - that we are showing it and not hiding it. Another step - is to increase the funding for domestic violence programs. DVC is bursting at the seems with a great demand for services. A third step is to affect public policy and work for social change and systems change. But how can we serve more people in danger and in crisis - how can we keep women, men and children safe - when there is not an increase in funds for victims? This is such a critical issue when we are talking about people's lives and their safety.
Do you have any outlets that we can talk or write about domestic violence - print, radio, news?
What are your ideas about increasing funding? This is a community problem, as the costs are high - and we would like to hear your ideas. Lets work even harder at making domestic violence a priority - so the next report that comes out shows a decrease in DV homicides - not an increase like now.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
What????
A wave of commonality was clear when I was reading an article about the domestic violence allegations against Denver Broncos Brandon Marshall. According to the Denver Times, the first police report made against him by his former fiance was in 2006, with many others since then, and eventually police found her with several cuts on her lip. The domestic violence spans 2 years and 3 states. I don't know the facts, anymore than what I read in the paper, but the victim's mom said she received a phone call 2 years ago from the Bronco's organziation to see if she could persuade her daughter to smooth things over with Brandon.
WHAT????
To smooth things over, to patch things up? Shouldn't they be looking at what they can do to change Brandon's behavior? What about domestic violence treatment for him? Don't they realize that domestic violence is a crime? Would they say that to their sister, mother, daughter, if they were in an abusive relationship ?Encourage her "to make nice"? The scary part of that questions is that for many, the answer would be yes.
He was originally given a 3 game suspension - which - surprise, surprise - he was able to cut that down to 1 game suspension.
The victim then voiced how alone she feels. Her motivation in going forward in pressing charges is “I don’t want to see him do it to nobody else. And that’s really why I’m doing this today because I feel like somebody has to stand up and stop him from doing this, because the Broncos haven’t done it. The NFL hasn’t done it. The Atlanta Police Department hasn’t done it. Somebody has to do it.”
I don't know what the Atlanta Police Dept has done - maybe they did a great job - and maybe they did not - but it is very common for victims to feel like they are in this alone - and they want others to stop him, because they know they cannot control the offender's behavior. Even police know that with their power, authority, and guns - they cannot make him stop. But at least we can hold him accountable. It is very frustrating and depressing for a victim to feel that he/she is taking steps toward safety - but they don't feel the rest of the community is.
I understand what she is saying - we hear that ALL TOO OFTEN from victims. Brandon is on trial next month. Lets hope that the community shows support - and holds him accountable - more than they talk about his football talent. Lets hope that he gets the message that kicking a football around is okay - kicking a woman around is not.
WHAT????
To smooth things over, to patch things up? Shouldn't they be looking at what they can do to change Brandon's behavior? What about domestic violence treatment for him? Don't they realize that domestic violence is a crime? Would they say that to their sister, mother, daughter, if they were in an abusive relationship ?Encourage her "to make nice"? The scary part of that questions is that for many, the answer would be yes.
He was originally given a 3 game suspension - which - surprise, surprise - he was able to cut that down to 1 game suspension.
The victim then voiced how alone she feels. Her motivation in going forward in pressing charges is “I don’t want to see him do it to nobody else. And that’s really why I’m doing this today because I feel like somebody has to stand up and stop him from doing this, because the Broncos haven’t done it. The NFL hasn’t done it. The Atlanta Police Department hasn’t done it. Somebody has to do it.”
I don't know what the Atlanta Police Dept has done - maybe they did a great job - and maybe they did not - but it is very common for victims to feel like they are in this alone - and they want others to stop him, because they know they cannot control the offender's behavior. Even police know that with their power, authority, and guns - they cannot make him stop. But at least we can hold him accountable. It is very frustrating and depressing for a victim to feel that he/she is taking steps toward safety - but they don't feel the rest of the community is.
I understand what she is saying - we hear that ALL TOO OFTEN from victims. Brandon is on trial next month. Lets hope that the community shows support - and holds him accountable - more than they talk about his football talent. Lets hope that he gets the message that kicking a football around is okay - kicking a woman around is not.
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