What Kind Of Legislators Have We Elected?

May 7, 2013

Thank goodness Congress passed legislation to help ease the burdens of air travelers due to sequestration. We can’t have our under- worked and over- paid Congress being inconvenienced at the airport – but we can certainly continue to cut money from programs that help save lives – like VAWA. I can only conclude that waiting in line at an airport must be a life threatening condition.  I don’t know how else to say this but our legislators are unfeeling, inept MORONS!

As soon as Congress passed VAWA, the sequestration kicked in, which means $20 million are being cut from VAWA and thousands of victims will not have access to services that can save their lives. In Iowa alone, over 70,000 victims will not be able to access recovery programs and shelters. By cutting this funding, victims will no longer have a safe-place to go when their situation at home becomes dangerous. I suppose they can always choose to be homeless—at least they won’t have to stand on line at an airport!

I grew up believing that being a legislator was an honorable profession – it no longer is. Now, in order to stay in office, all legislators need to do is “sell” their vote to the highest bidder. This week’s winner in sequester roulette are the airlines. My only question is “When do those who really need and deserve our help win?” Those folks must have a lousy lobby. 

Louisiana Cutting Domestic Violence Program Funding

April 23, 2013

 In a state that has the third highest number of females murdered by males in the nation, Louisiana is debating to slash domestic violence programs by about 40 percent. This would be a $1.4 million budget cut, on top of $1 million already cut earlier this year (http://www.shreveporttimes.com/viewart/20130409/NEWS01/130409029/Public-gets-turn-talk-about-Louisiana-budget-). These numbers are truly sickening.

 Programs in danger of being cut are mainly residential centers. Mary Claire Landry, director of the New Orleans Family Justice Center, told WWLTV in an interview “We will not be able to provide services in every parish across the state like we’re doing now. We will not have the number of beds available for women who are seeking safety in the middle of the night.” In addition, advocates, counseling, and 24-hour crisis hotlines are all on the chopping block as well.  A very dangerous situation for victims.

 A spokesman with the Louisiana Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) said safety remains a priority and it is working to allocate money appropriately.

 “Domestic violence funding in Louisiana is based on an outdated funding model focused too much on shelters instead of prevention, education and outreach,” said Trey Williams, communications director for DCFS. “DCFS continues to work with domestic violence providers in moving away from costly residential care.”(http://www.wwltv.com/news/Massive-proposed-cuts-could-gut-domestic-violence-programs-say-directors-202631351.html). In my opinion the DCFS is spouting nonsense. Yes more money needs to go toward education and prevention but not at the cost of safety which is what cutting residential services would do.

 Louisiana’s domestic violence support programs have had it hard over the past few years, with Hurricanes Rita and Katrina diverting funding from programs. Other challenges include access for victims, since much of Louisiana is rural and without public transportation. In addition to issues on the ground for victims and domestic violence support programs, legal advocates are challenging Louisiana’s domestic abuse battery law. The law includes only opposite-sex partners who are currently living, or have previously lived, in the same residence. (http://www.ncadv.org/files/Louisiana.pdf). Louisiana’s law needs to be updated to be more inclusive…

Guns and Domestic Violence

April 22, 2013

 Dear Readers I want to thank Sheryl McCabe who helps me in researching and writing my blog posts…Thank you Sheryl…

Guns and Domestic Violence

 As we all know 46 U.S. senators voted against the bipartisan plan to have background checks for gun sales. That kills a bill that 80 - 90 percent of Americans supported (http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/17/us-usa-guns-idUSBRE93F00D20130417). “All in all, this is a pretty shameful day in Washington,” President Barack Obama said - And it is. Something as simple as a background checks—something we do with credit cards and even to become employed—was shot down. In my opinion the bill barely scratched the surface of our firearm problem.

 Although the bill would have provided an extra barrier to prevent dangerous people from acquiring firearms and ban assault weapons, domestic violence victims/survivors need more than what this bill offered - They need surrender laws. At this time, abusers with certain restraining orders against them, or convicted of certain domestic violence misdemeanors, are prohibited from being able to purchase or possess guns (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/malika-saada-saar/gun-violence-and-domestic-violence_b_3039071.html). The National Instant Criminal Background Checks System (NICS), the federal entity responsible for background on gun shoppers, has stopped more than 2 million potential gun sales to banned purchasers. That’s a good thing…The problem is an abuser can still purchase a gun from unlicensed, private sellers. Like at a gun show or simply using an online site like Armslist.com. 

 Surrender laws remove guns temporarily from someone with a protective order against them. Surrender laws are a proactive move to protect those being abused or otherwise targeted for violence. According to a recent study by the Violence Policy Center (VPC), “female intimate partners are more likely to be murdered with a firearm than all other means combined“ (http://www.vpc.org/studies/wmmw2012.pdf).

 Guns, just being in the home, endanger people around them. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) reports, “Firearms in the household increase the odds of lethal versus nonlethal violence by a factor of 6.1 to 1. – That’s Huge! Women who were previously threatened or assaulted with a firearm or other weapon are 20 times more likely to be murdered by their abuser than are other women.” This means that the cards are stacked against women when guns are in the household.

 The NIJ recommends to law enforcement and judicial officials “if we  are to prevent lethal violence- abusers need to be disarmed and we must keep them disarmed” -  Except, this doesn’t happen. Many states have no versions of surrender laws and judges rarely use their power to remove firearms (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/us/facing-protective-orders-and-allowed-to-keep-guns.html?_r=0). 

 If we have a right to protect ourselves, shouldn’t we have a right to be protected? Not just for domestic violence victims, but for everyone. We need laws to protect us from those who wish us harm. That shouldn’t be so much to ask for.

Hey Florida Don’t Suspend GPS Monitoring Institute Better Oversight

April 9, 2013

Two counties in Florida have suspended a GPS monitoring program after a shooting in a public park. The shooter, Wilfred Gregory, cut off his monitor on Sunday, which wasn’t noticed until several hours after the shooting. He was released from jail March 13 on a burglary, petit theft and domestic violence charge, according to Central Florida News 13 (http://www.cfnews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2013/4/2/judge_suspends_gps_p.html).

 Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. made the decision to suspend the program for future entrants because the potential flaws in the system that the incident exposed. Gregory removed the monitor a little before 7p.m. and the police weren’t notified until after 1 a.m. He is still at large.

 The major concern is that the private companies monitoring the GPS are failing to track the individuals.  “It seemed odd this private company was ordered by the judges to monitor these defendants,” said Laura Williams, a domestic violence survivor and local victim advocate. Two years ago she found that vendors contracted to run the GPS program failed to track suspects (http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/domestic-violence-group-concerned-over-suspension-/nXB4J/). 

 GPS monitoring helps keep domestic violence victims safe as one of the last lines of defense. Without it, victims are left exposed. According to the National Institute of Justice, “A half-dozen batterer program studies published between 1988 and 2001 and conducted across the United States documented reabuse, as reported by victims, ranging from 26 to 41 percent within five to 30 months.” (http://www.nij.gov/topics/crime/intimate-partner-violence/practical-implications-research/ch3/repeat-abusers.htm) This means we can’t assume that once the law gets involved and the punishment is given, that the abuse stops. It’s a problem that stays with both the victim and the perpetrator. This incident in Florida certainly shows that these programs need to have oversight. But to put a stop to the GPS monitoring program completely puts a strain on the victims and the programs that support them.

Sequester – If You Don’t Think It Affects Domestic Violence Victims – Think Again – It Does

April 4, 2013

 Here we go again - Politics has crippled the Violence Against Women Act. At least 106,020 fewer victims will not receive lifesaving services, crisis intervention and counseling due to the sequester according to Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and the Campaign for Funding to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. Last month, the House of Representatives renewed VAWA, which provided funding insurance for programs dealing with domestic violence victims. But as the sequester goes into effect, five percent of funding is gone (http://campusprogress.org/articles/will_women_will_be_less_safe_because_of_the_sequester/ ).

 That’s a $2 million budget cut. Washington D.C. is playing a dangerous game and women are paying the price of their inept governing.

 Without the federal funding, many of these programs that fall under VAWA will struggle to serve the populations who need these services. In America, an average of three women a day are killed by a current or former partner. Domestic violence affects one in four women and 15.5 million children every year (http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/healthcare/290321-sequestration-cuts-threaten-to-undermine-vawa-programs). Yet, these facts and figures don’t attract philanthropists. Domestic violence programs receive less than 1 percent of private support. This is a shameful statistic!

 The cuts undermine the basic safety for women in their own homes.  As Congress delays a solution for this sequester, the situation for VAWA programs and the victims they serve suffers. Apparently, a fourth of the female population is a cheap bargaining chip in Congress.

Shocking Images Tell A Story

April 3, 2013

 Lebanese non-profit KAFA (http://www.kafa.org.lb/profile), featured this week by Business Insider, made waves across the globe with their new ad campaign. The ads feature women who were victims of abuse with bruises and wounds in the shapes of waveforms of the words used against them.

 Since the Arab Spring’s revolutions, human rights groups and news organization have reported the exclusion of women in the political process as Islamists have taken the reins (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vivian-norris-de-montaigu/women-and-the-reality-of_b_2323377.html ). Violence against women, including honor killings, has remained untouched issues for many countries throughout the Middle East.

 The images are shocking, but expose a missing piece in our society. Would the United States ever have a public service announcement like this? On the subway? On the television?

 Various videos and internet campaigns have sprouted up to connect to women who experience domestic abuse. Last year, make-up artist and YouTube video blogger Lauren Luke posted a video of her covering bruises with make-up (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-XHPHRlWZk). The bruises were fake, but the message was part of Refuge.org’s “Don’t’ Cover Up” campaign. “Sixty-five percent of women who suffer domestic violence keep it hidden,” a black screen reads at the end of the video. It was a popular video, gaining coverage from big news sources like ABC News, The New York Daily News and The Huffington Post.

 Although there’s word out on the internet, there should be a broadening scope of how to get in touch. And also, how to help women talk about their abuse.

 Read more at:

http://www.businessinsider.com/lebanese-anti-domestic-violence-ads-2013-3

The Woman Without A Face Speaks Up

April 1, 2013

 Only days after Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings held the Dallas Men Against Abuse rally, the “woman without a face” (http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Unthinkable-Acts) Carolyn Thomas spoke as the keynote speaker for Brighter Tomorrows’ annual fundraising luncheon the Irving Convention Center outside Dallas Wednesday (http://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/irving/headlines/20130327-domestic-violence-survivor-shares-story-support-for-dallas-awareness-campaign.ece ).

 “[Domestic abuse has] always been a dirty little secret that nobody wants to talk about,” Thomas said. “They may bring it up every now and then, but then you don’t hear anything about it.”

 She said she sees Rawlings’ rally and campaign as promising. “With him bringing it to the forefront in Dallas, it will maybe help Waco or other surrounding counties and cities to do the same thing,” she said.

Thomas was shot in the temple by her then-boyfriend Terrence Kelly on Dec. 5 2003 (http://www.carolyn-thomas.org ). She lost her right eye, her nose, teeth, facial muscles and bones. After 14 surgeries and wearing a prosthetic nose, she calls herself a survivor. “I was left here to do a job,” she said in an interview. “I do my best … to try to save lives and keep young girls and women from going through what I did.”

 Hopefully, Dallas can confront its rise in domestic violence with a joint effort between Rawling’s focus on men’s responsibility and Thomas’s strength to speak out about her own personal experiences. In fact, the whole nation should be looking at these two as a model to confront the silence.April 1, 2013

Thank You Dallas Men Against Abuse!

March 28, 2013

In an effort to bring men into the conversation about domestic violence (http://www.dallasmenagainstabuse.com/)   Dallas Men Against Abuse, brought of thousands of men to Dallas City Hall last Saturday. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings told the crowd, “You can call a guy who hits a woman a lot of things, but you cannot call him a man.”

Rawlings organized the rally in response to (http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2013/03/23/thousands-of-dallas-men-rally-against-domestic-violence-its-our-problem/ ) the murder of 40-year-old Karen Cox Smith, who was allegedly shot by her estranged husband. A warrant for Ferdinand Smith arrest was already issued when he was accused of trying to strangle his wife.  According to the Dallas Police Department husbands and boyfriends killed 26 wives or girlfriends in 2012, up from 10 domestic murders in 2011. The DPD receives approximately (http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2013/mar/25/mayor-rawlings-community-against-domestic-violence/?refscroll=506 13,000 calls for domestic violence each year.

Former Dallas Cowboys’ Emmitt Smith and Roger Staubach and current Dallas Cowboys Brandon Carr and Dez Bryant were in attendance. “If you have any women in your family that you cherish, take a step back and think about how you’d feel if someone laid a hand on them,” Carr said.

Local sportscaster Dale Hansen, known for his humor and Cowboys commentary, also spoke. But his words were more personal. He talked about his experiences with domestic violence. “My dad was the biggest, strongest man I ever knew, and he hit my mom and broke her nose,” said Hansen. “Never has such a big man looked so small in the eyes of a little boy.”

Dallas is raising awareness about their issue of domestic violence by invited men into what is often trivialized to be a “women’s issue.” By bringing the entire community together, Dallas can take a step toward ending the silence on domestic violence.

The Steubenville Rapists Are Not Victims – They Are Perpetrators!

March 19, 2013

Dear Readers, I am so angry. By now many of you have seen the YouTube video where CNN breaks the news that the Steubenville Rapists were convicted (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cvUCDjLDIk).

Both CNN reporters lamented the fact that the two rapists had “such promising futures.” It begs the question, what about the future of the victim who has now received death threats? (http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/19/us-usa-crime-ohio-idUSBRE92I01M20130319?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=60573).

 I do not care about the “promising futures” of the rapists – they should have thought about their futures before they raped a teenage girl and put a photo of her naked body on the Internet. CNN said “it was emotional” as Ma’Lik Richmond, one of the convicted rapists, cried as he apologized to the victim’s family; however, if you listen closely, he is really crying for himself and the fact his life, as he knew it, is now over. Mr. Richmond you raped a teenage girl and now you must pay the price—you and your accomplice are not the victims.

As for CNN, this type of reporting perpetuates a culture where rape is acceptable – and I for one am not going to view CNN again.  In fact, I am suggesting that we boycott CNN for a week in protest. We need to take a stand against people, legislators, and organizations—especially news organizations—whose reporting degrades women. CNN’s recent reporting of the Steubenville does just that.

Chris Brown You Disgust Me

March 13, 2013

Chris Brown just cannot shut his filthy mouth. According to TMZ, while Mr. Brown was partying at Emerson Theater in Hollywood, he warned Rihanna and any other man “who might want a piece of her,” to back off because, as he claimed, “that’s my PUSSY.”

 (http://www.tmz.com/2013/03/09/chris-brown-rihanna-thats-my-emerson-theatre-video-drake/).

It is evident that Chris Brown is a misogynist – any man who demeans women as he does, clearly hates them.

This continued acceptance of celebrities who degrade and abuse women must come to an end because it glamorizes abuse. Abuse is not glamorous just take a look at Rihanna’s face after Chris Brown beat her (http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1732203.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Rihanna’s+face+after+boyfriend+Chris+Brown+attacked+her.jpg).

There is nothing alluring or beautiful about that.