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Victims of Child Abuse Act Reauthorization Act of 2013

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Victims of Child Abuse Act Reauthorization Act of 2013
Great Seal of the United States
Long titleTo reauthorize subtitle A of the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990.
Announced inthe 113th United States Congress
Sponsored bySen. Christopher A. Coons (D, DE) and Sen. Roy Blunt (R, MO)
Number of co-sponsors3
Citations
Public lawPub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 113–163 (text) (PDF)
Codification
U.S.C. sections affected42 U.S.C. § 13001 et seq., 42 U.S.C. § 13004
Agencies affectedUnited States Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, United States Department of Justice
Authorizations of appropriations$20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018
Legislative history

The Victims of Child Abuse Act Reauthorization Act of 2013 (S. 1799; Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 113–163 (text) (PDF)) is a bill that would reauthorize the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 and would authorize funding through 2018 to help child abuse victims.[1] The funding is directed to Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs).[2]

The bill was introduced into the United States Senate during the 113th United States Congress. It was signed into law on August 8, 2014, by President Barack Obama.

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  • Domestic Violence: Living in Fear | NPT Reports
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Transcription

MAJOR FUNDING FOR NPT REPORTS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS PROVIDED BY WALLER. SUPPORTING THE LEGAL NEEDS OF NASHVILLES BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS. TIME AND AGAIN OUR CLIENTS, COME FOR THE LAWYER, BUT STAY FOR THE FIRM. THE FIRST TENNESSEE FOUNDATION, DEDICATED TO STRENGTHENING THE VITAL SIGNS OF OUR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. THE WOMENS FUND OF THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE, DEDICATED TO TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF WOMEN AND GIRLS AND IMPROVING THE WELL-BEING OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. AND MEMBERS OF NPT. THANK YOU. THIS PROGRAM CONTAINS REAL AND DRAMATIZED VIOLENT CONTENT WHICH MAY BE TOO INTENSE FOR SOME VIEWERS. PARENTAL AND VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. WHAT WE HEAR ALL THE TIME IS HE SWEPT ME OFF MY FEET. USUALLY THEY ARE THE MOST CHARMING MEN YOU EVER WANTED TO MEET. THEY REEL YOU IN. I NEVER KNEW ANYBODY LIKE HIM. MY MOTHER LOVED HIM, MY FATHER LOVED HIM. ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT IS PUSH FOR QUICK INVOLVEMENT. YOU MEET THESE GUYS, THEY SWEEP YOU OFF YOUR FEET AND 2 MONTHS LATER YOURE MARRIED. WE HAVE THIS EXCESSIVE CHARM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE BEGINNINGS. AND ITS INSIDIOUS. IT STARTS SLOWLY. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH THAT I WANT TO BE WITH YOU EVERY SECOND. YEAH I WANT TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE WITH YOU. I DONT WANT TO BE AWAY FROM YOU. I LOVE YOU. YOURE BEAUTIFUL. DONT GO TO WORK. ILL MAKE ENOUGH MONEY. YOU STAY HOME. IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT WE LOVE, WE WOMEN WE WANT TO BE LOVED THAT WAY. AND THEN IT TURNS INTO WHY WERE YOU AT THE GROCERY STORE MORE THAN 20 MINUTES. YOURE NOT GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE. IT TURNS INTO SOMETHING ELSE. IN THE BEGINNING HE MADE ME FEEL BEAUTIFUL, YOUNG, LOVED, CHERISHED, AND I JUST, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I HADNT REALLY FELT VERY MUCH IN MY LIFE. IT SEEMED LIKE HE WAS ALWAYS THERE WHEN I NEEDED SOMEONE. ALWAYS PUT A SMILE ON MY FACE WHEN I DIDNT HAVE ONE. WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH A REAL ROUGH TIME HE WAS THERE FOR A SHOULDER FOR ME TO LEAN ON. WHEN I MET MY HUSBAND, HE WAS SO CHARMING. HE WAS WARM, HE WAS VERY GENTLE AND HE JUST CATERED TO EVERYTHING I WANTED. HE WAS ROMANTIC. I FELL FOR THAT. WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE HEADLINES. VIOLENT CRIMES HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY STABBINGS, SHOOTINGS. HOWEVER, MORE THAN HALF OF THE VIOLENT CRIMES OCCURRING IN TENNESSEE ARE NOT HAPPENING BETWEEN STRANGERS. RATHER, THE THREATS, THE INJURIES AND HOMICIDES ARE BEING COMMITTED BY THE PERSON WHO SAYS I LOVE YOU. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT ARGUMENTS THAT ESCALATE OUT OF CONTROL. ITS ONE PARTNER IN AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP ASSERTING CONTROL OVER THE OTHER. ITS ABOUT POWER AND CONTROL. HERE IN TENNESSEE, THE NUMBERS AND SEVERITY ARE FAR GREATER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. OUR STATE RANKS 3RD IN THE NATION FOR THE RATE AT WHICH WOMEN ARE KILLED BY MEN, AND HAS RANKED IN THE TOP FIVE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS, ACCORDING TO GOVERNOR HASLAM. BECAUSE THERE IS NO TYPICAL VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. STATISTICS TELL US WE ALL COULD BE VULNERABLE. ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS START OUT LIKE ALL RELATIONSHIPS. IF YOU WERE GOING TO GO OUT WITH SOMEONE FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND THEY REACHED OVER AND THEY HIT YOU IN THE FACE, YOU PROBABLY WOULDNT WANT TO GO OUT WITH THAT PERSON AGAIN. SOMETIMES ITS ALMOST TOO GOOD AT THE BEGINNING OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP. THE PERSON MAY BE BUYING THEIR PARTNER FLOWERS, OR CALLING THEM A LOT, TEXTING THEM A LOT, CHECKING IN ON THEM, AND IT FEELS REALLY GOOD. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS AN ESCALATING PATTERN OF ABUSE IN WHICH ONE PARTNER ESTABLISHES CONTROL THROUGH FORCE, INTIMIDATION, OR THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE. THIS RELATIONSHIP HAS PREDICTABLE PHASES AS DEPICTED IN THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE. THERES A PERIOD OF TENSION-BUILDING, FOLLOWED BY AN ACUTE EXPLOSION, AND THEN THE APOLOGETIC HONEYMOON. IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP, THE NEXT PART OF THE CYCLE AFTER THE HONEYMOON IS WHAT WE CALL TENSION BUILDING. AND THATS WHERE THE PARTNER MAY START TO JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT THEYRE IN CONTROL OF THE SITUATION. YOU WANT ME TO CALL HIM? NO, I SAID ILL TAKE CARE OF IT SO ILL TAKE CARE OF IT, ALRIGHT? THEY MIGHT START TELLING YOU WHAT TO WEAR OR WHERE YOU CAN GO, WHO YOU CAN SEE. YOU UNDERSTAND ME? YES, I DO. THEY MIGHT START TO LIMIT THE VICTIMS CONTROL OVER THEIR LIFE IN SUBTLE WAYS THAT THE VICTIM MIGHT NOT RECOGNIZE RIGHT AT FIRST. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS WE COME TO WHATS CALLED THE EXPLOSION OR THE OUTBURST. AND AT THAT POINT THERE MAY BE HITTING, THERE MAY BE YELLING, THERE MAY BE SCREAMING. IM REALLY SORRY. YOURE REALLY SORRY. YOU KNOW WHATS REALLY SORRY? YOURE REALLY SORRY. YOURE THE ONE WHOS ALWAYS SORRY. YOURE THE ONE WHOS ALWAYS SORRY. ARENT YOU, HUH? IF I WERE THE VICTIM I MIGHT SAY TO MY PARTNER, YOU KNOW, NOBODYS EVER DONE THAT TO ME BEFORE. IF YOU DO THAT TO ME AGAIN, IM GOING TO LEAVE YOU. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS MY PARTNER SAYS TO ME OH IM SO SORRY BABY, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. I PROMISE I WONT DO IT AGAIN. I WONT LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN. PLEASE JUST GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE. AND HERE WE ARE BACK AT THE HONEYMOON. AND WE MAY STAY IN THAT PART OF THE CYCLE FOR AWHILE. IT COULD BE A FEW MINUTES, IT COULD BE A FEW MONTHS. IT COULD BE EVEN LONGER THAN THAT. BASICALLY THE ABUSER IS GOING TO KEEP THE VICTIM IN THE HONEYMOON PART OF THE CYCLE AGAIN, AS LONG AS THEY NEED TO KEEP THEM IN THE RELATIONSHIP. VALERIE WYNN HAS WORKED IN THE FIELD OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOR 17 YEARS. SHE IS THE FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF MARY PARRISH CENTER IN NASHVILLE. IN ITS FIRST 9 YEARS, THE CENTER PROVIDED A MYRIAD OF LIFESAVING NON-RESIDENTIAL SERVICES TO MORE THAN 6,000 VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE. IN 2009 THE CENTER SIGNIFICANTLY SHIFTED ITS FOCUS TO BECOME THE LARGEST SINGLE-SITE THERAPEUTIC TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM IN TENNESSEE. WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN ARE PROVIDED COST-FREE HOUSING FOR UP TO TWO YEARS. THE AVERAGE VICTIM TAKES SEVEN TIMES BEFORE SHE LEAVES FOR GOOD. SHE LEAVES, SHE GOES BACK, SHE LEAVES, SHE GOES BACK AND IN THE YEARS IVE DONE THIS WORK IM OFTEN ASKED WHY, WHY, WHY. BECAUSE WE LOVE THEM. BECAUSE THEYRE CHARMING. BECAUSE THEY MADE US FEEL BEAUTIFUL AND WONDERFUL LIKE NO ONE WEVE EVER KNOWN. AND BECAUSE AFTER THEY HURT US THEY ARE THE MOST CONTRITE. AND THEY SOB, AND THEY BEG AND WERE THE MOTHER OF THEIR CHILDREN. AND WE WANT A FAMILY, AND SO WE GO BACK. THEYLL HAVE WHAT WE CALL THE HONEYMOON PHASE WHERE EVERYTHINGS LOVELY. THEN THE VIOLENCE STARTS AGAIN. AND ALMOST ALWAYS ITS WORSE THAN IT WAS WHEN SHE LEFT THE FIRST TIME. THE WHOLE THINGS ESCALATED. AND NOW HES GOING TO PUNISH YOU FOR THE FACT THAT YOU LEFT. THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHERE OUR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TELL US THAT THEIR BATTERER HAS ACTUALLY TAKEN THEM TO THE HOSPITAL FOR THEM TO RECEIVE TREATMENT, WAITED WITH THEM WHILE THEY WERE TAKEN CARE OF, AND BROUGHT THEM BACK HOME. AND THEN, THE HONEYMOON STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN. I HEARD A CLIENT SAY ONCE HER BATTERER BOUGHT HER A CAR. AND THINGS WENT WELL FOR AWHILE IN THE RELATIONSHIP AFTER THAT. BUT SHE WAS ABUSED AGAIN AT A LATER TIME. THERE WAS A LOT OF PERSONALITY CHANGE FOR ME, BECAUSE I TRIED TO CHANGE THE WAY I WAS BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ABUSE. SO IF I CHANGED THE WAY I WAS MAYBE HE WOULDNT HIT ME. MAYBE HE WOULDNT SCREAM AT ME OR CALL ME THESE UGLY NAMES THAT HE USED TO CALL ME, OR DO THE THINGS THAT HE USED TO DO. AND I CHANGED A LOT. I USED TO BE A BUBBLY OUTGOING PERSON AND I BECAME VERY DEPRESSED AND SOUR, AND SERIOUS, AND I LOST ME. ISOLATION IS ONE OF THE BIG DEALS. SO IM GOING TO ISOLATE YOU. SO PRETTY MUCH YOUVE GOT TO THINK IF I WANTED COMPLETE CONTROL OVER YOU WHAT KIND OF THINGS DO I TO HAVE TO DO. WELL, FIRST OF ALL IM GOING TO TAKE AWAY YOUR CAR. YOURE NOT GOING TO HAVE FRIENDS OR FAMILY AROUND YOU BECAUSE I WANT ALL OF YOUR ATTENTION. YOU MOST LIKELY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE A JOB. IF YOU DO HAVE A JOB, ITS MONITORED WHEN YOU LEAVE, WHEN YOU COME HOME. ALL THE MONEYS GIVEN THERE BECAUSE FINANCIAL CONTROL. IF IM GOING TO CONTROL YOU I DONT WANT YOU TO HAVE MONEY. I DONT WANT YOU TO HAVE GAS IN YOUR CAR. WHEN I DID LOOK BACK I FIND THAT THERE WERE INDICATORS. I AM VERY PASSIVE. AND WITH HIM, AS SOON AS I MARRIED HIM, HIS WHOLE DISPOSITION CHANGED WITH ME. IMMEDIATELY I BECAME OWNED, AND HE SAID SO, RIGHT THERE. AS SOON AS THE I DOS WERE DONE. THAT UH, NOW YOURE MY WIFE, NOW YOU NEED TO ACT LIKE MY WIFE. BUT AS TIME WENT ON JUST LITTLE BITS OF COMMENTS, SMALL AREAS OF ISOLATION, THEN COMPLETE ISOLATION. I THINK ONE THING WE SEE A LOT IS IN CELL PHONE USAGE. SOMEONE PULLING A PHONE AWAY, AND CHECKING THAT PHONE AND JUST KIND OF SCROLLING THROUGH AND ASKING. WHO IS THIS CALL FROM WHO IS THIS? THATS NOT ACCEPTABLE. WE HAVE A RIGHT TO OUR CELL PHONES AND OUR CELL PHONE USAGE AND NOT EXPECT WERE GOING TO BE INTERROGATED. ITS VERY CRITICAL TO HAVE FRIENDSHIPS OUTSIDE OF THE REALM OF THAT INTIMATE PARTNER RELATIONSHIP. IF THAT PERSON IS CONSTANTLY DEMANDING ALL OF YOUR TIME, AND NOT WANTING YOU TO GO OUT AND HAVE FRIENDS, OR MOREOVER, EVEN HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR FAMILY, THEN THAT IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF AN UNHEALTHY BOUNDARY. WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. ITS IMPORTANT FOR LIFE. WE USED TO GIVE OUT LITTLE CARDS TO WOMEN THAT SAY CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ABUSER. BUT BEFORE I GIVE OUT THE CARD ID SAY LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT JOE. AND ID START TELLING HER. YOURE WITH A GARDEN VARIETY ABUSER. AND THATS A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO SAY TO A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM BECAUSE IT TAKES THE BURDEN OFF HER. IT LETS HER KNOW, IT WASNT YOU. HE WOULD HAVE DONE THIS WITH ANYBODY. YOU JUST HAPPENED TO BE AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME. AND WE OFTEN TIMES SEE, AND THIS IS FASCINATING. A WOMAN WILL CALL, A WOMAN AND SAY YOURE GOING OUT WITH JOE. HE USED TO BE MARRIED TO ME. GET AWAY FROM HIM. HES GOING TO HURT YOU. HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. AND HE DOES HURT THEM WHICH IS WHY I END UP MEETING THEM. SO WE HAVE THIS REPETITIVE BEHAVIOR WITH BOTH THE VICTIM AND THE ABUSER. THE NATIONAL INTIMATE PARTNER AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE SURVEY FINDS 1 IN 4 WOMEN AND 1 IN 7 MEN WILL EXPERIENCE SEVER PHYSICAL VIOLENCE BY AN INTIMATE PARTNER AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFETIME. WHEN WE WORK WITH A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SHE BEGINS TO EXPLAIN TO US THE DYNAMICS AND THE ROLES THAT EXIST IN THEIR HOME AND IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP, IT BECOMES VERY CLEAR THAT THERE IS VERY RIGID THINKING AND VERY UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS AND STEREOTYPES THAT EXIST IN THE MIND OF A BATTERER. ITS VERY BLACK AND WHITE. A BATTERER OFTEN BELIEVES THAT THAT VICTIM IS THERE TO SERVE THEM AND TO SUPPLY ALL THE EMOTIONAL NEEDS. AND ALL THE HAPPINESS THAT HE FEELS LIKE HE DESERVES OR IN SOME CASES SHE FEELS THAT SHE DESERVES. AND ITS REALLY HARD TO MEET THAT MARK. A LOT OF TIMES, PEOPLE WILL ASK YOU WHAT DID YOU DO WRONG WHEN IT COMES TO BEHAVIOR OF YOUR HUSBAND. AND ITS SO EASY FOR PEOPLE TO SAY YOU DESERVED IT, OR YOU MADE HIM ACT LIKE THAT. NO. IF I HAVE TO SAY THIS ABOUT MYSELF, I WAS AN HONEST WIFE. I LOVED MY HUSBAND. I LOVED MY CHILDREN. I CARED FOR EVERYTHING ABOUT WHERE WE WERE AND WHO WE WERE AS A FAMILY. HIS BEHAVIOR WAS GIVEN TO ME SLOWLY. I REALIZED THAT HE HAD ISSUES FROM HIS PAST THAT HE HAD NOT DEALT WITH. AND SO IM THINKING, OKAY LL JUST LOVE YOU OUT OF THIS, YOU KNOW BECAUSE I CARE FOR YOU JUST THAT MUCH. AND IT WASNT ENOUGH. THE LOVE WASNT ENOUGH. I COULDNT UNDERSTAND HOW SOMEBODY COULD SAY THAT THEY LOVE YOU AND TURN AROUND AND HIT YOU. SO I ALWAYS FELT LIKE THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING THAT I WAS DOING TO PROVOKE THIS ANGER IN HIM. HE, HIS PHRASE WITH ME ALWAYS WAS YOU HAVE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FACE IVE EVER SEEN. I COULD LOOK AT YOU FOREVER. AND HE TURNED AROUND AT ONE POINT AND HE PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE AND BROKE MY NOSE. MY FIRST MARRIAGE DIDNT WORK OUT. YOU KNOW SO, IT MUST BE ME YOU KNOW. THATS WHAT I THOUGHT. IT HAD TO BE ME. IT COULDNT BE BOTH OF THEM. IT HAD TO BE ME. ITS NOT JUST ABOUT BEING HIT. ITS THE WORDS. ITS THE MEAN WORDS. IM GOING TO DEGRADE YOU UNTIL I THINK YOU ARE LOW ENOUGH. ITS THE MONEY. HERE, TAKE THIS TWENTY DOLLARS AND MAKE IT LAST ALL WEEK. ITS THE CHILDREN. YOU BETTER NOT LEAVE THESE CHILDREN HERE WITH ME. ITS YOUR SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP. FORCED SEX. MAYBE NO SEX. NO COMMUNICATION WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD. MY HUSBAND BROKE MY PHONE. HE RAN OVER IT. HE THREW IT IN THE DITCH. SO WHEN I HAD TO CALL MY MOM OR MY SISTER I HAD TO BEG HIM FOR HIS PHONE. AND HE WOULD STAND RIGHT THERE, LISTENING TO ME TALK. AND OF COURSE, CONVERSATIONS WERE SHORT. NOT LONG AND LAUGHY LIKE THEY USED TO BE. BUT SHORT AND QUICK AND OFF. BECAUSE HIS THING WAS, NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW WHATS GOING ON IN MY HOUSE. IT STARTED GETTING VERBAL. CALLED A BITCH. AND THEN IT WOULD JUST ACCELERATE UP AND UP AND UP FROM THERE IF YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE. YOU KNOW BEING CALLED SOME WORSE THAN THAT. THAT DEGRADES YOU. FROM THE START OF THE ABUSE I STARTED FEELING BAD ABOUT MYSELF. IT WAS BASICALLY JUST GO TO WORK, COME HOME. HE HAD A PROBLEM BECAUSE I MADE MORE MONEY THAN HE DID. SO I USED TO HEAR THAT A LOT IN THE VERBAL ABUSE. IT GOT SO PHYSICAL ONE TIME, TO THE LAST TIME, THAT YOU KNOW, UHM... I GOT KICKED SO MUCH IN MY ABDOMEN, AND THROWN DOWN THE STEPS THAT I STARTED HAVING VERY BAD VAGINAL BLEEDING. AND IM STILL DEALING WITH THAT TODAY. YOU CAN BE CONTROLLED BY THE CLOTHES THAT YOU ARE MADE TO WEAR. YOU CAN BE CONTROLLED WITH FOODS THAT YOU ARE ALLOWED OR NOT ALLOWED TO EAT. YOU CAN BE CONTROLLED BY NOT BEING ABLE TO USE YOUR OWN VEHICLE OR NOT HAVING ACCESS TO MONEY IN THE FAMILY. THERES SO MANY WAYS THAT A PERSON CAN BE CONTROLLED THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE PHYSICAL VIOLENCE. MY HUSBAND WAS A BURNER. HE WOULD BURN THINGS. AND SO OF COURSE WE WOULD LEAVE THE HOUSE AND COME BACK AND THINGS WOULD BE BROKEN. THINGS WOULD BE BURNED. CUT. YOU KNOW AND IM QUESTIONING HIM, WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS? WHY WOULD YOU DESTROY OUR THINGS? OH I DIDNT DO THAT. I DIDNT DO THAT. AND HE WOULD HAVE NO REMORSE. GENERALLY IT STARTS WITH NAME CALLING. AND THEN ITS PUSHING. SOMETIMES ITS ILL THROW AN OBJECT BUT NOT AT YOU BUT CLOSE TO YOU. THE MESSAGE IS IMPLIED. IT COULD HAVE BEEN YOU. WE THEN MOVE IN OFTEN TIMES TO ANIMAL ABUSE. A LOT OF THAT. TALK TO ANY POLICE OFFICER WHOS WORKED A LOT OF DOMESTIC CALLS, THEY WILL TELL YOU YOU NEVER GO INTO A HOME WHERE THERES BEEN A LOT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WHERE THERES AN OLD DOG. YOU KNOW WHY YOU NEVER SEE OLD DOGS? THEY DONT LIVE TO BE OLD DOGS. I HAD A WOMAN I WORKED WITH WHO HAD BIRDS AND HE KILLED EVERY ONE OF HER BIRDS IN FRONT OF HER. HE NEVER HIT HER. HE DIDNT HAVE TO. HE KILLED HER BIRDS AND SAID TO HER EACH TIME, THIS COULD BE YOU. THE HARSH REALITY IS A HOME WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A THREAT TO ALL THOSE LIVING THERE. 30-60% OF PERPETRATORS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE ALSO ABUSE CHILDREN IN THE HOUSEHOLD. 88% OF PETS LIVING IN HOMES WITH DOMESTIC ABUSE ARE EITHER INJURED OR KILLED. ON ONE OF THOSE DAYS WHEN MY HUSBAND JUST DIDNT HAVE IT ON RIGHT, HE CAME HOME AND HE WAS UPSET ABOUT NOTHING. WHAT I WOULD CALL NOTHING. BUT BECAUSE HE WAS A DRUG USER HE CAME HOME WITH A LOT OF PARANOID MENTALITY. AND SO HE WOULD COME IN AND ACCUSE, WHOS HERE? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO ONE DAY I JUST FELT LIKE ID HAD ENOUGH OF THAT. I TOLD THE KIDS, PUT YOUR SHOES ON. WERE GOING TO GO OVER TO MY SISTERS. WERE JUST GOING TO LET YOU COOL OFF. AND SO WHILE THEYRE GOING DOWN THE HALL TO GET THEIR SHOES, HE GRABS ME BY THE NECK. HE DOES THIS. AND ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WHILE IM IN THIS POSITION IS THIS IS GOING TO BE MY LAST BREATH. IM GOING TO DIE. MY CHILDREN ARE GOING TO COME BACK DOWN THIS HALL AND SEE ME DEAD. AND SO I SAID I NEED TO TRY TO MUSTER UP A SOUND. SO I SCREAMED FOR MY SON. THEY COME BACK DOWN THE HALL. THEYRE SCREAMING LET MY MOMMA GO, LET MY MOMMA GO. IM SO TIRED OF THIS. THEY HAD HEARD IT. THEY HAD SEEN IT. THEY FELT ALL OF THIS TENSION THAT WAS IN THE HOUSE. SO HE LETS ME GO AND HE RUNS OUTSIDE AND HE SLASHES MY TIRES. AND I TELL THE KIDS, GET IN THE CAR WERE LEAVING ON RIMS. AND WERE SCREAMING. IM CALLING 911. HES TRYING TO GET IN THE CAR. ITS A BIG OLE CRAZY SCENE OF WERE TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM SOMEONE WHOS TRYING TO HURT US. IT WAS TERRIBLE. I HATED THAT MOMENT. I HAD TOLD HIM IN THE BEGINNING IT WOULD PROBABLY BE QUICK AND IT WAS. AND HE WAS... WE BROKE UP OVER THE PHONE. IT WASNT EVEN A BREAK-UP, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT WASNT REALLY A RELATIONSHIP, IT WAS A VERY BRIEF AFFAIR, I GUESS. IT WAS A QUICK DATING RELATIONSHIP, AND HE WAS FINE, OVER THE PHONE. I SAID YOU KNOW I TOLD YOU THIS MIGHT HAPPEN. HE SAID THATS OKAY. THEN HE APPEARED AT MY APARTMENT. AND HE SAID I LEFT A FEW THINGS IN YOUR APARTMENT, DO YOU MIND IF I GET THEM AND I SAID NO. AND HE CAME UP AND I WAS STANDING IN THE BATHROOM AND I WAS WASHING MY FACE AND HE WAS STANDING AT THE BATHROOM DOOR AND HE SAID SOMETHING. AND I, AGAIN, I WAS HALF-ASLEEP WITH WATER ALL OVER MY FACE AND HE SAID THIS ISNT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AND THEN THE NEXT THING I KNOW I WAS FLYING THROUGH THE AIR. IM TELLING YOU. I DONT CARE HOW STRONG YOU ARE, WHETHER YOURE A MALE OR A FEMALE, WHEN SOMEONE HITS YOU WITH THE FULL FORCE OF THEIR WEIGHT AND YOU ARE UNPREPARED FOR IT, THERES NO COMING BACK FROM THAT. THERE WAS NOT EVEN A QUESTION THAT I COULD EVEN DEFEND MYSELF BECAUSE HE, YOU KNOW WHEN. YEARS LATER, WHEN I BECAME AN ADVOCATE, I HAD TO LEARN HOW TO SAFETY PLAN WITH WOMEN AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO IS WE NOT ONLY SAFETY PLAN AFTER THEY LEAVE, WE SAFETY PLAN WHEN THEYRE IN THE SITUATION. SO IVE WALKED MANY WOMEN THROUGH WHERE NOT TO BE ASSAULTED. SO WHEN YOU SAY TO A WOMAN, IF YOU KNOW HES GETTING READY TO ASSAULT YOU, BACK OUT OF THE KITCHEN. DONT GO IN THE BATHROOM. BACK INTO THE BEDROOM. AND THAT SEEMS REALLY COUNTERINTUITIVE. BUT THE THING ABOUT A BEDROOM IS IF I THROW YOU ACROSS THE ROOM THERES A REALLY GOOD CHANCE YOURE GOING TO HIT THE BIGGEST THING IN THE ROOM, WHICH IS THE BED. SO YOULL BE SOFT AND MAYBE RELATIVELY SAFE. ONE OF THE WORST ROOMS YOU CAN GET ASSAULTED IN IS THE BATHROOM BECAUSE EVERYTHING YOU HIT IS GOING TO BE HARD AND THATS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. SO I ENDED UP IN THE BATHTUB. AND I KEPT LOSING CONSCIOUSNESS. AND HE MEANT TO KILL ME. HE WAS STRANGLING ME, AND WAS TELLING ME YOURE GOING TO DIE. LIKE, IT WAS CLEAR, AND I TRULY HONESTLY FELT AT THAT MOMENT THAT I WAS GOING TO DIE. I HAD NO DOUBT IN MY MIND. WHEN I CAME TO, HE WAS STRADDLING ME AND HE. I COULD TELL BY HIS FACE THAT HE THOUGHT HED KILLED ME. AND IT KIND OF SHOCKED HIM BACK INTO REALITY. SO, LONG STORY SHORT, I HAD, WAS VERY INJURED. I HAD SEVERAL BROKEN RIBS. I HAD A BROKEN NOSE. BLOOD WAS EVERYWHERE. YOU KNOW, THIS IS UNPLEASANT BUT ITS PART OF THE STORY. I HAD URINATED DURING THE ASSAULT. AND THAT HAD MIXED WITH BLOOD, AND I HAD NO IDEA HOW INJURED I WAS BECAUSE IT WAS HARD TO FIGURE OUT. ANYWAY, FINALLY I WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE FROM THE APARTMENT. AND AT THE TIME, THIS WAS IN THE LATE 70S IN PHILADELPHIA, THERE WAS NO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LAWS. SO THE POLICE OFFICERS, WHEN THEY CAME, SAID WELL YOU WERE DATING HIM YES, YOU WERE HAVING A CONSENSUAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH HIM YES, AND THE COP BASICALLY SAID WELL BE CAREFUL WHO YOU GO OUT WITH NEXT TIME. AND THAT WAS IT. WHICH IS, THERES REALLY NO WAY TO DESCRIBE HOW THE RAGE OF INJUSTICE THAT OCCURS WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS TO YOU. OF COURSE IT WASNT OVER. HE STALKED ME FOR 2 YEARS. AND I DONT KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE STALKED. I CAN TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, I CAN USE THOSE WORDS YOU HEAR ALL THE TIME ABOUT LIVING LIFE ON EGGSHELLS. I DO NOT HAVE THE WORDS TO TELL YOU. I CAN JUST, YOU NEVER REST. THATS IT. LIKE THEM. YOU NEVER REST. YOU NEVER. BECAUSE WHAT THEY, WHAT HE DID IT, AND NOW I KNOW, THAT ITS WHAT THEY ALL DO. THEY TAKE BREAKS SO JUST WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE. OH, ITS BEEN A MONTH. MAYBE HES STOPPED. THEY APPEAR. AND THATS WHAT HE DID. AND HE WAS GREAT AT IT. HE WAS TERRIFIC AT IT. HE WOULD, YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME THE POLICE CAME HE WOULD ALWAYS BE GONE. THEY COULD NEVER FIND HIM. I DIDNT KNOW WHERE HE LIVED. IT WAS JUST THIS ONGOING... I MEAN FOR 2 YEARS, I NEVER IN 2 YEARS WALKED ANYWHERE WITHOUT SOMEONE ELSE, SOMEONE WITH ME. TO WORK, BACK TO THE HOUSE, BACK TO WORK. I DIDNT GO OUT AT NIGHT. YOURE A PRISONER. HE MADE ME A PRISONER. I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO AND EVEN TALKING TO YOU, EVEN NOW, EVEN AFTER ALL MY OWN THERAPY, AND ALL MY YEARS OF WORKING WITH OTHERS, IT STILL CAUSES A SENSATION IN MY STOMACH. YOU NEVER FORGET IT. GROWING UP IN A VIOLENT HOME IS TERRIFYING AND TRAUMATIC. THIS IS THE REALITY FOR MORE THAN 3 MILLION CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES. ITS ALWAYS AMAZING TO WATCH CHILDREN WHOVE BEEN AROUND IN A HOUSE WITH VIOLENCE. THEY WATCH YOUR HANDS, THEY STUDY PEOPLE, THEYRE ALWAYS AWARE OF WHATS HAPPENING. BECAUSE THEYRE USED TO THINGS MOVING FAST, LITERALLY, SO THEY STUDY. THEY READ THE ROOM. ITS FRIGHTENING. ITS FRIGHTENING. IT OCCUPIES A LOT OF THEIR LITTLE BRAINS WHEN THEY COULD BE DOING OTHER THINGS. THEYRE WORRIED ABOUT WHERE YOUR HANDS ARE. IN A COUPLE OF REALLY LANDMARK STUDIES, HERES WHAT WE KNOW. WHEN YOU HAVE TWO CHILDREN IN A FAMILY; ONE IS BEING PHYSICALLY ABUSED, ONE IS NOT. ONE IS BEING SEXUALLY ABUSED. ONE IS NOT. THE CHILD WHO HAS WITNESSED THE ABUSE, WHETHER IT BE SEXUAL OR PHYSICAL, WILL END UP WITH MORE TRAUMA THAN THE CHILD WHOSE ACTUALLY BEEN ABUSED. THEY WILL EXHIBIT AND HAVE MORE LONG-TERM EFFECTS THAN THE CHILD WHO ACTUALLY HAD THE ABUSE. IT SEEMS SO COUNTER-INTUITIVE. HOW CAN THAT EVER BE TRUE? WELL, YOU ADD ALL OF WHAT THE VICTIM FELT AND THEN YOU ADD THE IMPOTENCE THAT THE CHILD FOR THE OTHER PERSON FELT BECAUSE THEY COULDNT FIX IT. IF YOU LOOK AT DRUG ABUSE, IF YOU LOOK AT LOOK AT RUNAWAYS, IF YOU LOOK AT PROSTITUTION, IF YOU LOOK AT SUICIDE, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THAT THOSE CHILDREN COME FROM FAMILIES WHERE THERES VIOLENCE. IF YOU AND I COULD GO FIND 200 RUNAWAYS RIGHT NOW IN THE STREETS OF NASHVILLE, OR ANYWHERE, YOU WILL FIND THAT ALL OF THEM FLED VIOLENT HOMES. ALL OF THEM. USUALLY WHAT WE ALWAYS DO IS WE LOOK TO OUR PARENTS TO TEACH US NOT TO HIT. WELL IF YOURE NOT LEARNING THAT AT HOME BECAUSE HITTING IS NORMAL AT HOME OR AGGRESSION IS NORMAL AT HOME THEN THAT IS THE CULTURE OF THE FAMILY. THIS SOLVES PROBLEMS. THIS IS THE WAY THAT WE INTERACT. THIS IS HOW YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT. AND THEN YOURE DOING IT AT LIGHTNING FAST SPEED BECAUSE OF THE BEHAVIOR AND THE CHANGE IN CHEMISTRY WITHIN YOUR BODY. IM ONE OF THE FEW COUNSELORS THAT ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE BUT WHAT WEVE BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT, THE RECIDIVISM RATE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS WERE ALWAYS TRYING TO RECREATE A RELATIONSHIP. IF MOTHER CANNOT HAVE A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH HER PARTNER SHE CAN STILL HAVE OTHER HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. ONE OF THE FIRST WAYS IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CHILD. THATS THE FIRST RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE IN LIFE. SO WHEN WERE LOOKING AT THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP A LOT OF TIMES COUNSELING CAN BE A HUGE COMPONENT IN THAT. WHEN IM WORKING WITH CHILDREN, VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, I MIGHT BE HELPING THAT MOM LEARN TO RE-PARENT OR TRY DIFFERENT PARENTING TECHNIQUES. MEANWHILE WHILE TRYING TO SUPPORT THAT CHILD AND ALSO UNDERSTANDING HIS OR HER OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR AGGRESSIVE OR VIOLENT HOME LIFE THAT HE OR SHE MIGHT HAVE CAME FROM. ALSO WHAT IM LOOKING AT IS REPAIRING THEIR RELATIONSHIP. CAN THEY LEARN TO TRUST ONE ANOTHER AGAIN WHEN THEY CAME FROM A SITUATION WHERE THERES NO SUCH THING AS TRUST? CAN THEY ALSO LATER ON IN LIFE AS TEENAGERS HAVE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS? THATS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPERATIVE BECAUSE THEY DIDNT LEARN WHAT A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP LOOKED LIKE. THEY DONT UNDERSTAND HOW TO PROBLEM SOLVE WITHOUT EITHER BEING A VICTIM OR BEING AN AGGRESSOR. AND SO THEYRE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO YOU HAVE CONFLICT RESOLUTION WITHOUT VIOLENCE. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE. WHEN VICTIMS CALL THE CRISIS LINE YOU FREQUENTLY HEAR A SENSE OF DESPERATION. THEY NEED HELP. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO TURN TO. NOW HAVE YOU EVER TRIED LEAVING BEFORE MAM OR EVER COMMUNICATED TO HIM THAT YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT LEAVING? THE CRISIS COUNSELORS NEVER GIVE THEM ADVICE IN REGARDS TO THEIR SITUATION. THEY BASICALLY OFFER THEM OPTIONS AND GUIDE THEM AS THEY ARE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR NEXT STEP. IM SO GLAD THAT YOU CALLED. YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF YOURSELF. I KNOW ITS JUST A PHONE CALL BUT THIS IS A TREMENDOUS STEP THAT SHOWS INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF STRENGTH ON YOUR END. YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF YOURSELF FOR MAKING THESE MOVES. THERE CERTAINLY IS A VAST SAFETY NET AND SUPPORT NETWORK THAT YOU CAN TAP INTO AND WE CAN HELP YOU WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED. THERE ARE SEVERAL RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS IN NASHVILLE. THE YWCA WEAVER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER IS THE LARGEST IN THE STATE PROVIDING A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN. THE YWCA ALSO OFFERS CRISIS COUNSELING, CHILDRENS SERVICES, SUPPORT GROUPS AND A 24-HOUR CONFIDENTIAL CRISIS AND INFORMATION LINE. THE MORNING STAR SANCTUARY PROVIDES EMERGENCY SHELTER AND TRANSITIONAL COUNSELING FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN, ASSISTANCE WITH ORDERS OF PROTECTION, COURT ADVOCACY, AND MENTORING. MORNING STAR ALSO OFFERS HOPE, A COMPREHENSIVE CHILDRENS PROGRAM. YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY BRAVE TO MAKE THAT PHONE CALL. TO REACH OUT. BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, THAT MOST VICTIMS THE BATTERER TELLS THEM IF YOU EVER TRY TO CALL, IF YOU ILL KILL YOU. AND THEYVE SHOWN YOU, THEY WILL KILL YOU. OR YOUR CHILDREN. ONCE THE KIDS COME INTO THE PICTURE THE WHOLE THING CHANGES. ITS WAY MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE YOU NOW THREATEN THE KIDS. OR YOU SAY THINGS LIKE YOULL NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN. AND WE KNOW, IN FACT, ABUSERS, WE SEE THAT, UNFORTUNATELY. WE SEE SITUATIONS WHERE THE. WHEN WE HAVE THOSE MURDER-SUICIDES WHERE THE KIDS ARE ALSO MURDERED. WERE NOT THERE, BUT MOST LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL TELL YOU, THE KIDS ARE KILLED FIRST. SO SHE SEES THAT. ONE PARTICULAR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOMICIDE PROVED TO BE A CATALYST FOR CAPTAIN KAY LOKEY, AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT. IN 2011, A WOMAN WAS AMBUSHED AT WORK BY HER ABUSER AND SHOT TO DEATH. THERE HAD BEEN 8 REPORTS OF SERIOUS VIOLENT EPISODES AND 3 ARRESTS IN THAT CASE. THE UNIT WAS WORKING WITH HER AND DOING ALL THEY COULD, BUT SHE NEVER WENT TO THE COURT HEARING TO GAIN A FULL ORDER OF PROTECTION. HER DEATH SPURRED CAPTAIN LOKEY TO RESEARCH BEST PRACTICES OF OTHER CITIES AND PUT THEM INTO ACTION HERE. SUBSEQUENTLY, A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PANEL WAS FORMED COMPRISED OF DETECTIVES, VICTIM ADVOCATES AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. THE PANEL DISCUSSES VIABLE OPTIONS TO INCREASE SAFETY FOR VICTIMS IDENTIFIED AT GREATEST RISK. OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR DIVISION IS UNIQUE TO OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS. WE HAVE FOUR COUNSELORS THAT WORK WITHIN OUR SAME BUILDING. SO THE DETECTIVES AND THE COUNSELORS CAN WORK TOGETHER IN AN EFFORT TO GET THE OFFENDER IN JAIL AND ALSO TO GET THE VICTIMS NEEDS MET. THE PATROL OFFICERS, THE OFFICERS IN THE CAR ANSWERING THE CALLS, THEYRE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, AND ITS SO IMPORTANT THAT WHEN THEY MAKE THAT FIRST CONTACT THAT THEY LET HER KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMEBODY ON THEIR SIDE. THERE IS SOMEBODY WHO IS GOING TO HELP HER THROUGH THIS. THERE ARE RESOURCES AND SERVICES FOR YOU, BUT WE NEED YOU TO HELP US GET YOU THERE. IF THE OFFICERS CAN DETERMINE THERES PROBABLE CAUSE AND SHE REFUSES TO GET A WARRANT OR TO PROSECUTE OR AN ORDER OF PROTECTION, THE OFFICER CAN GO DOWN AND SEEK THE WARRANT ON HER BEHALF. THATS IMPORTANT. IN THE 1990S THE SHALL PART OF THE LAW CAME IN, THAT THE OFFICER, IF THERES PROBABLE CAUSE SHALL MAKE AN ARREST. SO IT DOESNT LEAVE US VERY MUCH ROOM TO NOT ARREST. WE SHALL. ITS A BIG MISTAKE TO THINK THAT EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY WHOS SUFFERING THIS CRIME IS CALLING ANYBODY. THE POLICE, LEGAL AID, ME, THE Y, ANYBODY. THERES AN INCREDIBLE LEVEL OF SHAME AND GUILT INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE. IT IS THE UGLY SIDE OF OUR FAMILY. ITS THE UGLY THING THAT HAPPENS AT HOME. IT HAPPENS IN OUR HOME. ITS NOT AN EASY THING TO GO TO WORK THE NEXT DAY AND TELL YOUR CO-WORKERS THAT YOU SPENT THE NIGHT BEING ABUSED BY YOUR SPOUSE. OR FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL. THEY LEARN TO LIE. LISTEN, IM REALLY SORRY TO DO THIS TO YOU. THERES NO WAY I CAN COME INTO WORK TODAY. IVE GOT THAT STOMACH BUG THATS BEEN GOING AROUND. I JUST FEEL TERRIBLE. VICTIMS OFTEN FEEL ALONE. THEY WILL NOT SHARE. AND THEY WOULD RATHER, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, DIE THAN LET YOU KNOW SOMETHINGS NOT RIGHT IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP. WHEN YOU HAVE LOOKED IN THE FACE OF SOMEONE, AND I HAVE WHOSE SAID IM GOING TO KILL YOU AND THEY MEAN TO YOU NEVER FORGET THAT FACE. FEAR IS A GREAT MOTIVATOR OF HUMANS. ITS WHY ITS BEEN USED FOR AS FAR BACK AS WE KNOW. YOU WANNA GET SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING? GOOD LORD, ITS HOW WE TRAIN OUR ANIMALS. ITS HOW YOU TRAIN ANY BEHAVIOR. FEAR IS THE UNIFIER. THE FEAR OF CALLING THE POLICE. THE FEAR OF EVER TELLING ANYONE THE TRUTH. THE FEAR OF GETTING BETTER. THE FEAR OF EVER SAYING WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. THAT YOULL EXPLODE INSIDE. I HAVE SAID TO PEOPLE, ITS OKAY, YOU CAN TELL ME. WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? AND I HAVE HEARD THIS MORE THAN ONCE. IM AFRAID IF I TELL YOU I WILL NEVER STOP CRYING. IM AFRAID IF I TELL YOU MY HEART WILL LITERALLY EXPLODE OUT OF MY CHEST. YOU KNOW, MANY WOMEN, WILL JUST STAY IN THE SITUATION AND NOT MAKE THAT FIRST CALL. NUMBER ONE, ITS THE FAMILY AND THEY WANT TO KEEP THE FAMILY UNIT TOGETHER. AND THEN THEY MAY FEEL A LITTLE ASHAMED. YOU KNOW, HOW COME I CANT KEEP MY MARRIAGE INTACT, HOW COME I CANT BE A BETTER WIFE, A BETTER MOTHER. THEY START QUESTIONING THEMSELVES IM GOING TO CALL THE POLICE. THEYRE GOING TO COME TO MY HOME. MY CHILDREN ARE HERE. THEYRE GOING TO QUESTION ME, THEYRE GOING TO QUESTION HIM. SOMEONE MIGHT GO TO JAIL. DO I WANT MY CHILDREN TO SEE THAT? THEN IVE GOT TO GO TO COURT. DO I WANT TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK TO SHOW UP AT COURT. ITS VERY DIFFICULT FOR A VICTIM. A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MAY PETITION A JUDGE FOR AN ORDER OF PROTECTION. THIS IS A LIMITED RESTRAINING ORDER WHICH STIPULATES SPECIFIC RESTRICTIONS ON THE PERSON CAUSING HARM. WE SEE FAR TOO OFTEN, AS PROSECUTORS, THOSE HORRIBLE SITUATIONS WHERE A WOMAN HAS BEEN ABUSED AND SHES REACHED OUT TO THE POLICE AND THE OFFENDER HAS CONVINCED HER THAT HE LOVES HER AND THAT ITS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN, AND THEY LOSE FAITH IN THE SYSTEM. AND THEY STOP COOPERATING WITH US. THEY DONT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WHICH TIES OUR HANDS. AND THEN FAR TOO OFTEN, THE NEXT PHONE CALL WE GET, IS THAT HES KILLED HER. SHES DEAD AT THE HAND OF THIS PERSON SHE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A BREAK FROM. AND YOU KNOW ITS A TOUGH LINE THAT WE WALK BECAUSE OUR MAIN GOAL IS NOT TO BREAK UP FAMILIES. THATS NOT THE FOCUS OF PROSECUTION. THE FOCUS OF PROSECUTION IS HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. A VICTIM IS ALWAYS HER BEST ADVOCATE WHEN IT COMES TO HER OWN SAFETY BECAUSE SHES THE ONE THATS BEEN KEEPING HERSELF SAFE. SO IF SHES TOLD ME AN ORDER OF PROTECTION WOULD ONLY EXACERBATE THINGS, WOULD ONLY MAKE IT WORSE. I WOULD NEVER FORCE HER. IF THEY DO VIOLATE IT WE CAN ARREST THEM AND TAKE THEM TO JAIL AND ITS TEN DAYS. BUT THE VICTIMS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THERE ARE THINGS THAT THEYRE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IN THEIR LIFE, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THEYRE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE TO KEEP THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES SAFE. AND ITS NOT A CURE ALL BUT ITS A GOOD TOOL. WHEN YOU GET AN ORDER OF PROTECTION IN TENNESSEE YOU GET ISSUED AN EX PARTE WHICH IS A TEMPORARY ORDER AND THEN YOU GO TO COURT TO HAVE THE FULL ORDER HEARD AND YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE ROOM WITH THE PERSON WHO HAS SAID IF YOU EVER TELL ANYBODY IM GOING TO KILL YOU. SO, MUCH TO THE FRUSTRATION OF POLICE OFFICERS, ALL OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ADVOCATES YOU VERY OFTEN, A LOT OF TIMES HAVE THAT TEN DAY PERIOD BETWEEN, ITS GOTTA BE WITHIN TEN DAYS BETWEEN THE EX PARTE ISSUE AND THE FULL ORDER ISSUE WHERE A VICTIM RE-CANTS OR A VICTIM SAYS I DONT WANT TO DO IT. WELL WHY WOULD THAT BE? I DONT KNOW. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I HAVE NEVER MET BRAVER PEOPLE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE THAN MANY OF THE WOMEN I HAVE MET WHO HAVE WALKED THROUGH OUR COURT SYSTEM DOORS, WHO HAVE WALKED THROUGH THE DOORS OF THE MARY PARRISH CENTER. THEY ARE BRAVE. THEY ARE BRAVER AS ANY SOLDIER WHOS EVER LEFT THE BATTLEFIELD. TO GET UP AND, TO GET IN COURT AND FACE A PERSON WHO HAS CONVINCED YOU THEYRE GOING TO KILL YOU. ITS BEYOND WHAT I COULD DO. ITS BEYOND WHAT MOST PEOPLE COULD DO. AFTER THAT, IF YOU GET YOUR ORDER, YOU LIVE IN FEAR. AGAIN, WERE BACK TO THAT WORD. THE FEAR EVERY DAY OF BEING KILLED BECAUSE HES TOLD YOU IF YOU EVER LEAVE ME. AND YOU KNOW I THINK WE HAVE THIS IMAGE OF YELLING AND SCREAMING AND GLASSES BREAKING, THE IMAGES WE SEE ON TELEVISION. BUT HERES ANOTHER IMAGE ID LIKE YOU TO THINK ABOUT FOR A MINUTE. PILLOW TALK. WHEN YOURE BEING HELD IN THE ARMS OF THE PERSON YOU LOVE, WHERE IN MY LIFE ITS THE SAFEST PLACE I KNOW, MY HUSBANDS ARM, AND THERE YOU ARE IN THAT SAFE PLACE IN A QUIET MOMENT AND YOUR CHILDREN MAYBE ARE SAFE AND HERES WHATS WHISPERED INTO YOUR HAIR. YOU KNOW, IF YOU EVER LEAVE ME, ILL KILL YOU. I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT YOU. ILL KILL MYSELF, AND ILL KILL YOU, AND I DONT WANT TO LEAVE THESE BABIES HERE TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES. AND THEN YOU DRIFT OFF TO SLEEP. ONE THING THAT IVE COME TO REALIZE IS THAT ITS HIM. HE WASNT LASHING OUT AT EVERYBODY ELSE AROUND HIM. IT WAS ONLY ME. SO IT WASNT THAT HE HAD AN ANGER MANAGEMENT PROBLEM, HE HAS AN ABUSE PROBLEM. AND THERES NOTHING I CAN DO TO FIX THAT. I CANT FIX ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. I CAN FIX ME, BUT I CANT EVER FIX HIM. SO THEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE CHOICE OF WHETHER OR NOT BEING IN THIS RELATIONSHIP IS WORTH YOUR LIFE, AND IT WASNT FOR ME. ITS A BAD SITUATION THAT WEVE CREATED WHERE WE ASK VICTIMS TO HAVE TO TELL WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM IN FRONT OF THE PERSON THAT HURT THEM. BECAUSE OFTEN TIMES IT CREATES A HUGE AMOUNT OF FEAR IN THEM AND SOMETIMES THE FEAR IS JUST TOO MUCH FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO TESTIFY IN THAT WAY IN COURT. SHE DOESNT COME TO COURT, ITS GOING TO BE DISMISSED MORE THAN LIKELY. WELL, DOESNT THAT EMPOWER HIM MORE? DOESNT THAT MAKE HIM THINK, THIS IS MY HOUSE, I DO WANT I WANT, AND NOT EVEN THE COURTS CAN STOP ME? THE ABUSER WILL OFTEN SAY THINGS LIKE, IM SO SORRY. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. I PROMISE IM GOING TO GET HELP. IM GOING TO CHANGE. IM GOING TO MAKE IT BETTER. I WONT DO THIS AGAIN. AND THE VICTIM WANTS TO BELIEVE THAT. THE VICTIM WANTS TO BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE SHE LOVES HER PARTNER. BUT THE CHANCES THAT HER PARTNER WILL CHANGE ARE REALLY REALLY SLIM. AND UNLESS AN ABUSER GOES THROUGH A CERTIFIED BATTERERS INTERVENTION PROGRAM, THE CHANCES THAT HES GOING TO CHANGE ARE VERY, VERY, VERY SLIM. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ABUSE, IS A CRIMINAL ACT. AND THERE ARE STILL MINDSETS THAT BELIEVE THAT WHAT HAPPENS IN MY HOUSE STAYS IN MY HOUSE. THE MALE PRIVILEGE COMES INTO PLAY. I THINK SOMETIMES OUR LAWS REFLECT THIS. IN TENNESSEE, IF YOU ARE BROUGHT UP ON CHARGES OF DOMESTIC ABUSE AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME, AND YOU ARE FOUND GUILTY YOU SELDOM SPEND ANY TIME BEHIND JAIL. WE PUT THEM ON PROBATION AND WE TREAT IT AS A MISDEMEANOR, BUT ITS NOT. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAS FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES. SO THE 1ST OFFENSE, WHAT KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY ARE WE HOLDING THESE PEOPLE TO? EVERY TIME HE WOULD GET HIGH, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, I WAS CHEATING ON HIM AND I WAS GONNA LEAVE. AND I WAS DOING ALL THESE HORRIBLE THINGS AND I MEAN HE WOULD ALMOST GO OUT OF HIS MIND ABOUT IT. HE WOULD CONFISCATE MY PHONE. HE WOULD CONFISCATE MY COMPUTER. THAT WAS A REAL BIG INDICATOR TO ME WHEN HE STARTED USING. IT WAS LIKE OH THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY BAD. A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT DRUGS AND ALCOHOL CAUSE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. IVE TALKED TO MANY, MANY DIFFERENT VICTIMS WHO TELL ME YOU KNOW MY BATTERER ONLY HURT ME WHEN HE WAS HIGH. MY BATTERER ONLY HURT ME WHEN HE WAS DRUNK. AND WHILE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DRUGS AND ALCOHOL ARE RELATED, I DONT BELIEVE THAT THEY CAUSE ONE ANOTHER. WE KNOW PLENTY OF ABUSERS WHO ABUSE PEOPLE WITHOUT ANY USE OF ALCOHOL AND DRUGS. WE ALSO KNOW PLENTY OF ALCOHOLICS AND ADDICTS THAT NEVER ABUSE SOMEONE ELSE. SO IF THERES ALREADY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAPPENING AND SOMEONE GETS HIGH, SOMEONE GETS DRUNK, THEN IT MIGHT INCREASE THE FREQUENCY OF THE EXPLOSION. IT MIGHT MAKE THE OUTBURST A LITTLE MORE SEVERE, BUT IT DOESNT ACTUALLY CAUSE THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THE TIME THAT SOMEONE LEAVES THEIR RELATIONSHIP THEYRE ACTUALLY IN MORE DANGER THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME IN THE RELATIONSHIP. SO THEIR CHANCES FOR DOMESTIC HOMICIDE INCREASE AT THE TIME THAT OF THEYRE LEAVING THE RELATIONSHIP. AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE ONCE SOMEONE DECIDES THAT THEYRE GOING TO LEAVE, AND ONCE THEY ACTUALLY LEAVE, THEIR BATTERER HAS LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OVER THEM AT THAT POINT. REMEMBER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS ABOUT POWER AND CONTROL. THE ABUSER WANTS NOTHING MORE THAN TO CONTROL THEIR PARTNER. SO ONCE THE PERSONS LEFT THEYVE LOST CONTROL. THEYRE WILLING TO DO ANYTHING THEY CAN TO GAIN CONTROL OF THAT PERSON AGAIN. HAVING SAID THAT, ITS SO IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO LEAVE THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND THATS WHY THERES SO MANY SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO HELP THEM LEAVE. ITS VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A SAFETY PLAN CREATED WHEN A VICTIM IS TRYING TO LEAVE AND SO THE DIFFERENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINES CAN HELP PERSONS ESTABLISH THEIR OWN INDIVIDUALIZED SAFETY PLAN WHERE THEY CAN KNOW HOW TO GET OUT SAFELY. ONE OF THE THINGS LEARNED EARLY ON IN THIS WORK, IS THAT LEAVING IS NOT AN EVENT ITS A PROCESS. BECAUSE ABUSERS DO ALL THE THINGS WEVE TALKED ABOUT, THE FINANCIAL, YOU KNOW ALL OF THE ISOLATION, THE FINANCIAL, ALL THAT, OFTEN TIMES THE QUESTION IS SIMPLY WELL DO I SLEEP IN MY CAR WITH MY CHILDREN, OR DO I KEEP THEM WARM TONIGHT? THEYRE LEAVING WHEN THEY CAN. THEYRE DOING IT THE BEST THEY CAN. IN 2012, A NEW TENNESSEE LAW WENT INTO EFFECT IMPOSING A MANDATORY 30 DAY MINIMUM SENTENCE FOR SECOND OFFENDERS IN DOMESTIC ASSAULT CASES AND MANDATORY 90 DAY MINIMUMS FOR THIRD AND SUBSEQUENT CONVICTIONS. HOWEVER, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EXPERTS ARE CONCERNED THAT JAIL TIME BY ITSELF WONT STOP A CHRONIC ABUSER. STATE OFFICIALS CITE THE EFFECTIVENESS THAT MANDATORY MINIMUMS HAVE HAD IN DUI CASES, BUT THOSE OFFENDERS ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO ATTEND DUI SCHOOL AFTER CONVICTION. THERE IS NO SUCH EDUCATION COMPONENT REQUIRED FOR REPEAT DOMESTIC ABUSE OFFENDERS. IN FACT, OF 95 COUNTIES IN TENNESSEE, ONLY 32 CURRENTLY HAVE A STATE-CERTIFIED BATTERER INTERVENTION PROGRAM. I HAVE FOUND THAT AS A COUNSELOR AND ADVOCATE I AM OFTEN MET WITH FRUSTRATION OVER THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY AND THERES NO RESOURCES. I MEAN EVEN IF THERES RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS, WHICH ARE VERY NOMINAL IN RURAL COUNTIES, WHICH QUITE A FEW COUNTIES IN TENNESSEE ARE RURAL, THERES EVEN LESS BATTERERS INTERVENTION TREATMENT PROGRAMS. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE STATISTICS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN THAT 1 IN 3 WOMEN WILL HAVE BEEN ABUSED AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIVES, THAT SHOWS THE IMPACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ALL AROUND US. 1 IN 3 WOMEN. SO YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR CHURCH, YOUR SCHOOL, YOUR JOB, YOU THE STORES THAT YOU GO TO. THERES ULTIMATELY ALWAYS AN IMPACT THERE WHEN IT COMES TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. ALL OF US, STATISTICALLY, WORK WITH WOMEN AND MEN THAT HAVE BEEN OR WILL BE THE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. SO IF A CO-WORKER WERE TO COME TO YOU AND SAY IM IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP, WHAT DO I DO, YOU NEED TO HAVE AN ANSWER AS A CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, YOU NEED TO HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THEM. ACCORDING TO A STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE, MEN AND WOMEN BOTH ENGAGE IN OVERALL COMPARABLE LEVELS OF ABUSE AND CONTROL, LIKE DIMINISHING A PARTNERS SELF-WORTH, USING ISOLATION, JEALOUSY, CHILDREN, AND FINANCES TO ASSERT CONTROL. HOWEVER, MEN ENGAGE IN HIGHER LEVELS OF SEXUAL COERCION AND CAN MORE EASILY INTIMIDATE PHYSICALLY. WOMEN ARE SEVEN TO FOURTEEN TIMES MORE LIKELY THAN MEN TO REPORT SERIOUS PHYSICAL ATTACKS LIKE BEATING, STRANGULATION, THREATS OF WEAPONS OR USE OF WEAPONS. THERE IS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF SHAME AND GUILT AND HUMILIATION ASSOCIATED WITH BEING A MALE VICTIM. I THINK, TO BE A MALE VICTIM IN U.S. SOCIETY IS VERY SYNONYMOUS WITH FAILING AS A MAN. YOU KNOW, FAILING AS THE ONE IN CHARGE, FAILING AS SOMEONE WHO CAN TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF AND, MOREOVER, BE A PROTECTOR IN HIS OWN FAMILY. AND FOR THOSE ROLES TO HAVE BEEN DECIMATED BY AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP, WHETHER ITS FEMALE ON MALE OR A HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP. WILL THE POLICE EVEN TAKE ME SERIOUSLY? WILL THERE BE POLICE BIAS? WILL THERE BE CRIMINAL JUSTICE BIAS? IT IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT EVEN AFTER THE FIRST PHONE CALL TO MAINTAIN ENFORCEMENT OF SAFETY. IT IS DIFFICULT FOR A VICTIM ONCE THEY GET AN ORDER OF PROTECTION SOMETIMES TO ENFORCE THAT. ITS SO UNNATURAL. AND THEN WHEN THE GUILT AND THE EMBARRASSMENT COME INTO PLAY ITS SO COMPOUNDING THAT NO WONDER, NO WONDER MANY VICTIMS RETURN TO THEIR BATTERERS. TWO FAMILY JUSTICE CENTERS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN TENNESSEE, ONE IN KNOXVILLE AND ONE IN MEMPHIS. THESE CENTERS PROVIDE A ONE-STOP SHOP TO MEET VICTIMS NEEDS AND ARE A BEST PRACTICE ACCORDING TO THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. WHAT WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH IN MEMPHIS AND SHELBY COUNTY IS TO CUT DOWN ON THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WHO GET FRUSTRATED, AND TIRED, AND CONVINCED THAT IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. WE WANT TO HOLD ON TO THEM AS LONG AS WE CAN AND WALK THEM THROUGH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS SMOOTHLY AS WE CAN SO THAT WE CAN HOLD OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE. BECAUSE WE KNOW STATISTICALLY THAT BY THE TIME A VICTIM PICKS UP THE PHONE AND CALLS THE POLICE FOR HELP, HE OR SHE HAS BEEN THE VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ON AVERAGE, SEVEN TIMES BEFORE. AND SO, IF ONCE WE GET THAT OFFENDER BROUGHT INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, WE WANT TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND NOT LET THEM HAVE THE FEELING THAT THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT AGAIN, SO TO SPEAK. SO IF WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT ROAD TO COMPLETION OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS SMOOTH FOR THE VICTIM, I THINK WELL DO A LOT BETTER JOB OF CUTTING DOWN ON THE NUMBER OF REPEAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENDERS AND JUST THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS WHERE ITS THE NORM. THE EQUALITY WHEEL IS A TOOL THAT WE USE TO HELP ILLUSTRATE THE BASIC QUALITIES THAT EXIST IN A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP, IN A BALANCED RELATIONSHIP. IN THE MAJORITY OF THE CASES THAT WE WORK WITH, THEY CERTAINLY DO UNDERSTAND AND RELATE TO THAT POWER AND CONTROL WHEEL. WE SHOW THEM THE EQUALITY WHEEL, AND MANY TIMES THAT IS A STRANGE THING FOR THEM TO SEE. ITS NOT UNCOMMON TO ASK, DOES THIS EVEN EXIST AT ALL? BUT... IT REALLY DOES EXEMPLIFY THE VERY ESSENTIAL TENANTS OF A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP. I ASK WOMEN, TELL ME WHAT YOU DREAM. I HAVE NO WORDS FOR HOW POWERFUL A QUESTION THAT IS. YOU SAY TO A WOMAN FORTY YEARS OLD, WHAT DO YOU DREAM ABOUT? DREAM? THEYVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT SURVIVAL FOR THE LAST TWENTY YEARS. WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE? WHAT KIND OF JOB DID YOU WANT? I DONT KNOW WHATEVER I COULD DO TO PUT FOOD, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP? SOMETIMES IT TAKES THEM A DAY OR SO TO COME BACK AND SAY I REMEMBER NOW. I WANTED TO, I HAD A WOMAN NOT LONG AGO, I WANTED TO BE AN EMT. BECAUSE IM REALLY GOOD IN A CRISIS. AND THEN I GET TO SAY, WHICH IS SUCH A GREAT PART OF MY JOB, LETS WORK ON THAT TOGETHER. LETS GET YOUR DREAMS BACK. IM EXCITED ABOUT TODAY. NOT JUST TODAY, BUT EVERY TODAY I GET. I WALK IN A SPIRIT OF GRATEFULNESS. IM GLAD TO BE ALIVE. I SEE MYSELF AS YOU KNOW, GETTING STRONGER, BEING BETTER FOR ME AND MY DAUGHTER SO THAT YOU KNOW LEARNING THE THINGS THAT I NEED TO LEARN SO I THAT I WONT CONTINUE TO BE YOU KNOW BE ABUSED. MY FUTURE LOOKS IMMENSELY BRIGHT, AND OPTIMISTIC, AND EXCITING. WHEN I WAS WITH HIM THERE WERE DAYS WHEN I DIDNT BELIEVE THAT I WOULD SEE THE OUTSIDE OF MY APARTMENT EVER AGAIN. THAT WAS HARD. AND BEING HERE IS SUCH A SAFE PLACE AND IT JUST FEELS LIKE HOME. I FEEL LIKE I CAN RELAX AND THERE ISNT ALL THIS CHAOS IN MY LIFE, AND FEAR. MY CHILDREN ARE IN A BETTER STATE OF MIND. IVE TRIED TO GIVE THEM A VERY POSITIVE LIFE SINCE THAT MOMENT AND MY SON HAS JUST GONE TO THE ARMY. HE LOVES IT. HES EXCITED ABOUT IT AND TALKED ABOUT IT SINCE HE WAS SO LITTLE. AND MY DAUGHTER IS FINISHING UP HIGH SCHOOL. AND SHE LOVES EDUCATION. SHE LOVES WHAT SHES DOING. SO I OFTEN LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN FOR COMMUNICATION. IF THEY NEED ANYTHING BY WAY OF THERAPY OR JUST NEED A HUG. TO LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU CAN MOVE ON FROM THIS. YOU DONT HAVE TO BE, YOU DONT HAVE TO STAY STUCK. AND IN YOUR PAST. AND WHAT THIS ONE MAN DID. THIS ONE MAN DID. ALL PEOPLE ARENT LIKE THIS. IM FINALLY FINDING MY JOY AGAIN AFTER SO MANY YEARS, AND ITS. MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TOLD ME MOM, ITS SO GOOD TO HEAR YOU LAUGH AGAIN. SO IF YOURE IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, REACH OUT TO SOMEBODY. YOU CAN FIND HELP. EVEN IF IT TAKES 100 PEOPLE TO REACH OUT TO. SOMEBODY WILL HELP YOU. MY LIFE HAS BEEN BETTER. IM VERY AWARE OF WHO I AM AND WHERE IVE BEEN AND WHERE ID LIKE TO GO. AS AN ADVOCATE IN REGARDS TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, I KNOW THAT THERES NEVER A CHANCE THAT I DONT GET TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT. PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR. PEOPLE NEED TO BE FREED. EVEN THOUGH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS ONE OF THE MOST CHRONICALLY UNDERREPORTED CRIMES, THE NUMBER OF TENNESSEANS WE KNOW WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS STAGGERING. THE WORK CONTINUES IN SEVERAL AREAS. FIRST, AIDING VICTIMS BY PROVIDING ADEQUATE EMERGENCY SHELTERS AND SERVICES THAT HEAL THE BODY, AND EMOTIONAL WOUNDS. THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT SIGNED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA IN MARCH OF 2013 SECURED NEEDED PROTECTIONS AND SERVICES FOR DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. SECONDLY, PERPETRATORS MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR CRIMES. FINALLY, PREVENTION PROGRAMS CAN BE PUT IN PLACE THAT HELP TEACH CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS ABOUT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND HEALTHY BOUNDARIES. ADVOCATES HOPE AWARENESS WILL MEAN ABUSERS WILL HAVE NO ONE TO VICTIMIZE. MAJOR FUNDING FOR NPT REPORTS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS PROVIDED BY WALLER. SUPPORTING THE LEGAL NEEDS OF NASHVILLES BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS. TIME AND AGAIN OUR CLIENTS, COME FOR THE LAWYER, BUT STAY FOR THE FIRM. THE FIRST TENNESSEE FOUNDATION, DEDICATED TO STRENGTHENING THE VITAL SIGNS OF OUR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. THE WOMENS FUND OF THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE, DEDICATED TO TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF WOMEN AND GIRLS AND IMPROVING THE WELL-BEING OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. AND MEMBERS OF NPT. THANK YOU.

Background

According to the National Children's Alliance, Child Advocacy Centers "employ a multi-disciplinary team of trained professionals to conduct forensic interviews of children who have been victims of abuse. These interviews are designed to be admissible in court, preventing children from being re-traumatized by having to tell their stories multiple times."[3] The organization also reported that in 2012, "more than 286,000 children were served at over 800 Child Advocacy Centers across the United States, with over 197,000 cases reporting sexual abuse."

Provisions of the bill

This summary is based largely on the summary provided by the Congressional Research Service, a public domain source.[4]

The Victims of Child Abuse Act Reauthorization Act of 2013 would amend the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990 to authorize appropriations for FY2014-FY2018 for: (1) the children's advocacy program; (2) grants from the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to develop and implement multidisciplinary child abuse investigation and prosecution programs; and (3) grants to national organizations to provide technical assistance and training to attorneys and others instrumental to the criminal prosecution of child abuse cases in state or federal courts, for the purpose of improving the quality of criminal prosecution of such cases.[4]

The bill would direct the Inspector General of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct audits of grant recipients to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of funds by grantees. Defines an "unresolved audit finding" as a finding in the final audit report of the Inspector General that the audited grantee has utilized grant funds for an unauthorized expenditure or otherwise unallowable cost and that is not closed or resolved within 12 months from the date when the final audit report is issued and any appeal has been completed. Directs the Administrator to give priority for grants to eligible entities that did not have an unresolved audit finding during the three fiscal years prior to submitting an application for a grant. Disqualifies a grant recipient that is found to have an unresolved audit finding from receiving grant funds during the following two fiscal years. Directs the Administrator, if an entity is awarded grant funds during the two-fiscal-year period in which the entity is barred from receiving grants, to: (1) deposit an amount equal to the funds that were improperly awarded into the General Fund of the Treasury, and (2) seek to recoup the costs of the repayment to the fund from such entity.[4]

The bill would prohibit the Administrator from awarding a grant to a nonprofit organization that holds money in offshore accounts for the purpose of avoiding paying the tax on unrelated business income.[4]

The bill would require each nonprofit organization awarded a grant that uses prescribed procedures to create a rebuttable presumption of reasonableness for the compensation of its officers, directors, trustees and key employees to disclose to the Administrator in the grant application the process for determining such compensation, the comparability data used, and contemporaneous substantiation of the deliberation and decision.[4]

The bill would prohibit amounts authorized to be appropriated to DOJ from being used by the Administrator, or by any individual or organization awarded discretionary funds through a cooperative agreement, to host or support any expenditure for conferences that uses more than $20,000 in DOJ funds, without prior written authorization by the Deputy Attorney General or other specified officials.[4]

The bill would direct the Deputy Attorney General to submit an annual report to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees on all approved conference expenditures.[4]

Procedural history

The Victims of Child Abuse Act Reauthorization Act of 2013 was introduced into the United States Senate on December 11, 2013, by Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D, DE) and Sen. Roy Blunt (R, MO).[5] The bill was referred to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. The Senate voted to pass the bill with an amendment by unanimous consent on June 26, 2014.[5][1] The United States House of Representatives voted on July 28, 2014, to pass the bill in a voice vote. President Barack Obama signed it into law on August 8, 2014.

Debate and discussion

The bill was introduced jointly by Senator Coons and Senator Blunt.[1] Blunt stated that "this bill allows Child Advocacy Centers in Missouri and across the country to continue to provide a safe haven for child abuse victims and helps law enforcement hold perpetrators accountable for their actions."[1] Senator Coons agreed, saying "we have a responsibility to protect our children from violence and abuse."[1]

The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) supported the bill.[6] The International Association of Chiefs of Police also supported the bill, saying that the "increased funding will enable child victims of violent crimes to receive the services they need and allow law enforcement to better protect children and hold perpetrators accountable."[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Cox, Ramsey (30 June 2014). "Senate passes bill to protect children from abuse". The Hill. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  2. ^ a b Guy, Sarah (3 March 2014). "The U.S. Senate Remains Focused on Sentencing Reform Legislation". The Police Chief. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  3. ^ "Congress Introduces Bipartisan Victims of Child Abuse Act Reauthorization Act of 2013". National Children's Alliance. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "S. 1799 - Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  5. ^ a b "S. 1799 - All Actions". United States Congress. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  6. ^ "Updates on Mental Health Legislation, Victims of Child Abuse Act, DPPA, and Officer Sean Collier Campus Police Recognition Act". National Association of Police Organizations. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.

External links

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Government.

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