Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 23, 1994 TAG: 9411010013
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: D3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DIANE McQ. STRICKLAND
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
One-third of all women in this country will be in a violent relationship during their lifetimes.
Women are in nine times more danger in their homes than on the street.
Domestic violence respects no boundaries. It includes victims of both sexes, and victims of all races, ethnic and religious backgrounds, ages and socioeconomic status.
The terrible physical and emotional injuries suffered by abused victims are the most obvious damages. However, we should not lose sight of the far-reaching consequences of this social illness. Domestic violence causes a lack of home and job stability. Impoverished conditions for the victim and other family members often result, causing dependency upon social services and public support. Ultimately, an entire breakdown of the family structure may occur.
Another consequence, perhaps less perceptible but far more serious in its implications, is how domestic violence teaches children that violent behavior is acceptable. Children exposed to acts of violence between members of their households today become the potential batterers and victims of tomorrow.
When you do the math, multiplying the observed acts of violence by the number of children watching, the numbers are frightening. Last year in Virginia, more than 25,000 domestic-violence victims sought support services. In the Roanoke Valley, police departments responded to more than 1,500 calls involving assaults by household members. Approximately 1,000 victims requested crisis intervention, including emergency income assistance, food, clothing and transportation, and more than 400 required assistance with housing.
The good news is the efforts undertaken in Virginia and in the Roanoke Valley to address this serious social problem. In March 1993, a Virginia team of judges, legislators and victim representatives returned from a national Conference on Confronting Violence in the Family with the modest goal of eliminating domestic violence in the commonwealth. The team assembled a statewide coordinating council of leaders of Virginia's executive, legislative and judicial branches, together with representatives of the media, law enforcement and victim-service providers.
Through the efforts of council members, the General Assembly this year established the Commission on Family Violence Prevention. The commission is to determine what services, resources and legislation are needed to prevent and treat family violence. The commission, with both public and private funding, in August hired a director with offices established in the state Supreme Court. The council and director are now moving to address the priorities identified by the state team: to provide public education through the schools and media, to enhance accessibility to and the effectiveness of the judicial system, to increase resources available to victims and to batterers, and to establish local coordinating councils in each judicial circuit.
In the Roanoke Valley, a family-violence coalition, active for several years, was expanded recently to reflect the composition envisioned by the state team, and we are one of eight judicial circuits within the state to have an active coordinating council.
The valley is also blessed with outstanding service organizations that provide support to victims and family members. Counseling for victims, family members and batterers is also offered by several agencies. Through the combined efforts of the valley's service providers last year, emergency assistance was rendered to over 1,000 family-violence victims, counseling was furnished to more than 700 victims and batterers, and approximately 150 victims were aided by a court advocate.
Also, in the past several years law-enforcement authorities, magistrates and the commonwealth's attorneys offices have seen a dramatic increase in the level of services they provide, and greater sensitivity to the plight of victims.
Police officers now receive training both from the Department of Corrections and through the local training academies in responding to family-violence situations. They also carry cards to give to victims to advise them of available support services and to inform them about court procedures.
The head magistrate for our circuit now sits on both the family-violence coordinating council and on the advisory council for the Women's Resource Center. He is endeavoring to educate his staff as to the needs of domestic-violence victims, and is working with city officials to secure private space for victims to relate their problems to a magistrate.
The commonwealth's attorney's office has a victim/witness coordinator who assists victims in better comprehending the court processes, and provides moral support. The office has also adopted a modified "no drop" policy that lessens pressure on the victim to drop the case.
We judges are also becoming more knowledgeable about the dynamics of family violence. But the efforts have only begun, and we have yet to see marked results from the increased training and services.
Domestic violence costs our nation between $5 billion and $10 billion annually. Surely we can allocate a small portion of this amount to teach our children that violence is not an acceptable way of life. Surely we can afford to better train those who address these issues on a daily basis: law-enforcement officers, members of the bar and judges. Surely we can find the resources to better support organizations that provide shelter, food, clothing and counseling services.
Let us make a commitment that we, as individuals and as a community, will take responsibility for ending family violence. Whether your role be one of service provider, participant in the legal process, media representative, doctor, educator, clergy or neighbor, accept responsibility for making a difference.
Let the suffering of domestic-violence victims not be in vain. Help make real the vision of eliminating family violence in Virginia.
\ Diane McQ. Strickland of Roanoke is a judge of the 23rd Judicial Circuit of Virginia. This is adapted from her remarks at a recent commemoration of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
by CNB