THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 19, 1995 TAG: 9501190348
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
A woman called the Samaritan House battered women's shelter in Virginia Beach this week with a desperate plea: ``I don't want to be the next Nicole Simpson.''
A volunteer with the state Family Violence Hotline heard a similar cry: ``He says he's going to do the same thing O.J. did.''
Local shelters have begun to feel the impact of the Simpson case - more calls from women who fear for their lives.
Dawn-to-dusk news coverage of the accusations that Simpson killed his former wife, Nicole, and a male friend of hers shows women ``how serious domestic violence can be for them,'' said Joy Wright, a coordinator for the Virginia Family Violence Hotline. ``They can see another battered woman and see how it ended for her.
``Last summer, the last two weeks of June (when Simpson was charged with the double murder) was probably the busiest time we've had since the hot line opened.''
Ellen Cospito-Ferber, director of Samaritan House, said calls have increased 10 percent in the past week. The Help and Emergency Response (H.E.R.) Shelter in Portsmouth housed 18 women Tuesday, compared with seven last week.
One shelter director said the Simpson case has encouraged some victims to seek help but has discouraged others.
``We have some women where the trial might be playing into their leaving, finally trying to make the break. . . . But a lot of women are seeing that the legal system might not work, and they aren't reporting,'' said Diane Hall, director of the Genieve Shelter in Smithfield.
Hall said many women are worried about attempts by Simpson's defense lawyers to squelch evidence of his violent past.
``They ask: `How is that going to impact me? Am I not going to be able to say to a judge: I've been to you four times before, Your Honor, and I've been to the emergency room, and he did this to me in the past'? Women are hesitating.''
But those who aren't hesitating - and are thinking about leaving an abusive partner - need to prepare for the break as much as possible, said Sandra Becker of the H.E.R. shelter.
``When a woman tries to leave, her chances of being killed jump 75 percent,'' Becker said.
Here are some suggestions:
Call a shelter beforehand, so the staff can help plan the safest way to leave.
The safest time to leave is when the abuser is at work or otherwise away from the home.
Try to gather important documents, such as birth certificates, Social Security numbers, marriage licenses, insurance policies, bank-account information and children's school records. Try to stash money and a set of car keys where you can get them quickly. Pack clothing and shoes for you and the children; store them with a friend or neighbor if necessary.
If you can't get out before violence begins, try to call the police or send a child to tell a neighbor to call. Beforehand, try to arrange a way to signal a neighbor, such as flicking a porch light, in case you can't get to a phone.
Try not to get trapped in rooms where there is no exit, like a bathroom or a closet.
If you leave, try to take the children with you.
If you're physically injured, go to the hospital and save any evidence, such as doctor's reports and color photos of wounds.
If you don't have a safe place to go - a neighbor's or family member's house, for instance - call a shelter. Its staff will arrange transportation.
Police officers also can take you to a shelter. Once you are there, an advocate will help you with housing, financial assistance and court orders, such as arrest warrants for abuse, and protective and custody orders for the children.
Becker, of H.E.R., said a woman in an abusive situation can't plan too much.
``She must take every precaution necessary to keep him away from her, keep herself safe, and we'll do everything we can to assist her.'' MEMO: WOMEN'S CENTERS
Norfolk: YWCA - 625-5570.
Portsmouth: H.E.R. (Help and Emergency Response), 393-9449.
Virginia Beach: Samaritan House, 430-2120.
Smithfield: The Genieve Shelter, (800) 969-4673.
Eastern Shore: Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 787-1329.
Hampton-Newport News: Peninsula Council on Domestic Violence,
723-7774.
Williamsburg: Avalon Center for Women and Children, 258-5051.
The Virginia Family Violence Hotline: (800) 838-8238 (Virginians
Against Domestic Violence). by CNB