THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 12, 1995 TAG: 9507120572
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 102 lines
The Virginia Commission on Family Violence Prevention met in Virginia Beach Tuesday to hear from frustrated folks like Sharon H. Forrest.
The Norfolk woman reported her husband's physical abuse of their six kids about five years ago. Her husband was found guilty, but to Forrest's disappointment, he was granted visitation. She eventually won her court bid to have the visits supervised, but only if she'd pay for them.
``The United States of America, the state of Virginia and Norfolk provide summer school for my children, parks for my children, even fireworks for my children,'' Forrest told commission members Tuesday.
``Where is the protection from their abuser? Where is adequate supervision of their court-ordered visitation?''
The statewide commission met at the Virginia Beach campus of Tidewater Community College to listen to domestic-violence victims and service providers for ideas on better ways to help them.
The commission, which was appointed by the 1994 General Assembly, consists of citizens, judges, legislators and state officials, including Lt. Gov. Donald Beyer Jr. and Attorney General James Gilmore III.
The commission is looking at domestic violence in a broad context, examining failings of the system in handling spousal, elder and child abuse, and sexual assault. Commission members appointed representatives from around the state to serve on subcommittees that are working on legislative, judicial and community remedies to family violence.
The commission and subcommittees meet every other month in different parts of the state to update their work and hear from the public. A list of recommendations and legislative proposals will be presented to the General Assembly in January.
``There have been others (commissions) in the past, but this is the biggest and best-funded,'' Beyer said.
``It seems to be galvanizing. You hear the stories, you see the need for more training, more awareness.''
Several members of the commission and the public said Tuesday that the commission is well on its way to developing a cohesive plan:
The Community Response Subcommittee, chaired by Beyer, has developed a manual to help localities create ``community councils'' to better coordinate community and police response. The subcommittee noted Tuesday that it will look at the possibility of a statewide registry to track protective orders.
The Data Collection & Monitoring Subcommittee, chaired by Del. Kenneth Melvin of Portsmouth, is compiling a computerized data base of resources and services for victims and service providers.
The Law Enforcement Subcommittee, chaired by Gilmore, is examining how domestic violence cases are now handled in the courts. The committee met Tuesday with a deputy sheriff from San Diego who said stricter arrest policies and sentencing requirements have lowered the domestic homicide rate in her area.
The Public & Professional Awareness Subcommittee, chaired by Del. Richard Cranwell of Vinton and Circuit Judge Roy Willett of Roanoke, is trying to make domestic-violence resources readily available to victims - for example, through business-card-sized pamphlets containing emergency phone numbers.
The Legislative/Judicial Subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Ed Houck of Spotsylvania, is looking at the service of protective orders and funding for the commission's recommendations.
The Training and Technical Assistance Subcommittee, chaired by Del. Clinton Miller of Woodstock, is responsible for finding the resources toimplement the final recommendations.
Betty Wade Coyle, executive director of the Hampton Roads Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse, said the strength of the family violence commission comes from its encompassing approach.
``I'm very excited and feel very positive about the commission,'' Coyle said.
``Because of better funding we're able to have more staff, which has allowed the commission to do a comprehensive look at the issue of domestic violence and delve into a lot of complex issues and strategize how to deal with those issues.''
Forrest, like dozens of others who attended the Virginia Beach meeting, hopes so.
``All of the expense in time and money and all the harm to my children from the lack of guidelines was needless in my case,'' she said. ``. . . My hope is, as I stand here using precious dollars to advocate for my children and all the victims of abuse after them, is that you act on this information.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
D. KEVIN ELLIOTT/Staff
Donna M. Perone, with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department,
speaks to the Virginia Commission on Family Violence Prevention at
TCC in Virginia Beach on Tuesday.
The Virginia Commission on Family Violence Prevention met to listen
to victims of domestic violence, and those who provide services to
them, for ideas on better ways to help them. One woman, referring to
her children, asked: ``Where is the protection from their abuser?''
Graphic
DETAILS
For details about the Commission on Family Violence Prevention,
call
692-0375.
by CNB