[Taltarzac725]

Violence Against Women Act - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hope this does not get political as I see it more as a matter of public health. What more do you think could be done for victims/survivors of domestic violence than the 2013 Violence Against Women Act? I know that there are hotlines and such as well as community programs but how well are they really advertised? Should this not be a priority to make resources known to someone that may not know of their existence?

I know I talked about the frustrations I was having with helping with this problem first from with the law librarianship profession and then looking in from the outside with the UCSF School of Public Health as subject 613.

I had outlined my experiences with this back in late 1992 to early 1993 while a subject (613) in a study on the stress on the unemployed at the University of California at San Francisco School of Public Health and the researcher had seemed to agree that such access should be made known to as many people as possible.

From mid 1992 onward, I had tried to do that by getting public, medical, and law libraries to dialog with victim right providers about whatever needs survivors and victims of violence might need.

Common sense would seem to dictate that more local the access points the better. Seems like the tail is wagging the dog so to speak if the resources available are reachable through a call to some DC or even State Capital hotline.

Should not there be as many access points as possible?

What are your reactions to this?

I have tried to get links to the Florida Victim Services Directory http://myfloridalegal.com/directory into Villages' area public libraries which seems to me that the dog would be wagging the tail so to speak if these access points moved from the local to the national rather than the other way around.

[Uptown Girl]

I understand and applaud that you are coming from a place of deep compassion and are not solely focusing on the problem, but searching for solutions to provide additional tools to help.
As we know, domestic violence is not limited within socioeconomic barriers.

Removal of ones self from the destructive cycle can seem frightening, complicated or unattainable when you are wracked out emotionally and unable to sort things out. Many of these victims are 'programmed' by their captors into believing all sorts of untrue, negative things over a very long time.

Perhaps those with more education would search out places of support, or think to access written information via the library or computer.

For those with limited education or resources (like a car or a computer) live in a much smaller world with only emergency methods, like calling the police (if there is a phone) or escaping to a neighbor.
If they see a number to call on television, that can be a help. They might even see an ad in the local newspaper, though that is probably a less likely scenario.

I think that maybe having a link to a local center available through schools, churches, the police and even the fire department/ paramedics would be
helpful. A simple pamphlet or business card they could be given.
Heck, they could be on the counter in the local convenience store. But most centers don't have the resources to provide that.

I have ALWAYS said that I think basic Psychology should be a part of every school curriculum, from kindergarten on. At the kindergarten level, it can be about learning to navigate in polite society, then get more sophisticated as the child grows into a young adult.
This gives children a rudder, a standard. It may stop bullying. It certainly would shed light on ways to recognize and identify behavior that is unacceptable and suggest tools to work with if they find themselves in need.
It may indeed stop cycles that start early on in their lives at home.... or at least make them aware that this behavior is not how everybody does things... that there are alternate choices.
We made a stab at it by encouraging 'political correctness' as we like to call it. That was an utter failure, in my opinion and morphed quite off the mark.

We know that most perpetrators of domestic violence do not just manifest suddenly.... it is a craft that they grow into and hone over time. It is progressive. Always.
I wish I could offer more. Consider this food for thought, that's all.
I will say that the police and those in the court system do a pretty good job of recommending resources when they see a need. They do the best THEY can.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Uptown Girl

I understand and applaud that you are coming from a place of deep compassion and are not solely focusing on the problem, but searching for solutions to provide additional tools to help.
As we know, domestic violence is not limited within socioeconomic barriers.

Removal of ones self from the destructive cycle can seem frightening, complicated or unattainable when you are wracked out emotionally and unable to sort things out. Many of these victims are 'programmed' by their captors into believing all sorts of untrue, negative things over a very long time.

Perhaps those with more education would search out places of support, or think to access written information via the library or computer.

For those with limited education or resources (like a car or a computer) live in a much smaller world with only emergency methods, like calling the police (if there is a phone) or escaping to a neighbor.
If they see a number to call on television, that can be a help. They might even see an ad in the local newspaper, though that is probably a less likely scenario.

I think that maybe having a link to a local center available through schools, churches, the police and even the fire department/ paramedics would be
helpful. A simple pamphlet or business card they could be given.
Heck, they could be on the counter in the local convenience store. But most centers don't have the resources to provide that.

I have ALWAYS said that I think basic Psychology should be a part of every school curriculum, from kindergarten on. At the kindergarten level, it can be about learning to navigate in polite society, then get more sophisticated as the child grows into a young adult.
This gives children a rudder, a standard. It may stop bullying. It certainly would shed light on ways to recognize and identify behavior that is unacceptable and suggest tools to work with if they find themselves in need.
It may indeed stop cycles that start early on in their lives at home.... or at least make them aware that this behavior is not how everybody does things... that there are alternate choices.
We made a stab at it by encouraging 'political correctness' as we like to call it. That was an utter failure, in my opinion and morphed quite off the mark.

We know that most perpetrators of domestic violence do not just manifest suddenly.... it is a craft that they grow into and hone over time. It is progressive. Always.
I wish I could offer more. Consider this food for thought, that's all.
I will say that the police and those in the court system do a pretty good job of recommending resources when they see a need. They do the best THEY can.

Thanks for your thoughtful post. I do still believe that links to resources like the Florida Victim Services Directory should be readily available from public, medical and law libraries as well as from sheriffs' offices websites. Access to information is power of some kind but it can hardly offset a raised fist or voice. Kind of worry that in our struggling economy that some of these resources listed by the Florida Victim Services Directory are no longer available because they lost their funding. http://myfloridalegal.com/directory

I did really great a break when I saw an e-mail I had sent out from Palm Harbor, FL back in 2003 or so to various media like Brandeis University's The Justice student newspaper appear when I Google Chromed my name back in early February of 2012. http://www.thejustice.org/

It did make the struggle I have been in known to at least a few people and I got the impression someone was looking into my claims made back in 2003.

It disappeared again though now that I Google Chromed my name today on March 10, 2013. I can still look at it but it is no longer indexed by my name. Wonder how and why they do that?

[In awe of TV]

Domestic violence still is a subject that is still difficult to speak about. There is an abundance of misunderstanding regarding domestic violence. So many people think it's a cut and dry issue. If anyone is educated about DV, you know it's a very grey area, a very, very complicated issue. People don't want to talk about it and don't want to get involved even though it affects all genders and all social economic backgrounds. DV is not exclusive. It's called a silent disease, the subject is hushed, it takes place behind closed doors. A DV victim is embarassed, humilated and demoralized. DV victims are perceived as weak. Who wants to admit that?

Many victims do not have cell phones, transportation, money, or access to TVs or access to the outside of their home for that matter! They are helpless and hopeless. Some escape with only the clothes on their backs. Courage is needed to pursue freedom. Sometimes it's just easier to return to the abusive situation. It's so complicated.

You will notice that TV commercials are saturated with information on ways to stop animal abuse posting support/donation phone numbers and websites. This movement is truly wonderful and accepted!

You rarely see commercials or any advertising for donations for funding of State DV shelters. Yet, a DV murder is televised everyday!! Statistics show that 1 in 4 women are victims of DV as well as 1 in 14 men; 3 women are killed every day, and 8 children are orphaned.

Unfortunately, DV is also a cycle passed down from generation to generation and many victims do not have the peer or family support as DV is accepted. I agree that if DV education were to begin in the schools as early as kindergarten it could possibly break the cycle and give children knowledge of empowerment, and maybe even stop bullying.

I volunteer by answering the Crisis Hotline in a DV shelter and I facilitate a DV group session. Funds are very limited and these shelters are dependent on community/corporate donations. Thank God for them! Every shelter in the ATL area is full to capacity.

Fortunately there are many success stories and fortunately the DV police responders are being better educated. Unfortunately, it's an uphill battle to end DV.

Every State needs a movement to predominately post their DV hotline number and make it available to anyone in need or ensure that help can be achieved by dialing 911.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by In awe of TV

Domestic violence still is a subject that is still difficult to speak about. There is an abundance of misunderstanding regarding domestic violence. So many people think it's a cut and dry issue. If anyone is educated about DV, you know it's a very grey area, a very, very complicated issue. People don't want to talk about it and don't want to get involved even though it affects all genders and all social economic backgrounds. DV is not exclusive. It's called a silent disease, the subject is hushed, it takes place behind closed doors. A DV victim is embarassed, humilated and demoralized. DV victims are perceived as weak. Who wants to admit that?

Many victims do not have cell phones, transportation, money, or access to TVs or access to the outside of their home for that matter! They are helpless and hopeless. Some escape with only the clothes on their backs. Courage is needed to pursue freedom. Sometimes it's just easier to return to the abusive situation. It's so complicated.

You will notice that TV commercials are saturated with information on ways to stop animal abuse posting support/donation phone numbers and websites. This movement is truly wonderful and accepted!

You rarely see commercials or any advertising for donations for funding of State DV shelters. Yet, a DV murder is televised everyday!! Statistics show that 1 in 4 women are victims of DV as well as 1 in 14 men; 3 women are killed every day, and 8 children are orphaned.

Unfortunately, DV is also a cycle passed down from generation to generation and many victims do not have the peer or family support as DV is accepted. I agree that if DV education were to begin in the schools as early as kindergarten it could possibly break the cycle and give children knowledge of empowerment, and maybe even stop bullying.

I volunteer by answering the Crisis Hotline in a DV shelter and I facilitate a DV group session. Funds are very limited and these shelters are dependent on community/corporate donations. Thank God for them! Every shelter in the ATL area is full to capacity.

Fortunately there are many success stories and fortunately the DV police responders are being better educated. Unfortunately, it's an uphill battle to end DV.

Every State needs a movement to predominately post their DV hotline number and make it available to anyone in need or ensure that help can be achieved by dialing 911.

Agree that every state does need a movement to try to get this information out to as many people as possible. Thanks for your volunteering. My only professional exposure to domestic violence was while I was a Student Attorney at Legal Assistance to Minnesota Prisoners (LAMP) at the U of MN Law School representing prisoners and heard about women who had fought back against their abusers. I also of course represented prisoners who had abused women. There were not many options available to develop clinical law skills without representing prisoners of some kind.

[In awe of TV]

Oh my goodness. That must have been very difficult to represent an abuser. Typically abusers are self absorbed and are in complete denial and unrepentant. Only 2% or less of abusers ever reform - a very scary statistic.