Washington Courts: Judicial News Report Detail

Second statewide Domestic Violence Summit: Working as a community

"Why don't you just leave?"

It's a question routinely asked of victims of domestic violence, and of those who treat them.

It's a question with few right answers, says a national DV expert, one that symbolizes a huge gulf in understanding between victims and those who observe them from the sidelines.

The state's second statewide domestic violence summit explored ways to help women out of a cycle of abuse and showcased local projects and campaigns that have made a difference across the state.

Co-sponsored by Supreme Court Chief Justice Barbara Durham, Attorney General Christine Gregoire and Governor Mike Lowry, "DV Two" gathered members of the judicial, executive and legislative branch December 11th at SeaTac airport.

Keynote speakers included Bonnie J. Campbell, director for the Justice Department's Violence Against Women Office, and Mary Pontarolo, executive director of the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Supreme Court Justice Richard P. Guy welcomed participants to the day-long summit, underlining the commitment of state courts to resolving the issue of domestic violence.

"Domestic violence is everybody's problem," said Guy. "It is a requirement that every segment of society--every social service agency, all of government--understand the dimensions of the problem, work on it, provide the services and the funding that is necessary."

Violence Against Women Act

Bonnie J. Campbell director of the U.S. Justice Department's Violence Against Women Office, and the event's keynote speaker, agreed. "Sometimes the most important message that we can give, is that we are all joining forces...I wish I could take Justice Guy on the road with me--I don't meet a lot of judges that have his particular perspective, and it is especially nice to have so many judges here today."

Campbell first became involved in the issue when she was a candidate for attorney general in Iowa. She learned then many rape victims and battered women felt the original crime they had endured hadn't been nearly as painful as their later victimization by the criminal justice system.

"When you have huge numbers of people who hold that attitude, something is profoundly and fundamentally wrong," said Campbell.

Signed into law as part of a 1994 omnibus crime bill, the Violence Against Women Act committed more than $2 billion dollars to states over a six-year period to combat domestic violence. Since its enactment, $275 million has been awarded nationally. Washington state has received $5.4 million in grant funds, and another $2 million for community-oriented policing services program.

A national domestic violence hotline [1-800-799-SAFE] funded by the program, received 60,000 calls from women in trouble in the first seven months of its existence, Campbell said.

It's society's problem

Besides focusing on changes within the criminal justice system, it is equally important to push for change in public attitudes about DV-related crimes, Campbell said. "It is, of course, members of the public that are law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, probation officers, and citizens who sit as jurors."

"We have to educate people, and that means changing cultures--our culture--which is generally a violent one, and is certainly a sexist culture."

Campbell said de facto sexism gives rise to violence against women. "[It's] a belief that when all else fails, if I am bigger than you--and stronger--I can do whatever I want. Underlying that is a belief that in certain relationships, that's O.K."

Campbell set up a role-playing example of how domestic disturbances would have been handled 20 years ago. "Pretend that I am a battered woman, and somebody called 911, and the police show up at the door. It would not be shocking to be greeted in this fashion, Well you know Ms. Campbell, we've been here five times already. You know this man is a batterer...why don't you just leave.' Or worse, O.K. what did you do this time to make him so mad?'"

"Well, those are the wrong questions. We know that now. Why is it that we ask those questions? I must tell you that I think the greatest impediment--even today--to our ability to move forward in this area, is the answer to the question...why don't you leave."

Campbell said her first reaction to such questions is, why should the victim leave? It's the batterer who is breaking the law. And then there are the heart-wrenching decisions that must be made before a woman can leave an abusive relationship.

"Can I take my children? What if I have to take them out of the state? Can I write a check from the checking account? Can I take the car, is there shelter available?' We're expecting women in the middle of a major crisis...to somehow answer these questions. I should tell you, there is no right answer, given the state of the law today...[but we expect them to] leave in some kind of intelligent and sophisticated fashion. She may lose her children for leaving. She may lose her children for not leaving--it happens every day. So it is cavalier and foolish for us to say, Why don't you leave.'"

Campbell described the long-term emotional impacts involved. A study which compared battered women with survivors of the World War II holocaust and prisoners of war, concluded their long-term problems--especially post-traumatic stress disorder--are identical.

"Their reality becomes altered. Battered women are often isolated, treated like children. They are literally prisoners of war in their own home. And then of course, the answer to why don't you leave can be deadly. At the point women do leave, often that is when they are killed."

Helping women escape abuse will take hard work from everyone.

"We know that the only way we really will transform society and the justice system is if we help in partnership--all of us--to build a community-based response."

Making a difference

Mary Fairhurst, president-elect of the Washington State Bar Association, facilitated the program, introducing representatives of a wide variety of community-based responses to domestic violence, including:

• Love Shouldn't Hurt: Lynn Gordon said Seattle's Love Shouldn't Hurt campaign uses health education principles to design messages and themes to help motivate people to change attitudes and behavior. In a series of public service announcements, DV victims recall the emotional and mental toll of the abuse, while voice-overs assure women they are not alone, then lists a number they can call for help.
• Refugee Women's Alliance: Sue Wilkes and Tsege Tsegay described how their multi-ethnic organization strives to help refugee and immigrant women achieve self-independence and sufficiency. Victims are given a package of educational and social services, plus bilingual, bi-cultural advocacy services.
• Walla Walla Domestic Violence Task Force: Lee Zimmerman and Peggy Sanderson explained how they gather high-level members of agencies dealing with DV to exchange information and create an on-going review of the community's response. Mission statement goals include: increased support, education, treatment and protection of the victim; increased supervision and treatment for the offender; facilitate prompt judicial intervention that facilitates treatment compliance and supervision; and creation of a broader understanding and heightened sensitivity of the domestic violence phenomenon.
• Spokane County Domestic Violence Consortium: Supported by a grant from the Department of Social and Health Services, Patricia B. Morgan works with the consortium--which includes treatment providers, court personnel, social and health service providers, and others--to assure domestic violence is addressed in the most effective manner possible. Funding strategies and priorities are also devised.
• Benton/Franklin Regional Domestic Violence Summit: Benton/Franklin County Superior Court Judge Craig J. Matheson gave a slide presentation, final report and program evaluation of the September summit, which focused on community level responses to domestic violence. The program brought community leaders together who can effect changes in the way DV is handled locally.
• Pierce County and Seattle Police Department's Domestic Violence Unit: Pierce County's Fred Wist and Seattle Police Department Lieutenant Debbie Allen described advances made by their separate departments within the past year, and reported encouraging statistics on the reduction of domestic violence related homicides.

Potential increase of funding

As a result of DV II, programs may soon see more funding. As co-sponsor of the event, Gov. Mike Lowry announced that he would ask the state Legislature to make nearly 70 percent increases in DV prevention and treatment programs during the upcoming biennium.

"It is clear that we have excellent organizations doing great work, that very much need more support--including financial support," said Lowry.

The out-going governor's $5.2 million dollar increase proposal is included in the budget Lowry will offer to the Legislature next month.