Washington Courts: Judicial News Report Detail

Creating Community Partnerships

Domestic Violence Summits Highlight:
Creating Community Partnerships

Wendy K. Ferrell
OAC Reports Editor

Washington State is gearing up for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, with a flurry of activities scheduled to help the communities respond to problems relating to domestic violence.

Kitsap County will be the first of several counties-including Thurston, Lewis and San Juan-to hold community domestic violence summits in late September and October. Seen as the leader in the local summit efforts, the Kitsap County Domestic Violence Task force is holding their fourth annual summit "Children: Forgotten Victims of Domestic Violence-A partnership approach" this week in Silverdale.

Anticipated to gather more than 250 community leaders, treatment providers and members of the legal community, six breakout sessions will be held on items from child victim services, interstate protection orders to interactive victim stories. Headlining the September 26th event is Jackson Katz and Casey Gwinn, two nationally recognized leaders in domestic violence prevention.

Beginning the effort
Continuing the tradition of first-ever statewide summit held back in 1995, (co-sponsored by the Washington Supreme Court, Attorney General's Office and the Gender and Justice Commission) Kitsap began their effort to focus on their community's response to domestic violence in 1997. Organized by Kitsap County District Court Judge James Riehl and Probation Services Director Dayle Crane and sponsored by the Gender & Justice Commission, their first summit served to be a great cooperation model with local officials and treatment providers. They have held annual events ever since. This year is especially interesting to Judge Riehl, with the acclaimed keynote speakers.

"Each summit has had a different theme," he explained, "this year will gather more professional participants within the community to focus on how to protect children who witness violence on a daily basis."

Katz, a specialist in the field of gender violence prevention, will deliver the opening keynote address. Widely recognized for groundbreaking education with men and boys to prevent domestic violence, particularly in sports culture and the military, his presentation is sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Navy. Gwinn, City Attorney for San Diego, will present the afternoon keynote address. As the founder of the San Diego Task Force on Domestic Violence in 1989, his work as a prosecutor is credited with playing a major role in the 60% drop in domestic violence homicides over the past 10 years in San Diego.

In 1993, the National Council on Juvenile and Family Court Judges chose Gwinn's unit as the model prosecution unit for the nation.

Positive interactions
When asked to describe the progress the summit efforts have made in his community, the answers come easily.

Judge Riehl says that one of the greatest successes is the coordinated response offered to victims.

"From the police to clergy members to the business community, everyone has taken an active role in changing the system," explains Riehl. Prosecution has increased for cases with recanting victims, and the local Rotary Club has even contributed time and money to purchase transitional housing for victims. As a natural by-product, DV reporting rates in Kitsap County have increased dramatically since the summits have began, leading to swamped agencies and a need for more resources.

Fortunately, county leadership has also shown their support. "Due to the education of county leadership, money for the budget in the areas of domestic violence is now a top priority," says the Judge.

Washington State as a whole has also been making great strides.

From new domestic violence courts in King and Clark County, to a recent designation by the Family Violence Prevention Fund that Washington ranks among the best states in the country when it comes to laws related to domestic violence, its clear Washington State takes the problem of domestic violence seriously.

"We're truly ahead of the curve, statewide, but there is always more work that can be done," Riehl says.

"Each of our local summits have been truly inspirational and effective in bringing community members to the table…I'm very proud of these community-based efforts."

To learn more about the Kitsap County Domestic Violence Task Force, or the summit, visit their website at www.kcdvtf.org.

LOCAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SUMMMITS & CONFERENCES

For more information on any of these local domestic violence summits, contact Gloria C. Hemmen at (360) 705-5290 or via e-mail at Gloria.Hemmen@courts.wa.gov.