Domestic violence

“ Domestic violence disrupts communities, destroys relationships, and harms hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. It is a serious crime that takes many forms and a complex problem with multiple causes. ”

“ Domestic violence threatens the very core of what we hold dear. Millions of women and children throughout our nation are plagued by the terror of family violence each year, and approximately 20 percent of all hospital emergency room visits by women result from such violence. ”

“ We can take heart in our progress and at the outpouring of concern and compassion we see for the victims of domestic violence. Whether members of the law enforcement community, health care professionals, educators, religious and community leaders, policymakers, or concerned private citizens, Americans have united in the crusade against domestic violence. With increased awareness, strengthened prevention, and communities united in common cause, we are making the reduction of domestic violence a reality and the dream of ending it one day a possibility. ”

“ I call on all Americans to stand firm in condemning domestic violence and supporting victims of these crimes in finding the safety and recovery they need and to support, recognize, and trust in the efforts of law enforcement to hold offenders accountable, protect victims of crime and their communities, and prevent future violence. ”

“ The social blight of domestic violence has continued to burden America into the 21st Century. Our homes should be places of safety and comfort. Tragically, domestic violence can and does turn many homes into places of torment. The grim facts speak for themselves: almost one-third of American women murdered each year are killed by their current or former partners, usually a husband. Approximately 1 million women annually report being stalked. And many children suffer or witness abuse in their homes, which can sadly spawn legacies of violence in families across America. ”

“ Domestic violence transcends all ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic boundaries. Its perpetrators abuse their victims both physically and mentally, and the effects of their attacks are far-reaching—weakening the very core of our communities. Domestic violence is particularly devastating because it so often occurs in the privacy of the home, which is meant to be a place of shelter and security. During the month of October, all Americans should contemplate the scars that domestic violence leaves on our society and what each of us can do to prevent it. ”

“ Domestic violence is never acceptable. During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I call on all Americans to romote the safety and liberty of the women, men, and children who are subjected to violent, intimidating, or controlling behavior at the hands of those closest to them. ”

“ But the struggle to end domestic violence is far from over. According to a recent Justice Department study for 1992 and 1993, women are about six times more likely than men to experience violence committed by offenders with whom they had an intimate relationship. ”

“ National Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides us with a special opportunity to emphasize that domestic violence is a crime, to warn abusers that they will be prosecuted, and to offer victims more aid and support. ”

“ State Laws' Failure to Protect Battered Women and Abused Children, 19 Harv. Women's L.J. 229, 233 (1996) ("There is a common assumption that domestic violence is an involuntary response to anger provoked by the victim's improper behavior.... However, researchers have found that the violent actions of batterers and ways in which they choose to exhibit them are selective.... [T] he decision to commit spousal abuse is a conscious choice made by the batterer for a particular purpose. ... [namely,] domination and control ....") ”

“ That law imposed tough new penalties for actions of violence against women. It helped to train police, prosecutors, and judges to better understand domestic violence, to recognize its symptoms when they see them, and to take steps to prevent them. ”

“ As a result, ACS procedures for identifying, assessing, and responding to the needs of families where domestic violence occurs are ill-conceived and almost certainly aggravate the predicaments posed to battered women and their children by offending partners. ”

“ The National Council Guidelines note that many services, such as couple's counseling, which are appropriate in neglect or abuse cases where domestic violence is absent can be inappropriate and potentially dangerous where domestic violence is present. ”

“ Studies reveal that family violence occurs in two million families in the United States. This figure, however, is a conservative one that substantially understates (because battering is usually not reported until it reaches life-threatening proportions) the actual number of families affected by domestic violence. In fact, researchers estimate that one of every two women will be battered at some time in their life.... ”

“ The crime bill also included the landmark Violence Against Women Act. For the first time in our history, the Federal Government is now a full partner in the effort to stop domestic violence. The Violence Against Women Act combines tough new sanctions against abusers with assistance to police, to prosecutors, and to shelters in the fight against domestic violence. ”

“ Domestic violence against women, including spousal abuse, remained a serious and persistent problem. The law prohibits domestic violence, and convictions carry prison terms of six months to five years. The law treats domestic violence cases as civil cases unless the victim suffers bodily harm. Failure to comply with a civil court's judgment relating to a domestic violence case is a criminal offense and can be prosecuted. When victims did press charges, police domestic violence units conducted investigations and transferred cases to prosecutors. ”

“ We share a moral obligation to recognize, address, and stop domestic violence. Each of us must be a voice for those suffering in silence and must speak up when we see signs of physical or emotional abuse. ”

“ Violence Against Women formula grants to help State, tribal, and local governments and community-based organizations establish specialized domestic violence and sexual assault units, train personnel, enforce laws, develop policies, assist victims of violence, and hold abusers accountable. ”

“ Recognising, with grave concern, that women and girls are often exposed to serious forms of violence such as domestic violence, sexual harassment, rape, forced marriage, crimes committed in the name of so-called “honour” and genital mutilation, which constitute a serious violation of the human rights of women and girls and a major obstacle to the achievement of equality between women and men ”

“ I urge all Americans to observe these months by becoming more aware of the tragedy of domestic violence, supporting those who are working toward its end, and participating in other appropriate efforts. ”

“ The New York State Office of Children and Family Services conducted a statistical study to determine how the presence of domestic violence, or its allegations, affects the handling and outcomes of investigations carried out by ACS. Ex. J. As suggested below, reasonable extrapolations from this study show that battered women are accused of neglect and separated from their children in a large number of cases and that in many of these instances the mother's only fault is that she has been battered. ”

“ In the event that the court holds a person committing an act of domestic violence guilty of the offence under section 4, the court may, instead of sentencing him to any penalty, apply certain measures of reformation, treatment or correction to him, may direct him to pay an amount of relief money, carry out community service or refrain from the acts giving rise to domestic violence, or may place him under a peace bond, subject to the procedure and period of time determined by the court. ”

“ Considering only cases in which there is a report of domestic violence, ACS cites domestic violence as a reason for a preliminary finding that the child is unsafe in 23.5 percent of cases, and as a reason for an Investigation Conclusion determination that the child is unsafe in 20.4 percent of cases. ”

“ Jurisdictions throughout the country now provide legal assistance to ensure that when victims try to escape abuse, they can obtain legal help from attorneys who understand the dynamics of domestic violence. ”

“ It is now recognized that domestic violence occurs at all class levels, across all ethnic, racial, and religious lines, in all groups, among all educational backgrounds and sexual orientations, and in both rural and urban areas. ”

“ They explain that
[b] laming a battered mother for being abused, for not leaving the domestic violence perpetrator, or for not stopping his violence is simply counterproductive. The battered woman cannot change or stop the perpetrator's violence by herself. If she does not have adequate support, resources, and protection, leaving him may simply make it worse for the children. ”

“ In some households ethnic or social mores are relied upon to justify abuse as a "traditional right." Ability to deal with tensions induced by self, a partner, children, and economic and social factors varies enormously among those who become embroiled in domestic violence. ”

“ The dying man, hearing of his wife’s arrival, admitted her to an interview, at which he forgave her ‘the injuries and provocations he had received from her,’ but, at the same time, ordered her to depart, ‘telling those that interceded for her, that her behaviour was such that he could not keep her in his house, she being capable by her nature to provoke him either to do violence to her or himself.’ She contrived, however, to lurk in or about the house for a few days, till her poor husband was no more. ”

“ The experts also agreed that how children manifest the effects of exposure to domestic violence varies widely. Ms. Groves explained that short-term effects include post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disturbances, separation anxiety, more aggressive behavior, passivity or withdrawal, greater distractibility, concentration problems, hypervigilance, and desensitization to other violent events. ”

“ A recent report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that the number of women experiencing violence at the hands of an intimate partner declined 21 percent from 1993 to 1998. I call on the Congress to reauthorize and strengthen VAWA so that we may continue to build on the progress we have made in combating domestic violence in our Nation. ”

“ Women are not the only targets. Young children and the elderly are also counted among the victims, and sadly, emotional scars are often permanent.
A coalition of organizations has emerged to directly confront this crisis. Law enforcement officials, those involved with shelters and hotline services, health care providers, the clergy, and other concerned citizens are helping in the effort to end domestic violence. ”

“ The wounding of parents, and parricide, exceeding by so large a ratio all other acts of violence against the person, I believe can be explained in no other way. Admitting, as I have already done, that the great opportunity afforded of making attempts upon the persons of parents has some value as a factor, yet we must bear in mind that, from the nature of their domestic life, women have opportunities equally as great of inflicting injury upon others. ”