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The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey

The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) has published it’s survey on sexual violence and intimate partner violence.   The continuing incidents yearly, monthly, daily, and every minute may shock you.  They found that on average: 

24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States.

Annually that equals more than 12 million women and men.

More than 1 million women are raped in a year and over 6 million women and men are victims of stalking in a year.

These findings emphasize that sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence are important and widespread public health problems in the United States.  This would be considered an epidemic if a disease. 

 NISVS is an on¬going, nationally representative survey that assesses experiences of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence among adult women and men in the United States. It measures lifetime victimization for these types of violence as well as victimization in the 12 months prior to the survey. The survey goes beyond counting acts of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence by assessing the range of violence experienced by victims and the impact of that victimization. The report also includes the first ever simultaneous national and state-level prevalence estimates of these forms of violence for all states.

 Findings from the 2010 Summary Report will be available online

 http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/nisvs/index.html

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Peace Begins at Home license plate

The Virginia Sexual and domestic Violence Action Alliance, with its member Sexual and Domestic Violence Advocacy Agencies, establishes a new fund to support statewide and local efforts to prevent sexual and domestic violence.

The “Peace Begins at Home” Special Interest License Plate is the first initiative of the Building Healthy Futures Fund. To order a special interest license plate: go to: h…ttp://vsdvalliance.org/secAction/bhff.html to download your license plate application. (make sure when filling out application to check the box for special interest and write Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance for organization name.) Write check made out to “Action Alliance” for $25(non-personalized) or $35 for personalized license plate.
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Legislate for: Enhanced Penalties for Family Violence in the Presence of Minors

The Risks and Unintended Consequences

 

Society often looks for ways to offer greater protection for children who witness family violence.  One remedy that is frequently proposed is enhanced penalties for assault and battery against a family or household member when a child is present.  While on the surface this would seem to be an appropriate solution, the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance has concerns that such an enhancement puts children at greater risk of physical and emotional harm and has other unintended consequences.

Enhanced Penalties put Children at Greater Risk

  • To prove h/she present, the child may be required to testify against a parent or other adult in the home, putting the child in the middle of an already volatile situation.
  • If a child testifies against the offender, the offender and in some instances the non-offending parent may retaliate against the child, putting the child’s safety at risk.
  • If the child is afraid of the offender, and/or does not want to testify against a parent or loved one, s/he may feel that it is necessary to perjure him/herself in order to protect the family.
  • The offender, non-offending parent or others may blame the child for the enhanced penalty (jail time or fine) and therefore the child may blame him/herself for the violence and effect of the penalty on the family.

 

Actions Requested by VSDVAA

Below are three alternatives to enhancing penalties or creating a misdemeanor for when a minor is present during an assault and battery of a family or household member:

  • Support increased funding and availability of services for children and teens who witness and/or are impacted by family abuse.  This could include services in domestic violence programs, child advocacy centers and supervised visitation centers.
  • When preparing the pre-sentencing report, include information about the presence of a minor during the incident and the impact of the violence on the child or teen.
  • During the sentencing phase, consider the impact of the violence on the minor.

 

For more information, contact Stacy Ruble at Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance (VSDVAA) at:  804-377-0335 or publicpolicy@vsdvalliance.org

reposted from the Action Alliance website:  http://www.vsdvalliance.org

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Some facts to end DV awareness month ….

Do you know what constitutes Domestic Violence? Domestic or Interpersonal Violence is willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, and/or other abusive behavior perpetrated by an intimate partner against another. With the statistics showing that 1 in 4 women may become victims of interpersonal violence, it is considered an epidemic affecting individuals in every community, regardless of age, economic status, race, religion, nationality or educational background. Violence against women is often accompanied by emotionally abusive and controlling behavior that is a systematic pattern of dominance and control. Domestic violence results in physical injury, psychological trauma, and sometimes death. The consequences of domestic violence can cross generations and truly last a lifetime.  The majority of domestic violence reports are women by partners known to them.

Family members and loved ones who witness abuse are considered secondary victims and can also have emotional and psychological trauma.  The strongest risk factor for transmitting violent behavior from one generation to the next is children who witness violence between one’s parents or caretakers.  In particular, boys who witness domestic violence are twice as likely to abuse their own partners and children when they become adults.   Statistics from National Coalition Against Domestic Violence show that 30% to 60% of perpetrators of intimate partner violence also abuse children in the household.

There is a high correlation between domestic violence and homicide of females.  Almost one-third of female homicide victims that are reported in police records are killed by an intimate partner.  As reported by the NCADV, in 70-80% of intimate partner homicides, a staggering statistic, no matter which partner was killed, the woman was physically abused before the murder.  Also staggering is the realization that less than one-fifth of victims reporting an injury from intimate partner violence sought medical treatment following abuse.  It is suspected that intimate partner violence results in more than 18.5 million mental health care visits each year.

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Remember My Name event by Richmond YWCA

October 27th
Remember My Name, 7PM, Monument Heights Church (corner of Monument and Libbie).

Remember My Name honors victims of domestic violence from our community and provides family members with the opportunity to speak on their behalf.

For information about submitting a name to the memorial or for general information about Remember My Name, please contact Casey Emery at cemery@ywcarichmond.org

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DV Programs Spotlight: P.O.W.E.R.S. INC is have it’s First Annual DV Walk to Restore

Become Aware of what Domestic Violence can do to you and how P.O.W.E.R.S. INC. can “restore your life” on:Sunday, October 16,2011,

Flushing Meadows Corona Park at

Ederle Terrace, Queens, NY

Registration Begins @ 9am – Events end @ 12pm


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Silent No Longer: Honoring Survivors and Victims of Domestic Violence

Join the Virginia Attorney General in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Silent No Longer: Honoring Survivors and Victims of Domestic Violence

You are invited to see the following: Exhibits open at 9:00 a.m.:

* Silent Witness Figures

* Beating Hearts Display

* Domestic Violence Quilts

Remarks by the Attorney General at 9:30 a.m.

Domestic Violence Survivor, Claire Hylton Sheppard

Video Overview of    Telling Amy’s Story

 And enjoy refreshments.

October 4, 2011

Office of the Attorney General, 900 East Main Street Auditorium, Richmond, Virginia 23219

Questions? Contact Melissa Roberson at (804) 692-0592, mdickert@oag.state.va.us

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Get your Prevention ON: Introduction to Primary Prevention

September 23, 2011  9:00AM- 4:00PM
Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley (1217 Grove Avenue Radford, VA 24141) will host an introduction to primary prevention.

Primary Prevention programs are focused on reducing or eliminating the first-time perpetration of sexual violence and intimate partner violence (SV/IPV).

For information and registration contact Jonathan at jyglesias@vsdvalliance.org or 804-377-0335.

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“Behind the Make-up” a play about Domestic Violence

For three nights only the women of “Behind the Makeup” Monologues will uncover the ugly truth in a theater production designed to raise awareness about the issue of domestic violence. This play, written by Jewell Medley, a local of Halifax County, and was inspired by Jewel’s own experience with of domestic violence.  When Jewell was 15 her mother was murdered by her husband, and after killing her mother, he turned the gun on himself.

Performances will be Friday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 2, at 3 p.m.

Tickets are available for purchase now at The Prizery box office (700 Bruce Street, South Boston, VA 24592) and they may also be purchased by phone at 434-572-8339 or online at http://www.prizery.com.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors.

Proceeds from this event benefit the Domestic Violence Program of Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc.

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