Another Glimpse into a Batterer’s Behavior
As many of you know, for the past year and a half I have been blogging about the trial of Bulos “Paul” Zumot. He had been charged with killing his girlfriend Jennifer Schipsi and setting their house on fire to cover the murder. Eight months ago, Zumot was found guilty of murder in the first degree and arson. For the family, it has been two long years since the murder of their sister, aunt, daughter, and friend. This past Friday, October 28th, I attended his sentencing, which local media called “a bizarre courtroom scene.” At least one leg of this long journey to healing has been completed. After at least seven postponements, Zumot was sentenced to serve a minimum of 33 years in prison. Most believe he will never see the outside of the walls of prison again. Justice was served.
Unfortunately, Zumot gave us one last demonstration of his narcissistic, self-serving behavior. He acted out – strategically. He started with one tactic, terminating the services of his attorney (probably should have thought of that before the verdict). That strategy did not prevail, so he went on to plead with the judge to delay sentencing and that did not work. Finally, he began ranting that the blame for this predicament landed on the judge and assistant district attorney, not himself. The world was against him because he was an immigrant. He wanted us to believe this was a conspiracy and that he was framed. He became louder and louder with each unsuccessful claim. Watching him go from one tactic to another, testing each for effect, reminded me of many other women’s descriptions of their partner’s behavior. I once worked with a woman whose battering partner left roses for her at our shelter door. She did not respond, so he next sent her a Polaroid picture of a gravestone in a cemetery. He wrote her name in pen over the gravestone. If one strategy doesn’t work, apply another, violence being the ultimate.
Although his ranting did not work, it was incredibly painful for the family and friends of Jennifer to hear. My heart wrenched watching Jennifer’s daughter andJim Schipsi, Jennifer’s father, attempt to give their victim impact statements, having to yell over Zumot’s rant. I desperately wanted to tape Zumot’s mouth and force him to face Jim and the family while they gave their statements. Zumot’s ugliness and poison filled the room at a time the family should have been able to finally give their statements. After all, they patiently sat in the courtroom day after day during the trial. They listened to the most gruesome aspects of the case. They saw pictures of their beloved relative’s murdered body. Those pictures will be etched into their memories forever. Yet they sat in the courtroom with dignity and grace. They deserved their day. Zumot wanted to steal that as well, but he didn’t win. He didn’t get away with murder and he was forced to listen to the heartbreaking testimony albeit in another room.
Zumot robbed Jennifer’s family and friends of her lightness, her presence, her beauty and love. As Jennifer’s aunt noted in her testimony, he robbed them of Jennifer’s future and he ruined their memories of her past. No amount of prison time will bring those things back but yesterday justice was served.
Keep Up the Domestic Violence Prevention Drumbeat
This is one of an occasional post from Margaret Epperheimer, a seven-year member of Next Door’s Board of Directors. She recently completed 40 hours of state-recognized domestic violence advocacy training, deepening her understanding of the challenge and her passion for “ending domestic violence for the moment and for all time.”
As National Domestic Violence Awareness Month draws to a close, we are reminded how lucky we are to live in a community that takes domestic violence prevention and victim support seriously. Legislators, city and county officials and community activists rally at this time of year to shine a spotlight on the issue. They remind us:
- There were five domestic violence-related deaths in Santa Clara County in 2010
- The 2011 death tally, when it’s in, may well exceed the 2010 figure
- Prosecutors issued criminal domestic violence complaints at a rate of one every 3.5 hours in 2010
- Only emergency legislation two years ago stopped the closing of shelters and centers for battered women and children throughout the state
- Funding for victim support and prevention programs has already been cut or is at high risk of being cut in the near future
This month, San Jose’s Walk to End Domestic Violence attracted hundreds. Our hats are off to those who sponsored and participated in this 14th annual event. Thanks to Assemblymember Jim Beall, who partnered with the California Select Committee on Domestic Violence to convene an information hearing to discuss the complexity of domestic violence issues in Santa Clara County and strategies to end the violence. Good for San Jose State University, West Valley College and other educational and civic groups for organizing their own awareness campaigns and facilitated discussions on the topic.
All of this is encouraging and energizing for those who work day-in and day-out to advocate for victims, provide programs for survivors, raise funds for awareness and prevention and who have dedicated their lives to creating a community and a world where domestic violence does not exist. Most of them know this will not happen in their lifetimes, but they are willing to make the investment in time, energy and dollars so future generations are spared. These heroes at agencies such as Next Door would gladly work themselves out of a job if they could. It’s grinding, selfless, often unpaid work that doesn’t get the attention and recognition it deserves.
As individuals and as corporations in this diverse, rich “Valley of Hearts Delight,” it’s up to us to take up the drumbeat of domestic violence awareness and not let the spotlight dim after this month of rallies and special focus. What can YOU do right now … today? Accept domestic violence as a community issue, not one that’s private and happens between two people. Educate yourself. Talk about it at home, at work, with your children, family and friends. If you suspect a friend, relative, colleague or neighbor is being abused, call Next Door’s 24-hour hotline (408-279-2962) to learn what you can do to help. Advocate for an awareness/prevention campaign at your school or place of business. Volunteer. Donate. Get angry. Beat a drum. Think about it. What can YOU do?
Curbing Sexual Violence – The Liberian Experience
Alvin Winford, an experienced community leader from Brewerville, Liberia will contribute to the local community through a four-month fellowship funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. In Liberia, Alvin was the program manager at the African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect where he worked to mitigate gender-based violence in local communities. Most recently, he has spearheaded a project that has helped increase the capacity of local police forces to respond to gender-based violence. Next Door is honored to have Alvin as a guest blogger.
By A. Alvin Winford
Sexual violence is a menace that defiles the human person. Due to its sensitive nature, it is underreported thereby leaving many victims with indelible scars which have adverse impact on their social, physical and mental well being. It is difficult to see a society not grappling with it. We must equally deal with these horrible acts by not only naming and shaming people who abuse power sadistically at the expense of the weak, but also take up some radical posture in meting out punitive measures against perpetrators in serving as deterrence. I strongly believe that a serious sickness can only be cured if staid medication is applied no matter the pains the patient endures as long as it is remedied.
Recently, I was honorably invited by the YWCA Rape Crisis Center of Silicon Valley, a sister agency to the Next Door, to share my working experience with sexual violence in Liberia.
Looking at the statistics one can discern that this type of criminality has no borders. Results from the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS) revealed that 17.7 million women and 2.8 million men in the United States were forcibly raped at some time in their lives, with 302,091 women and 92,748 men forcibly raped in the year preceding the survey.
In my home country, girls ages of 10 – 14 are the most common victims of rape in Liberia In addition, about 10 percent of Liberian female aged 15 – 49 were forced against their will during their first sexual experience. About 18 percent of girls and women age 15 – 19 have experienced sexual violence and 32 percent of women report experiences of sexual violence coming from their husband or partner, 10 percent from their current/former boyfriend and 8 percent from a policeman or soldier. (Liberia Demographic Health Survey Report, 2007) The consequences of this violence are visible on the victims back in Liberia. Unwanted teenage pregnancy, unsafe abortion, single mother, health and psychological matters, being a social outcast in a gossip ridden community are some hurdles a victim is confronted with.
In Liberia we knew that drastic action must be taken. The first step was to elect a female president in 2005, the first on the African Continent. Her election was to send the message loud and clear that if Liberia were to move forward, then it was time to depart from our traditional past of a male dominant and abusive society. May we pause to join the rest of the world to congratulate my fellow country women Ellen Johnson Sirleaf , Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman of Yemen, for receiving the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize “for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work” It is my fervent hope that this would strengthen their tenacity in serving as a voice for the voiceless and reaching out to the many girls and women who are yearning for a violent free environment.
Continued next week — Liberia Builds a Safer Community for Women and Girls
Topeka Repeals Domestic Violence Law
While the costs of intimate partner abuse may seem obvious today, laws protecting women against partner abuse has been slow to evolve. Traditionally, violence against women has been widely practiced and condoned. Under early common law, women were seen as property and as such, familial violence was considered a private affair rather than a crime against the state. In the last couple of decades we have began to make advancements in using the law to protect women but a recent Topeka, Kansas city council meeting may have succeeded in moving this progress two steps in the wrong direction.
For the past week, members of the Topeka City Council have been toying with the idea of decriminalizing domestic violence to avoid paying the bill for prosecuting the cases. Despite the protests of domestic violence advocates and the national headlines calling foul, a 7-3 vote on Tuesday effectively repealed the local law that makes domestic violence a crime.
Apparently, Topeka’s three arms of government have not been able to agree on who should be responsible for prosecuting people accused of misdemeanor cases of domestic violence.
The New York Times reports:
The move, the councilors were told, would force District Attorney Chad Taylor to prosecute the cases because they would remain a crime under state law, a conclusion with which he grudgingly agreed. The council also approved negotiations to resolve the impasse.
Several victims of domestic violence spoke against the proposal at the meeting, questioning whether it would succeed in forcing the district attorney to resume prosecutions. “It is your responsibility to protect these people, and you’re failing,” said Matthew Agnew, 24, one such victim.
While the city may claim that their end goal in making this move is to force Taylor to begin prosecuting cases again, where does that leave victims of domestic violence in the mean time? Even if this gets resolved, the damage has already been done. Apparently nobody in the city of Topeka cares enough about the safety of women to pay for it unless they are forced to.
Putting Children Above the Fray
This is the second of a series of posts written by Alvin Winford, Next Door’s Global Fellow. Originally from Liberia, Alvin is in San Jose in order to gain a global perspective of violence against women and is working towards ending gender based violence in his own community, as well. You can read his first post here.
Children are most often forced to bear the brunt of domestic and political dealings of adults. Vulnerable as they are, their growth and development is pruned by the dire consequences made on the part of adults- by means of either omission or commission.
Whatever the situation, there is just no excuse for not fulfilling their rights. It is our responsibilities as parents, communities and the State to provide the needs of our children to enable them realize their full potentials. To recognize this, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)’s basic principles such as non discrimination, survival and development, best interest of the child and participation right provide a core ideal for child protection. There are also other national and international protocols that make it mandatory for us to protect children.
Back in Liberia, all has not been well for children. The 14 years of political unsteadiness devastated the very foundation upon which children’s rights would be realized. Some children were forcibly recruited into ragtag armies and heavily drugged to shoot and cause anarchy. They were exploited as foot soldiers by politicians and war barons in achieving easy access to power, glory and riches. Even with the ending of the war, their well being was never truly sought.
Culturally, many overlooked children’s rights as privileges. There were times when some people viewed children as their “properties” and would never allow them to exercise their rights. But things are changing and people must move with the tides as long as they are beneficial to children and the nation. Community structures are being strengthened that will prevent and respond to child abuse.
At the National level, the Child Rights Bill is on the verge of being enacted into law. Perpetrators would sooner or later realize that there would be no safety net. Harmful cultural practices such as providing educational opportunities for the boy child at the expense of girls, traditional bush school where Female Genital Mutilation takes place and early marriages still serve as hurdles in the attainment of children’s rights. Sexual violence, child labor, child trafficking and child neglect are teething problems we are yet to fully trounce.
The Anti Rape Law, the setting up of Criminal Court E to fast track rape cases, the creation of the Women and Children Unit at the National Police, the Free Compulsory Education up to Junior High, the Girl Educational Trust are steps taken nationally to meet the needs of children and young people.
While it is important that we remain impervious in calling on the system, parents, and the community to herald the issue of child protection, we cannot renege on enlightening children on their rights and responsibilities. Through children’s rights clubs and peer education programs, children learn about their rights and their responsibilities that would enable them develop as responsible citizens. In internalizing the concept, they participate in role play, sporting activities, debates and dialogues at the community and school levels. Initially, some communities argued that the issue of children’s rights was making children to be disrespectful and irresponsible as advocates were only encouraging children to claim their rights and not enabling them to be equally responsible. But after participating in some of the child right club activities, they would soon have a second thought that the program does not only concentrate on children claiming their rights but also provides them safety measures to enable them enjoy their rights.
Recently, I had the opportunity of shadowing at the Next Door Children and Youth Program. This was made possible through the help of the Program Manager and the volunteers. The program focuses on ending the cycle of domestic violence, early intervention and prevention work. This is critical for children and teens that have grown up in abusive environments. In breaking this cycle, the Children and Youth Program conducts Kids Club, weekly recreational groups for children ages 5 to 12, who have been exposed to domestic violence. Kids Club helps children increase their emotional resiliency, develop non-violent conflict resolutions skills, cultivate safety, and provide assets that will help them avoid future risks. They also have the Next Door’s Teen Programs which provide 10 week support groups for teenage youth exposed to domestic violence, dating violence, and/or at risk of developing abusive relationships. There is also the DATE Play (Dating Abuse Teen Education) which recruits student actors to perform a play that addresses dating abuse and dating violence. And the Children and Youth Program holds an annual Teen Conference for boys and an annual Teen Conference for girls who reside at the Muriel Wright Juvenile Detention Center. These programs are tailored in meeting the needs of children and young people in fostering their growth and development.
I was delighted that even here in San Jose, children also do not only learn about claiming their rights but are also concerned with what roles they can play in ensuring their protection. At the Children Club, few nights ago, I would soon find out that in pressing for safety, they gleefully wrote and pasted on the walls steps that they should take as well. Hear the children speak for themselves, “1. Look both ways before you cross the street 2. Wear a helmet when you ride a bike 3. Don’t give out personal information on the internet 4. Don’t talk to strangers 5. No playing on the streets 6. Never join gangs. 7. Don’t do drugs 8. Listen to your parents. ” This is quite interesting that even here in the United States, children believe that they do have responsibilities in making sure that they are protected. Of course there are budget cuts, political, domestic and logistical problems. These troubles were never the making of children and young people. They find themselves between the scissors. We owe it to posterity by reaching out to them and planning with them. Putting them above the fray would mean that we are not only planning for today or tomorrow, but for life. Let us take just one more step to place children and young people at the top of the agenda.
Restoring the Lost Hope, Opening the Next Door Experience
This is the first of a series of guests posts by Alvin Winford. Alvin is originally from Liberia and will be spending the next 4 months at Next Door as a Global Fellow. Originally from Liberia, Alvin has over 9 years of experience working to mitigate gender-based violence in local communities and has most recently spearheaded a project that has helped increase the capacity of local police forces to respond to such violence. Alvin will be sharing his experiences through weekly blog posts so be sure to check back regularly to read more about his journey!
I started my fellowship at the Next Door in mid-August this year and since then, I must confess that I have been overwhelmed with the high degree of professionalism and passion that this organization attaches to serving minorities especially women and children. One could be tempted to ask, but what is the big deal, after all that is their work. But when you are given the opportunity to truly experience Next Door, you would obviously come to grip that only a noble professional group of people with zest can go beyond the call of duty in servicing victims of domestic violence. How I wish that there would be many Next Doors around the world, especially in Liberia, that would reach out to the many women who are victims of the power imbalance, but are hapless in finding answers to their miserable circumstances not created by themselves, but by heartless individuals, harmful cultural practices and unresponsive system. Their only hope lies in yearning that one day somehow things would change.
Here in San Jose, it is the direct opposite. Victims of domestic violence can just move Next Door in joining the welcoming team to find answers in restoring their hope. The programs are tailored ranging from prevention services to direct response. They have a human face, demonstrating earnestly that victims were not at fault for being abused and that they should not be left to face the agony alone. Being client centered as they prefer it, victims are made to make the final decision as to how they want to cope with situations.
In getting a better understanding of how Next Door has stood up to the challenge with a lot on their plates, I continue to have some conversations with Kathleen, the award winning Patty, Vanessa, Melina, Lucero, Aparna and my supervisor Brenda on different programmatic and management issues. One thing that comes out clearly is passion. With this excitement, they have been able to turn challenges into opportunities in restoring the lost hope. It has not been easy though, especially so when there will always be agents against positive change.
So far, I have attended the Domestic Violence Meeting & Fatality Review Meeting with Advocate Award Winning Patty. From these meetings, I am gaining insight on the need to build a strong network among different players in championing the cause of domestic violence victims. Also, I had some discussion at the Family Violence Center where I was introduced to Jason the Police Sergeant by Melina. By the way, Jason is making sure that I go on the walk along with the police this weekend in accessing how they conduct their exercises in dealing with domestic violence.
Another activity that I have benefited from is the Annual Domestic Violence Conference in Sacramento, called Connecting the Dot. It is my hope that the missing dot would be connected in reaching out to all in need after an elaborate conference. I have completed the 40 Hour Domestic Violence Training. This training is compulsory for all incoming staff and volunteers to enable you work with DV victims. Besides, I have learned a lot from this training that would enhance my work in Liberia as I deal with Gender Based Violence. Thanks to Next Door!
Here at Next Door, every one is making my stay a wonderful experience. Unfortunately, one of those who made it some fantastic, Jackie, the Crisis Intervention Advocate intern who has been here for about a year, will be leaving soon. She was always there to cheer me up, give me directions and uplift me professionally. I can only wish her well in her future endeavors.
Everyday at Next Door, I am learning something new that will serve as an impetus for my work. So, I do anticipate to be reenergized by the end of my professional sojourn through the experiences I would be gaining. For now, I can safely say that the lost hope is being restored at Next Door.
Congress Introduces Legislation to Prevent Sexual Violence on College Campuses
According to the Director of Public Policy of Security on Campus Inc., sexual violence on college campuses costs taxpayers nearly $40 billion that they contribute to federal student aid or higher education every school year. One in four women are reported as being the victim of a completed or attempted rape while in school and as a result, their education is either put on hold or halted altogether.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has recently taken action to enforce federal sexual harassment guidelines to protect these victims and it could not have come at a better time. Congress has taken the next step and has introduced the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act, also known as the Campus SAVE Act (S. 834/H.R. 2016). The bipartisan piece of legislation will empower universities nationwide to better prevent and respond to instances of sexual violence including domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, an estimated 90% of victims know their perpetrators. They are often fellow students who share the same social circle, which is probably why fewer than 5% of cases are reported to the police. As Carter states, “The greatest threat doesn’t lie along a poorly lit walkway; it hides in plain sight in classrooms, residence halls, and student parties.”
If SAVE is passed, it will encourage individuals to report the crimes committed against them by providing schools with a structure to protect victims who report against retaliation or any ongoing threats. It grants victims the right to make any reasonably available changes in their academic, living or working arrangements, options for no-contact orders, assistance in reporting to the police, and a right to be informed of their options in writing so they have the necessary information to make fully informed decisions.
In addition to protecting victims, SAVE will hold universities accountable by establishing procedures for campus disciplinary proceedings with equal rights for both the accused and accuser. Trained officials, who will (hopefully) understand the dynamics of sexual violence, will be on hand to investigate and resolve all complaints. Under SAVE, schools will be required to include domestic violence and stalking in the crime statistics distributed to students and employees at the beginning of each school year.
Congress hopes to address dating violence before it starts by using SAVE to create awareness and prevention education programs for all new students and employees that will continue throughout the year. It is their hope that by covering primary prevention, the definition and importance of consent, bystander intervention and reporting options, colleges will no longer harbor the culture of tolerance for sexual violence and the silence that surrounds it.
A bi-partisan coalition of more than 40 United States Senators and Representatives already support the Campus SAVE Act. More than 20 non-profit advocacy and education groups from across the country also support it.
Security on Campus, which is leading the campaign to make sure the Campus SAVE Act is passed, needs your help to make these changes a reality. Visit www.securityoncampus.org to help break the silence surrounding sexual violence. Every voice counts.
Source: Huffington Post/S. Daniel Carter
A Bittersweet Update in the Cheerleader Rape Case
A couple of months ago, I shared the story of a Hillaire S., a Texas cheerleader who sued her high school for forcing her to cheer for her rapist at a basketball game. Her lawsuit was deemed frivolous and as a result, she was ordered to pay the school’s legal fees totaling $35,000.
Earlier this week, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that ruling and declared that the young woman would not have to pay the school’s legal fees after all.
According to Larry Watts, the family’s attorney, this was only a partial victory.
“I initially thought it was a major victory that the court said that it was arguable that HS (the victim) had a First Amendment Right to remain silent, but there were four issues in the case and they fouled my client on three of four points”.
The four issues are:
- Free Speech: The young woman’s right to remain silent and not cheer for her rapist
- Equal Protection: Larry Watts says: “She was removed from the team for being silent, while the school district, which had every right and power to investigate his assault and threats of murder, did not remove him. It’s simple- a girl being treated differently than a boy.”
- Due Process: The lawsuit alleges that the high school did not uphold the cheerleading contract
- Due Process: The suit alleges that Hillaire’s “significant emotional harm, caused by the physical injury of rape, was exacerbated by the school.”
The ruling brought down by the Appeals Court still deems three of the four issues to be “frivolous”, which means Hillaire and her family will still have to pay a portion of the originally quoted amount of $35,000.
As the family’s lawyer points out, the court ruled in Hillaire’s favor for the one issue that America paid a lot of attention to, which was the violation of her freedom of speech. This just goes to show that public opinion and attention can, indeed, influence a court’s ruling. Watt is planning to appeal the decision and as he does, let’s continue to make our voices heard.
You can make a difference by telling the Silsbee Independent School District not to punish Hillaire for refusing to cheer for her rapist by signing this petition.
Vice President Biden Takes a Stand Against Violence Against Women
As high school and college students begin to enter into the classroom this school year, Vice President Joe Biden is spearheading an online campaign to get those young people involved in ending domestic violence against women which continues to occur on school campuses as an alarming rate.
The Vice President is no stranger to using social media. Earlier this July, his first official tweet was dedicated to promoting his campaign to end violence against women. He promoted the Twitter hashtag #1is2many as a way for individuals to share ideas for making school campuses safer for women. Biden has also helped launch a campaign called “Apps Against Abuse” which challenges web and app designers to create an interactive software application that will empower young people, in real time, to look out for their friends in order to prevent violence or assault before it occurs.
“One in five young women will be a victim of sexual assault while they’re at college, 1 in 10 teens will be hurt on purpose by someone they are dating, and 1 in 9 teen girls will be forced to have sex,” Biden states. “You don’t know these women as statistics. You know them as friends, as sisters.”
“There’s no such thing as an innocent bystander when it comes to the abuse of a woman,” Biden says. “If you know of it, or you see it, you have an absolute obligation to try and stop it.”
The Vice President also has a message for men and boys, delivering what he says is a “very simple rule.”
“No means no. No means no if she’s drunk or sober. No means no if she’s on the dorm room or the street. No means no even if she said yes first and changed her mind. No means no, no matter what. I’m asking all of you, all of you to help get this message out.”
Special Needs Student Forced to Apologize to Rapist
The Republic School District in Springfield, Missouri is being sued for ignoring a 7th grade special education student’s rape claims and then expelling the student for reporting her attacker. This story is another shocking, yet all too real, example of the victim blaming and shaming that is so pervasive in our culture today.
According to the lawsuit, the student had been harassed and assaulted by a male classmate who raped her while on school grounds. When the young girl gathered the courage to report the crime to school officials, they allegedly told her that they did not believe her story. Instead of referring the girl to a counselor or reporting the crime to authorities, school officials instead coerced the student into taking back her allegations. When she recanted her story, the school forced her to write and hand deliver a letter of apology to her rapist.
The young victim was expelled for the rest of the year but when she returned to school the following year, the boy continued his harassment. The girl kept silent about what she was experiencing out of fear of being punished even further. It was not until the boy raped her in the back of the library that she decided to speak with school officials, who remained unconvinced that she was telling the truth. The girl’s mother took her daughter to the Child Advocacy Center, where a rape kit confirmed a sexual assault had taken place and matched the DNA to that of the accused. The boy then pleaded guilty in juvenile court.
The school has stated that they believe the suit to be frivolous and unfounded, despite the fact that the evidence shows the girl was indeed raped at least once by the boy while on school property.
Sadly, situations such as these aren’t as uncommon as we’d like to think. While some of these stories have garnered attention from the media, the majority of them never see the light of day. Imagine all of the young women who have attempted to report the crimes committed against them but have given up, since they just seem to be ignored or chastised anyway.
Please send a message to the Republic School District that their actions in this case are reprehensible. Take the time to demand that school officials nationwide begin to protect young victims of sexual violence, rather than victimize them further.