Category: Research

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PR: ‘Incendiary and Extreme:’ SAVE Deplores Vilification Campaign in Wake of Senate Approval of VAWA

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Teri Stoddard
Telephone: 301-801-0608
Email: tstoddard@saveservices.org

‘Incendiary and Extreme:’ SAVE Deplores Vilification Campaign in Wake of Senate Approval of VAWA

WASHINGTON / February 13, 2013 – Following yesterday’s Senate approval of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), advocates for prompt passage of the bill in the House of Representatives have launched a high-pressure campaign designed to portray Republicans as unsympathetic to the plight of domestic violence victims.

Within hours of Senate approval of the bill, a group called UltraViolet issued a statement announcing its strategy in bold-faced type: “If we can spread the word that House conservatives are blocking legislation to reduce domestic violence because ‘it’s not fair to men,’ we can create a political firestorm no politician will want to get caught up in.”

A press release from the National Organization for Women claims a “radical fringe” controls the Republican leadership and that majority leader Eric Cantor would continue his “shameful efforts” to delay passage of the bill. The N.O.W. statement includes an emotional claim about daily “burnings” of women.

The Huffington Post has previously denounced the N.O.W. attacks on Cantor as “incendiary and extreme” (1).

Last week the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee put out an alert demanding that Senate Republicans “abandon their War on Women and fund the Violence Against Women Act.” The DSCC message did not mention the fact that Democratic and Republican bills have recommended identical funding levels for VAWA.

Numerous groups have questioned the effectiveness of VAWA-funded programs:

— Concerned Women for America, the nation’s largest public policy group for women, notes in a recent editorial, “VAWA has morphed into a series of rigid and ineffective law enforcement programs” (2).

— The Independent Women’s Forum’s Fact Sheet on VAWA warns, “The criminal justice approaches funded by VAWA may be harming the very victims they were intended to protect” (3).

— A recent report documents VAWA-funded restraining orders, mandatory arrest, and aggressive prosecution policies can increase partner violence (4).

“I’ve never seen this level of fanatical name-calling,” says SAVE spokesperson Sheryle Hutter. “Instead of engaging in intimidation and bullying tactics, these groups should be thanking the courageous lawmakers who are willing to look at the facts, ask hard questions, and propose new ways to protect victims.”

Over 40 leading scientists and organizations have questioned VAWA’s ideological basis and endorsed major reforms to the law: http://www.saveservices.org/pvra/vawa-reform-principles/.

Stop Abusive and Violent Environments is a victim-advocacy organization working for evidence-based solutions to domestic violence and sexual assault: www.saveservices.org

(1) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/06/violence-against-women-act-eric-cantor-native-americans_n_2251924.html
(2) http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/feb/8/nance-why-congress-ought-ditch-vawa/#ixzz2KKZBAdoI
(3) http://iwf.org/publications/2790517/FACT-SHEET:-Violence-Against-Women-Act
(4) http://www.saveservices.org/2013/02/the-violence-against-women-act-is-a-deadly-proposition/

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Bills CAMP Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Press Release Research Restraining Order Special Report Victims Violence Violence Against Women Act

PR: Ideology Over Science: Anti-Abuse Policies Put Victims at Risk, SAVE Report Says

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Teri Stoddard
Telephone: 301-801-0608
Email: tstoddard@saveservices.org

Ideology Over Science: Anti-Abuse Policies Put Victims at Risk, SAVE Report Says

WASHINGTON / February 11, 2013 – Widely used criminal justice measures intended to curb partner abuse are in fact placing victims at risk of violence, according to a research summary released today. Restraining orders, mandatory arrest, and aggressive prosecution policies are increasing, not decreasing partner violence, according to the SAVE report: http://www.saveservices.org/2013/02/the-violence-against-women-act-is-a-deadly-proposition/

Aggressive criminal justice policies are funded by the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and then implemented according to state laws. The SAVE report reveals:

1. Protection Orders: VAWA funds the enforcement of restraining orders, but they widely believed to be ineffective in curbing abuse. A review of 119 homicide-suicides in North Carolina revealed the issuance of a restraining order was the most common trigger for such tragedies, found in 41% of such incidents.

2. Arrest: VAWA funds mandatory arrest policies in 20 states around the country. Harvard researcher Radha Iyengar found that “intimate partner homicides increased by about 60% in states with mandatory arrest laws.” This translates into over 600 deaths each year.

3. Prosecution: VAWA pays $35 million annually to prosecutors who follow mandatory prosecution policies. But one 48-city study found prosecuting restraining order violations doubles the number of homicides among white wives and increases risk for other groups, as well.

The SAVE report terms the continued taxpayer funding of these harmful policies as “A triumph of ideology over science and common-sense.”

“What kind of crazy law purports to be about stopping abuse, but in truth is escalating tensions and discouraging victims from calling for help?,” asks SAVE spokesperson Sheryle Hutter. “Taxpayers should be demanding a complete overhaul of these irrational domestic violence programs.”

Over 40 leading scientists and organizations have endorsed major reforms to VAWA and state-level domestic violence policies: http://www.saveservices.org/pvra/vawa-reform-principles/. The Violence Against Women Act is currently up for reauthorization in Congress.

Stop Abusive and Violent Environments is a victim-advocacy organization working for evidence-based solutions to domestic violence and sexual assault: www.saveservices.org

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Bills Dating Violence Discrimination Domestic Violence False Allegations Law Enforcement Press Release Research Restraining Order Victims Violence Violence Against Women Act

PR: Leading Scientists and Organizations Urge Reforming the Violence Against Women Act: SAVE Calls for Prompt Congressional Action

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Teri Stoddard
Telephone: 301-801-0608
Email: tstoddard@saveservices.org

Leading Scientists and Organizations Urge Reforming the Violence Against Women Act:

SAVE Calls for Prompt Congressional Action

WASHINGTON / February 5, 2013 – A group of scientists, victim advocates, and 15 leading organizations have endorsed a series of reforms to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a law that is currently up for reauthorization in Congress. The endorsers include many of the acclaimed scientists who have elucidated the causes and dynamics of intimate partner violence.

The VAWA Reform Principles are endorsed by the Independent Women’s Forum, National Coalition for Men, Washington Civil Rights Council, 60 Plus Association, Able Americans, and many others. The endorsing organizations collectively represent the interests of a majority of the American public.

The Reform Principles address a range of documented deficiencies with the nearly 20-year-old federal law, including the need for greater emphasis on programs to address substance abuse, marital instability, and emotional disorders. The principles suggest a greater emphasis on partner reconciliation when it is safe to do so.

The principles highlight how VAWA has placed excessive attention on criminal justice measures such as restraining orders, which lack proof of effectiveness. The reforms call for the elimination of policies that mandate arrest in the absence of probable cause, an unconstitutional policy that was found in a Harvard University study to increase partner homicides by nearly 60%.

The Principles address other shortcomings with existing domestic violence programs. These include the need for programs to afford priority to victims of physical violence, for disseminating accurate abuse-reduction information to the public, and for instituting stronger accountability measures.

“For far too long, domestic violence programs have been based on gender ideology, resulting in programs that have been ineffective, unresponsive, and even dangerous to victims,” explains SAVE spokesperson Sheryle Hutter. “We urge lawmakers to include these reforms in the Violence Against Women Act bills currently being considered in Congress.”

The complete list of Principles and endorsers can be seen here: http://www.saveservices.org/pvra/vawa-reform-principles/

Stop Abusive and Violent Environments is a victim-advocacy organization working for evidence-based solutions to domestic violence and sexual assault: www.saveservices.org

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Abuse Shelter Child Custody Domestic Violence Press Release Research Restraining Order Victims Violence Violence Against Women Act

PR: Domestic Violence Programs Have Not Delivered on Promises to Women: SAVE Report

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Teri Stoddard
Telephone: 301-801-0608
Email: tstoddard@saveservices.org

Domestic Violence Programs Have Not Delivered on Promises to Women: SAVE Report

WASHINGTON / January 14, 2013 – Domestic violence programs have fallen short in meeting women’s needs, according to a report issued today by SAVE. Of greater concern are studies that document some violence-prevention strategies endorsed by the federal Violence Against Women Act place women at greater risk of victimization and even death.

The report, Have Domestic Violence Programs Delivered on Their Promises to Women?, reviews nearly 50 research studies and articles examining the effectiveness of restraining orders, mandatory arrest policies, and no-drop prosecution. The report concludes the impact of these criminal justice measures ranges from harmful to ineffective: http://www.saveservices.org/downloads/VAWA-Has-It-Delivered-on-Its-Promises-to-Women

The report is issued by Stop Abusive and Violent Environments, a victim-advocacy organization.

The report summarizes nearly 50 research studies and other articles, and concludes the programs funded by the federal anti-violence program:

  • Are ineffective in reducing abuse
  • Promote arrest and prosecution policies that place women at greater risk
  • Often ignore the wishes of abused women
  • May lull women into a false sense of security
  • Ensnare women in a rigid criminal justice bureaucracy
  • Make it more difficult for real victims to get help
  • Shortchange the needs of female aggressors
  • May not provide needed services at abuse shelters, and
  • Can lead to the removal of children from their homes

“Lawmakers should carefully review the findings in this report,” explains SAVE spokesperson Sheryle Hutter. “Women will be outraged if lawmakers stick to ‘business as usual’ and don’t reform policies known to maim and kill women.”

Stop Abusive and Violent Environments is a victim-advocacy organization working for evidence-based solutions to domestic violence and sexual assault: www.saveservices.org

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Abuse Shelter CAMP Dating Violence Domestic Violence Press Release Research Victims Violence

PR: Dishonest Portrayals by the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Teri Stoddard
Phone: 301-801-0608
Email: tstoddard@saveservices.org

Dishonest Portrayals by the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence

WASHINGTON / August 7, 2012 – Women commit half of all partner abuse, but the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (MCEDV) all but ignores the widespread problem of female-initiated partner aggression. SAVE, a national victim-advocacy organization, calls on the Maine Coalition to present balanced and truthful information to legislators and to the public at large.

Male high school students in Maine are more likely to be hit, slapped, or physically hurt by their girlfriends. According to the Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey, 11.6% male secondary students have been a victim of dating violence in the past 12 months, compared to only 10.6% of female students (1).

Female-perpetrated abuse is even more worrisome among young adults. According to a national Centers for Disease Control survey, 70% of one-way abuse is committed by women, while only 30% of abuse is perpetrated by men (2).

Homicide statistics provide a sobering perspective, as well. According to the 2012 report of the Maine Domestic Abuse Homicide Review Panel, women committed 5 out of 13 domestic violence homicides in recent years (3).

Last year Roxanne Jeskey of Bangor admitted to killing her husband Richard. A detective’s report detailed the injuries: “These included nose fractures, loss of an eye, rib fractures, rectal incised wounds, and internal hemorrhage from an instrument(s) pushed through his scrotum into his abdomen. Further, Mr. Jeskey was strangled with sufficient force to break the hyoid bone of his neck.” (4).

Despite disturbing media accounts, the website of the Maine Coalition repeatedly implies that only men are abusive (5). These are a few of many examples:

  1. What is domestic violence and abuse: “The difference lies in the batterer’s belief system regarding women and children.”
  2. Its Dating Bill of Rights includes, “Say, ‘I think my friend is wrong and his actions are inappropriate.’”
  3. A Friend in Need of Help: “ten ways to support female victims”

The Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey shows that among 11th and 12th graders, females are more than twice as likely as males to perpetrate dating violence (1). But the MCEDV home page advertises that the Young Adult Abuse Prevention Program “is seeking an educator to conduct classroom presentations on dating violence. The applicant must convincingly portray a teenage female in a theater piece.”

“Domestic violence is too important an issue for persons to spin and mutilate the truth,” explains SAVE spokesman Philip W. Cook. “If the Maine Coalition wants to bring an end to the cycle of domestic violence, it needs to stop ignoring half the cycle.”

Female-initiated aggression is the leading risk-factor for women becoming injured by an intimate partner, according to a research summary by Sandra Stith, PhD (6).

Citations:

1. http://maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/population-health/inj/documents/miyhs-highschool-2011.pdf, page 8.
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17395835
3. http://www.maine.gov/ag/dynld/documents/Working_Together_to_End_Domestic_Violence_04-11-12.pdf, page 11.
4. http://www.truecrimereport.com/2011/06/roxanne_jeskey_viciously_murde.php
5. http://mcedv.org/
6. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359178903000557

Stop Abusive and Violent Environments is a victim advocacy organization working for evidence-based solutions to partner abuse: www.saveservices.org

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Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Press Release Research Training Violence

PR: Police Academy Curriculum Stereotypes Men as Abusers

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Teri Stoddard
Telephone: 301-801-0608
Email: tstoddard@saveservices.org

Police Academy Curriculum Stereotypes Men as Abusers

WASHINGTON/August 2, 2012 — Maine’s predominant aggressor policy removes the presumption of innocence from the accused and labels men as abusers, says victim-advocacy group Stop Abusive and Violent Environments (SAVE). The Maine Criminal Justice Academy’s “Identifying Predominant Aggressors in Domestic Violence Cases,” designed to train state law enforcement personnel, unfairly targets men, even though both sexes engage in domestic violence at similar rates.

One Centers for Disease Control study found 50% of violent couples are mutually aggressive, meaning both persons are exchanging blows. For one-way aggression, females were the perpetrators in 7 out of 10 cases (Daniel Whitaker. American Journal of Public Health, May 2007).

Law enforcement officials openly acknowledge that predominant aggressor policies are biased. “When it’s a ‘he-said, she-said’ situation with no injuries, we just arrest the guy,” admitted one officer.

SAVE’s report on Predominant Aggressor policies cites numerous deficiencies with the Maine curriculum (http://www.saveservices.org/downloads/Predominant-Aggressor-Policies):

  1.  The curriculum arbitrarily classifies face scratches, eye gouges, and arm bites as defensive, when such injuries can be actions taken by the perpetrator.
  2. Some criteria for identifying the predominant aggressor are subjective and vague such as, “power and control dynamics of the couple.”
  3. None of the curriculum’s 10 vignettes recommends arresting the female.

In addition, the curriculum does not address the possibility that the accusations may be false. It’s not uncommon for a woman to perpetrate domestic violence against a man, then call the police and accuse him of the abuse, SAVE notes.

During a July 10 domestic violence conference held in Portsmouth, NH, researcher John Hamel termed predominant aggressor policies “based in politics and ideology” and “nearly impossible to properly implement.” Several national columnists have also highlighted the biases in the Maine curriculum.

“Domestic violence experts around the country are pointing to Maine’s predominant aggressor guide as an example of a well-intentioned law enforcement policy that ends up revictimizing the victim,” says SAVE spokesperson Philip W. Cook. “Maine lawmakers must demand that Criminal Justice Academy director John Rogers rescind his harmful curriculum.”

Stop Abusive and Violent Environments is a victim-advocacy organization working for evidence-based solutions to partner violence: www.saveservices.org.

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Bills Press Release Research Training Victims Violence Against Women Act

PR: Battering the Truth: SAVE Report Reveals Many Abuse Statistics are One-Sided or False

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Teri Stoddard
Email: tstoddard@saveservices.org

Battering the Truth: SAVE Report Reveals Many Abuse Statistics are One-Sided or False

Washington, DC/April 11, 2012 — The federal government spends $76 million a year for domestic violence education programs, but 90 percent of the claims made in these programs are one-sided, misleading, or completely untrue, according to a new report from Stop Abusive and Violent Environments (SAVE). The report, “Most DV Educational Programs Lack Accuracy, Balance, and Truthfulness,” compares validated scientific research with the claims made by leading abuse-reduction groups: http://www.saveservices.org/downloads/SAVE-DV-Educational-Programs

The SAVE report highlights three offenders:

  1. The American Bar Association frames its discussion of domestic violence with the broad claim that “2 to 4 million American women are battered every year.” But the dean of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Work derides that statistic as a “factoid from nowhere.”
  2. The National Network to End Domestic Violence, an umbrella organization for state domestic violence advocates, has developed a fact sheet on “Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Fact Sheet.” Only five of the 30 statements contained in the NNEDV fact sheet are accurate and truthful representations of the social science.
  3. Judicial benchbooks, used by judges as summaries of current law and key information on a subject, are similarly skewed. Various states’ manuals present the statistic that 95 percent of spouse-abuse victims are women. In fact, men are equally as likely as women to be victims of intimate partner aggression: http://www.saveservices.org/pdf/Seven-Facts-Every-American-Should-Know-About-DV.pdf.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which funds many of these educational efforts, has been criticized for having inadequate safeguards against waste and fraud: http://saveservices.org/pdf/SAVE-Accountability-and-Oversight.pdf.

SAVE has declared that such false claims are doing harm to victims of domestic violence. By imprinting a false picture of domestic violence on Americans’ understanding of the issue, the domestic violence establishment hampers outreach to male, LGBT, and other underserved victims.

Spokesman Philip W. Cook says of the report’s findings: “VAWA must not be reauthorized without a remedy for the damage this misinformation is doing to domestic violence victims and to our system of justice. The biases we are talking about are systematic, widespread, and doggedly resistant to correction.”

Stop Abusive and Violent Environments is a victim-advocacy organization working for evidence-based solutions to partner violence: www.saveservices.org.