Download all the original PDF documents in a zipped archive here.
Download all the original PDF documents in a zipped archive here.
Domestic Violence and Children NewsletterVol 4, No 2 - May 2001 |
This issue is devoted to publications of interest on the topic of teen domestic violence. Committee member Erin Scott reviewed curriculum materials and books, as well as reported on recent developments in the Juvenile Justice system. The committee is grateful for her dedicated and informed efforts on behalf of the newsletter.
For submission of newspaper articles or events, contact Jonee Donnelly at 247-3660 or email to: jdonlytx@pacbell.net. Publication deadlines are as follows: June 15 for July issue, August 15 for September issue, and October 15 for November issue.
Children's Issues Committee, Santa Clara Domestic Violence Council, Monthly, 1st Tuesday, 8 - 9:15 a.m., 1101 S. Winchester, Conference Rm, San Jose.
Domestic Violence Council, Monthly, 1st Friday, 7:30 a.m., 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
Child Abuse Council Meeting, Monthly: 2nd Friday, 7:30 a.m., 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
LACAAW Youth Workshops: June 18-20 in Oakland. Six consecutive workshops over three days on: Increasing staff capacity with youth; Creating agency opportunities; Recruiting and training youth; Youth activities; Youth legal issues; Youth relationship violence. To register or receive more information please call Vivian Baso at 213-955-9090 ext 130. Cost: $100.00.
Curricula Review: The Youth Relationships Manual: A Group Approach with Adolescents for the Prevention of Woman Abuse and the Promotion of Healthy Relationships, 1996, David Wolfe, et al., Sage Publications.
The Youth Relationships Manual was developed by the Youth Relationships Project in Ontario, Canada. It is designed to be used with youth ages 14 to 16 years old who meet together after school in groups of 8 to 15 for 18 weeks, 2 hours per session. The curriculum relies on voluntary commitment to participation by the youth, so it may not be appropriate for use in the classroom.
The manual is extensive with detailed requirements about how to implement the curriculum. It seems that the curriculum could be used without following all of these requirements. However, the manual’s authors make it clear that they do not believe the curriculum will be effective without using the structure they set forth.
The Youth Relationships Manual has 4 parts. The first, “Violence in Close Relationships: It’s All About Power,” contains exercises designed to increase the youths’ understanding of power and the role it plays in relationship violence. The second section, “Breaking the Cycle of Violence: What We Can Choose Not to Do,” identifies abusive and non-abusive dynamics in relationships and helps youth learn to build healthy relationships.
“The Contexts of Relationship Violence” is the third section and it is here that youth discuss sexism, the media, gender socialization and other societal influences that can lead to violence. Finally, the fourth section, “Making a Difference: Working Toward Breaking the Cycle of Violence” has youth participating in the community - visiting community agencies - and creating a social action event.
This curriculum was created by academics that did some pilot programs with youth but mostly seem to have developed the program based on indirect research. The primary authors of the curriculum are two professors of psychology. Many of the curriculum’s elements are innovative, particularly the inclusion of the community involvement / social action section. However, the project’s requirements could make it difficult to implement exactly as it was designed.
Curricula Review: In Touch with Teens: A Relationship Violence Prevention Curriculum for Youth Ages 12 - 19, 1995, Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women (LACAAW)
In Touch with Teens is an 8-week curriculum (estimated 16 to 20 hours total) designed by LACAAW for high school students. The curriculum can be used in any high school class and can be used by teachers or outside facilitators. LACAAW recommends that a co-ed team of presenters facilitate the curriculum but the design allows for an individual facilitator of either gender if a co-ed team is not available. Handouts for the units are in English and Spanish.
This curriculum approaches the prevention of relationship violence by educating youth about the roots of violence. The program starts with a discussion of racism, hate crimes, anti-Semitism, homophobia, sexism and other forms of institutionalized and internalized oppression. The next unit discussed issues of power and control and then the following two units focus on relationship violence and the cycle of violence
The next 3 units discuss sexual harassment, sexual assault and coercive control, and media impact on gender and violence, again bringing the students’ focus back to the broader context in which relationship violence occurs. The final unit talks about the building blocks of a good relationship
Each unit has a lengthy introduction facilitators can use for preparation and background for leading discussions. Then the units have 3 to 4 exercises with handouts and follow up questions.
The exercises are thought provoking and engaging. The curriculum is structured in a clear, easy to use format. Although it is only 8 units, In Touch with Teens covers a lot of ground and could go a long way toward ending violence in all its forms.
Book Review: In Love and In Danger: A Teen’s Guide to Breaking Free of Abusive Relationships, 1997, Barrie Levy, Seal Press
Barrie Levy, M.S.W., a psychotherapist on the faculty of the Departments of Social Welfare and Women’s Studies at the University of California Los Angeles, is the editor of the frequently referenced Dating Violence: Young Women in Danger. Dating Violence is a compilation of scholarly articles written for professionals working with young women.
In Love and In Danger is written for teens who already know they have questions about abusive dating relationships. The book speaks to teens who are in (or think they might be in) an abusive relationship or who know another teen who is in one.
Although primarily geared toward the victims of these relationships, the book includes quotes from teens who have been abusive, includes a chapter titled, “What Can You Do If You Are Abusive” in addition to a chapter called “What Can You Do If You Are Being Abused?” and has a chapter titled “How Can You Tell If Your Relationship Is Abusive” that has lists of questions for both victims and abusers.
One of the strengths of Levy’s book is her use of teen voices. In Love and In Danger quotes young women and young men extensively and gives a broad range of examples. The book is also short and easy to read. The chapters each provide a blank page at the end where the reader can write her feelings and reflections. The book includes a brief discussion of healthy relationships, a discussion of addictive vs. nurturing love, and a resource list.
The only drawback to Levy’s book is the unlikelihood of a teen reading it who is not involved directly or indirectly in an abusive relationship. The content of the book is potentially useful for any teen, but the introduction and the description on the back cover tell the reader that In Love and In Danger is for teens who already have questions about abusive dating relationships.
Book Review: In Their Own Words: A Sexual Abuse Workbook for Teenage Girls, 1995, Lulie Munson and Karen Riskin, Child Welfare League of America.
In Their Own Words is a workbook designed for teen girls who have been sexually abused to use with their therapist. Munson and Riskin worked with sexually abused teens at the Germaine Lawrence School, a residential treatment program in Arlington, Massachusetts. The workbook was developed from a support group run at the school and then incorporated in to therapy. Their treatment philosophy “emphasizes the importance of nurturance and structure and of teaching troubled adolescents the skills to take positive control of their lives.”
Each of the book’s 10 chapters include information and definitions, check in exercises, quotes from teens the authors have worked with, and suggested activities. The first 2 chapters deal with defining sexual abuse and its effects, including extensive discussion of post-traumatic stress disorder. Chapters 3 and 4 talk about memories. Chapters 5 to 7 take teens through the process of telling the story of the abuse. Chapter 8 talks about blame. Chapter 9 discusses feelings generally, and Chapter 10 ends the book with a discussion about being assertive and finding your strength.
Starting in Chapter 3, the space for teens to write about their feelings and experiences increases and by the end of the book, the chapters are almost solely comprised of exercises. Many parts of this workbook could be useful for teens that are not in individual therapy. However, given that the book’s goal is to have the teen write completely about her feelings and tell in detail what happened, teens should not go through this book without a consistent, supportive structure like individual therapy.
Book Review: Mama, Listen! Raising a Child Without Violence: A Handbook for Teen Parents, 1998, Ruth Beaglehole, 323/661-9123, also available in Spanish.
Ruth Beaglehole is the director of the Los Angeles Technology Center Teen Parenting and Child Care Program, where she has worked for 12 years. The book is written from the perspective of a toddler and its goal is to teach teen parents loving, non-violent ways to interact with their children.
The book is divided into 7 sections: “Time,” “My Self,” “Discipline,” “Everyday Things,” “Sex,” “Preventing Abuse,” and “Values.” Each section has clearly delineated subsections like “Swear Words” under the “Values” section. Key concepts and lesions are underlined, like “Books help to prepare me for things that are going to happen.” Woven into the sections are children's books written by teen mothers that Beaglehole has worked with. The title of one, for example, is “Jose’s Mama Goes to Work.”
Mama Listen! has a lot to offer teen parents. Unfortunately, the book costs $25 and there is no indication in the book that it’s available for lower cost in bulk, and photocopying requires permission. Also, even though the book is easy to read and has a clear table of contents, its 223-page length may be off-putting to many young parents.
In 1999 Santa Clara County’s Juvenile Delinquency Court created a unique model to address the issue of juvenile domestic and family violence offenders. Led by Judge Eugene Hyman, the Juvenile Court created the Juvenile Domestic and Family Violence Court.
In session every Wednesday afternoon, the goals of the Domestic and Family Violence Court are early intervention, protection of victims and their children, and the rehabilitation of batterers and minors who batter their family members.
Judge Hyman regularly draws on the expertise of government, social services and community based organization personnel who work with juvenile offenders and domestic violence victims. A committee assembled by Judge Hyman meets monthly and includes representatives from adult probation, juvenile probation, the ranches, Juvenile Hall, the Office of the District Attorney, the Office of the Public Defender, San Jose Police Department - Family Violence Unit, the Center for Human Development, the Department of Mental Health, Support Network for Battered Women, Legal Advocates for Children & Youth, Victim Witness, the Superior Court, the City of San Jose Family / Domestic Violence Task Force, and San Jose State University.
This committee was formed and began meeting before the Court was first in session. Professor Inger Sagutun-Edwards of San Jose State University has been studying the formation of the Court and is tracking recidivism rates in the areas of domestic and family violence.
Judge Hyman has insured that all involved government personnel, including Juvenile Hall and Ranch staff, probation officers, deputy district attorneys, public defenders, police, and clerks and courtroom staff have been trained regarding the dynamics of domestic and family violence. Judge Hyman uses the committee to gather and disseminate information about treatment programs available to juvenile offenders.
The Juvenile Domestic and Family Violence Court have put the protection of and provision of services to the victims of these crimes as their first concern. The committee worked with the police to add a mandatory arrest requirement for juvenile offenders of domestic violence to its protocols. Juveniles who are alleged to commit domestic violence are then held in Juvenile Hall until their detention hearing and, if released, orders of no contact with the victim are routinely recommended and granted.
Through a grant obtained by Professor Sagutun-Edwards, two advocacy groups are providing services to the victims in domestic violence cases heard by the Court.
Support Network for Battered Women has received funding to run a support group for teen victims of domestic violence. Support Network also offers all of their other services to these victims, including counseling and assistance obtaining restraining orders.
Legal Advocates for Children & Youth (“LACY”) has received funding to represent those victims who have children with the juvenile offender. LACY can represent these victims in a variety of proceedings, including family court proceedings to obtain restraining orders, custody and child support.
Every victim of domestic violence in Juvenile Domestic and Family Violence Court is referred to one of these agencies. A representative from those agencies then contacts the victim to offer services. Victim/Witness Services are also available to these victims as well as the victims of family violence.
Signs That You Are Being Abused:
Any type of unwanted sexual advances that make you uncomfortable are red flags that the relationship needs to focus more on respect. Phrases like "If you loved me, you would..." also should warn you of possible abuse. A statement like this is emotional blackmail from a person concerned about getting what they want. Trust your intuition. If it doesn't feel right, it isn't.
There are important warning signs that you may be involved in an abusive relationship. Abusive behaviors in a boyfriend or girlfriend include:
Signs That a Friend Is Being Abused
In addition to the signs listed above, here are some signs of abuse to look for in a friend:
If a friend is being abused, the one thing she needs most is someone to hear and believe her. Maybe she is afraid to tell her parents because they'll make her end the relationship. People who are abused often feel like it's their fault - that they "asked for it" or that they don't deserve any better. But abuse is never deserved. Your friend needs you to help her understand that it is not her fault and she is not a bad person. The person who abused her is at fault and needs professional help.
If you have a friend who is being abused, she needs your patience, love, and understanding. She also needs you to encourage her to get help immediately from an adult, such as a parent or guidance counselor. Most of all, she needs you to listen to her without judging her. It takes a lot of courage to admit that you have been abused; let her know that she has your full support. (Reprinted from the TeensHealth link on www.kidshealth.org.
children-and-dv@hotmail.com
www.springkidsteam.org/index.htm
www.growing.com/greenbook
www.growing.com/nonviolent
www.snbw.org
www.vawact.org
www.cacscc.org
www.acs_teens.org
www.whiteribbon.ca/students.htm
kidshealth.org/teen/safety/help/abuse_p4.html
Domestic Violence and Children Newsletter is published six times yearly by the Children's Issues Committee of the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Members of the Committee are:
| Shawne Smith (chairperson) | Erin Scott (co-chair) Kathy Williams Cynthia Spencer Jonee Donnelly (editor) Maureen Lowell (secretary) Susan Bloomfield Carla Macias 408 279-7575 |
408 280-2428 408 867-3740 408 522-5800 408 247-3660 408 446-9616 408 792-2745 408 441-5162 For information or to submit articles, contact Jonee Donnelly, editor, at 408 247-3660.
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Domestic Violence and Children NewsletterVol 4, No 1 - March 2001 |
The committee welcomes Shawne Smith as our newly elected chairperson. Shawne takes over from Tracy Burt, who will be missed. We are gathering new members and new tasks, such as our Hot Button sessions and the development of “Guidelines for Reviewing Domestic Violence Protocols for Children’s Issues.” We welcome new members. If you are interested in volunteering your time, please contact the chairperson Shawne Smith at 408-279-7575.
For submission of newspaper articles or events, contact Jonee Donnelly at 247-3660 or email to: jdonlytx@pacbell.net. Publication deadlines are as follows: April 15 for May issue, June 15 for July issue, August 15 for September issue, and October 15 for November issue.
The mayor of Miami was charged with battery and was arrested on suspicion of hitting his wife in the head with a teapot. The police went to the home after getting a 911 call from one of the couple’s two daughters, ages 10 and 12. (Associated Press)
As part of "A Conference and Resource Faire for Family Child Care Providers", the Support Network for Battered Women will be facilitating a workshop on domestic violence, and its effects on children, and ways to approach the issue with parents. March 3, 2001, San Jose McEnry Convention Center, San Jose, CA. Information: Joann Douglas at 408-277-2617.
"The 22nd Annual Child Abuse Symposium" sponsored by the Santa Clara County Child Abuse Council will be held on Friday March 23, 2001 at Lou’s Village, San Jose. Keynote addresses will be by Robin Kerr-Morse, author of Ghosts from the Nursery, and by Will Lighthouse, Director of Santa Clara County Social Services Agency. For more information contact the Santa Clara County Violence Prevention Program at 408-887-7661.
Children's Issues Committee, Santa Clara Domestic Violence Council, Monthly, 1st Tuesday, 8 - 9:15 a.m., 1101 S. Winchester, Conference Rm, San Jose.
Domestic Violence Council, Monthly, 1st Friday, 7:30 a.m., 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
Child Abuse Council Meeting, Monthly: 2nd Friday, 7:30 a.m., 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
Those of us who work in the fields of child maltreatment and domestic violence know that there is rarely a single victim when family violence erupts in a home. For example, when a mother is battered, her children most likely witness the abuse. In some cases, the child also is abused. And too often when the family enters the court system, a disjointed and ineffective set of interventions from several different courts and social service agencies treat adult domestic violence and child maltreatment as separate, unrelated phenomena.
The reality is that domestic violence and child abuse are often intertwined, and it is past time that the courts, social service agencies and domestic violence services providers work together to protect all victims of abuse
Santa Clara County has been chosen as one of just six demonstration sites (out of over 100 sites) across the country to be part of a groundbreaking new federal initiative designed to improve the system. This unprecedented initiative will encourage child welfare workers, domestic violence advocates and juvenile dependency and family court officials to collaborate more effectively keep battered women and their children safe.
The Green Book Project (so named because of the color of the book the project is based upon “Effective Intervention in Domestic Violence & Child Maltreatment Cases: Guideline for Policy and Practice) will receive $1.5 million for three years. During the past year and a half Santa Clara County representatives of Child Protective Services, Domestic Violence Agencies, Court System and corollary services have been meeting to develop a comprehensive plan to address the needs of children exposed to domestic violence.
The implementation plan currently includes six projects. The goal for Project # 1 is to identify, hire and train 3 to 4 domestic violence advocates for victims of domestic violence whose children are in the child welfare system/juvenile dependency court. To accomplish this goal a pool of specially trained domestic violence advocates, who will be available throughout the life of a child welfare case which involves domestic violence, will be created This project will build upon the initiative of the Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS) to provide funding for two domestic violence advocates from Next Door, Solutions to Domestic Violence to be located at DFCS.
The goal of Project #2 is to develop and implement a plan to institutionalize training and cross training in the domestic violence and child maltreatment for all sectors of the Green Book Project and Implementation Team.
The goal of Project #3 is to improve the cultural competence of the systems that deal with domestic violence and child maltreatment including the juvenile dependency court. This includes translating written materials, providing competent interpreters for non-English speakers throughout all three systems, develop plans to reach out to all existing communities and assess how the community views the juvenile court and child welfare system regarding cultural competency.
The goal of Project #4 is to assist in the creation of a protocol between law enforcement, child protection (emergency response) and domestic violence service providers that will describe how each will relate to the other when domestic violence and child maltreatment are detected
Project #5 commits to the development of safe and protective plans at all stages of the child welfare and juvenile dependency court systems for parents and children where domestic violence and child maltreatment co-occur.
The goal of Project #6 is to ensure that all parenting classes and other services provided within the child welfare system integrate domestic violence information within the context of their services. It is also the commitment of this project to develop a range of services to meet the individual needs of each client.
If you are interested in any of the above projects contact Shawne Smith at 408-279-7575 for the contact person for each of the projects. (submitted by Shawne Smith)
Steve Barron, Assistant Director of Santa Clara County Family Court Services, appeared at the November 7, 2000, meeting of Children’s Issues Committee to discuss “Kids, Domestic Violence and Family Court.” During his presentation a discussion was held on whether or not Family Court Services should make a mandatory child abuse report on every case in which a child was exposed to domestic violence.
Mr. Barron advised the committee that, as of January 1, 2001, the child abuse reporting law has been amended so as to eliminate the permissive reporting of “mental suffering,” making it clear that a report of “unjustifiable mental suffering” is mandatory. The conduct of the person causing the unjustifiable mental suffering would most likely include evidence of: Spurning, Terrorizing, Isolating, Exploiting/Corrupting, Ignoring, Mental Health, Medical and Educational Neglect. In addition, a mandated reporter must report suspicion of child abuse when he/she develops a reasonable suspicion that a child has been exposed to a repeated pattern or one or more serious incident(s) of domestic violence (if the child was in or about the home when the domestic violence occurred, or if the child witnessed the domestic violence at some other location.) (submitted by Steve Barron)
children-and-dv@hotmail.com
www.springkidsteam.org/index.htm
www.growing.com/nonviolent
www.growing.com/greenbook
www.snbw.org
www.vawact.org
www.cacscc.org
www.acs_teens.org
www.whiteribbon.ca/students.htm
Domestic Violence and Children Newsletter is published six times yearly by the Children's Issues Committee of the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Members of the Committee are:
| Shawne Smith (chairperson) | Erin Scott (co-chair) Kathy Williams Cynthia Spencer Jonee Donnelly (editor) Maureen Lowell (secretary) Enrique Ramirez Susan Bloomfield Natalia Galvan 408 279-7575 |
408 280-2428 408 867-3740 408 522-5800 408 247-3660 408 446-9616 408 441-5819 408 792-2745 408 942-0212 For information or to submit articles, contact Jonee Donnelly, editor, at 408 247-3660.
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Domestic Violence and Children NewsletterVol 3, No 4 - Fall 2000 |
The committee welcomes Shawne Smith as our newly-elected chairperson. Shawne takes over from Tracy Burt, who will be missed. We are gathering new members and new tasks, such as our Hot Button sessions and the development of “Guidelines for Reviewing Domestic Violence Protocols for Children’s Issues.” We welcome new members. If you are interested in volunteering your time, please contact the chairperson Shawne Smith at 408-279-7575.
In Santa Cruz county, another sheriff’s deputy has been put on leave while charges of domestic violence are being investigated. At the same time, the candidates for the office of District Attorney are charging each other with being “soft” on domestic violence. (source: Santa Cruz Sentinel)
"Research Update: The Latest Trends and Findings in the Treatment of Children Exposed to Domestic Violence,” presented by Sandra Graham-Bermann, Ph.D., October 5, 2000. Information: 408-882-0900.
“Ending Family Violence: One Home At A Time,” 8th Annual Domestic Violence Conference, October 6, 2000, San Jose, CA, Fairmont Hotel. Information/registration: 408-792-2898“
Family Violence and the Courts,” October 6, 2000, Seaside, CA, University of California at Santa Cruz-Extension. Information: 800-660- 8639.
“Effective Clinical Responses to Domestic Violence,” October 13-14, 2000, San Francisco, Fund. Fax: 415-252-8991.
“Kids, Domestic Violence, and Family Court,” a Hot Button session at the November 7th meeting of the Children’s Issues Committee. Space is limited. Information: Shawne Smith at 408-279- 7575.
“San Diego Conference on Responding to Children and Family Maltreatment, 2001,” January 22-26, 2001. Information: 858-974-8016.
Children's Issues Committee, Santa Clara Domestic Violence Council, Monthly, 1st Tuesday, 8 - 9:15 a.m., 1101 S. Winchester, Conference Rm, San Jose.
Domestic Violence Council, Monthly, 1st Friday, 7:30 a.m., 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
Child Abuse Council Meeting, Monthly: 2nd Friday, 7:30 a.m., 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
No Violence = Good Heath: A Group Program to Be Used with Preschool-aged Children Who Have Witnessed Family Violence, ed. by Katie Foote, Merrymount Children’s Center, London, Ontario Canada, 1998.
The "No Violence = Good Health" curriculum is intended to serve preschool children, ages 4-6, who have been exposed to domestic violence in their family. This two-part curriculum begins with a psycho-educational group for children called “The Best Me is Violence Free” to address issues stemming from family violence. The second follow-up group is called “The Best Me I Can Be” and starts three months after the initial group. The first group is designed to address the long term goals and objectives of the curriculum, primarily prevention. The follow-up group is designed to enhance children’s sense of self esteem and build on making better relationships.
The purpose of this program is to provide children the opportunity to understand the violence and abuse that they have been exposed to. Group guidelines help to create a safe, predictable environment for children. The groups are intended to help children identify and express emotions surrounding violence, separation, shame, guilt, and/or loss. Children are given opportunities to learn to recognize their feelings and understand that their feelings count. The children are assisted in dealing with their feeling constructively. The curriculum is well organized and user-friendly. Illustrations are simple and will be easy for even the most non-artistic group leader to re-create. The curriculum is available from “source resource” at 1-888-413-3339, or through their website at www.sourceresource.com. (submitted by Shawne Smith)
Peace Path: A Therapeutic Intervention. The "Peace Path" is a teaching game for young people ages 6-14 who have had personal experience with domestic violence and abuse. By addressing the realities of violence at home, children can learn how to create a safer environment for themselves, within their own homes. The Peace Path serves just this purpose. Through questions and discussion, it gives children a better idea of what constitutes violent and abusive behavior, how to avoid it, and how to enlist outside help if it is needed.
A significant part of violence education is learning prevention and avoidance. Through discussion, children can learn how to recognize precursors of violent behavior and how to remove themselves from harm’s way whenever possible.
Also, when children are continually exposed to violence, their own definition of acceptable behavior becomes distorted. With these children, it is especially important to reinforce the concept of personal boundaries and what constitutes acceptable behavior. The "Peace Path" defines behavior in simple terms. Through play and discussion, children can get a clearer idea about what constitutes an appropriate response, as opposed to an excessively aggressive response.
According to Jennifer Klassen, Shelter Children’s Case Manager at Next Door, Solutions to Domestic Violence, the game uses a mixture of discussion and fun to help children look at the violence in their lives. “I think this is an excellent tool to use to help children talk about what has been happening to them. However, I mourn the loss of innocence the use of this game demonstrates and look forward to the time such games are no longer necessary.”
The game has four focal points: home, school, relatives’ homes, and shelter. Game cards concentrate on safety planning, self-esteem, and using assertiveness to solve problems, defining abuse, feelings, and fun. The game has a colorful board in the shape of the peace sign. Cards have childlike drawings on them. One move may have a card asking a serious question such as “Mom and Dad are yelling at each other. You see Dad hit Mom with the telephone and she is hurt. What can you do? Take one token for each safe answer.” The next may be a card intended to lessen the stress such as “Walk backward around the room.” There are also blank cards that can be used for creating personalized questions.
The "Peace Path" can be an important part of any domestic violence and abuse education program. The "Peace Path" was created by Lisa Marie Barden and produced by Western Psychological Services. It is available by calling 800-648-8857. Visit the Western Psychological Services web site at www.wpspublish.
For families still living with their batterer, safety has to be a major concern. The added stress of the holidays can turn a tense situation into a lethal one. Victims and children need to have a plan on how to leave a potentially violent situation safely.
Children need to be briefed about these plans. They need a safety plan of their own which includes knowing how to call 911 and identifying a safe place for them to retreat to in the event of violence.
children-and-dv@hotmail.com
www.springkidsteam.org/index.htm
www.growing.com/nonviolent
www.snbw.org
www.vawact.org
www.cacscc.org
Domestic Violence and Children Newsletter is published six times yearly by the Children's Issues Committee of the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Members of the Committee are:
| Shawne Smith (chairperson) | Erin Scott (co-chair) Kathy Williams Cynthia Spencer Jonee Donnelly (editor) Maureen Lowell (secretary) Enrique Ramirez Susan Bloomfield Natalia Galvan 408 279-7575 |
408 280-2428 408 867-3740 408 522-5800 408 247-3660 408 446-9616 408 441-5819 408 792-2745 408 942-0212 For information or to submit articles, contact Jonee Donnelly, editor, at 408 247-3660.
| | ||
Domestic Violence and Children NewsletterVol 3, No 3 - Summer 2000 |
As always, the committee welcomes new members. We have a number of projects, including the "Guidelines for Reviewing Domestic Violence Protocols for Children's Issues." If you are interested in volunteering your time, please contact the chairperson Tracy Burt at 408-279-7572.
The thirteen year-old Florida boy with “A” grades, no behavior problems, and perfect attendance who shot and killed one of his teachers also came from a home where the police have responded to seventeen domestic violence incidents.
Santa Clara County Beyond the Bench. Best Practices in the Child Welfare System - Practices in Excellence. Friday, June 9, 2000, 7:30 am to 4:45 pm, Hyatt St. Claire. Contact: Beverly Kuhar @ 408-441-5460. This conference will examine various aspects of children in dependency court, focusing on interventions related to drug dependency. The workshops deal with issues ranging from the developmental effects of abuse to drug treatment strategies to domestic violence assessments.
Summer Seminars by the Sea, 2000: Center for Child Protection, Children's Hospital-San Diego. Call 800-542-7400 for more information.
Five separate, intensive Continuing Education courses are scheduled, each 2 1/2 days in length.
August 7-9: "Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Traumatized Children and Their Families"; "Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Building Solutions for Early Intervention"; "Conducting Forensic Evidentiary Interviews with the Child Witness to Violence".
August 9-11: "Creative Interventions for Abused and Traumatized Children"; "Infant Mental Health and the Realm of Relationships". Call 800-542-7400 for more information.
Failure to Protect Brown Bag Lunch Discussion, June 8th, 12-1:30pm at Next Door, 1181 N. Fourth Street, Suite A, San Jose. What does failure to protect mean in different contexts? Are we punishing mothers for the behavior of their batterers? How can we protect children and s it in their interest to be removed from their non-offending parent? RSVP to Tracy Burt at 408-279- 7572.
Domestic Violence Annual Update Training, Friday July 21, 2000, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, at Los Gatos Lodge, Los Gatos, Ca., $145.00. This is the mandatory training for court appointed custody mediators, evaluators, investigators, and family court attorneys. Sponsored by the SCC APA., SCC Family Court. and SCC Bar, Family Law Section. For more information, call Jan Cunningham @ 510-790-2371.
Children's Issues Committee, Santa Clara Domestic Violence Council, Monthly, 1st Tuesday, 8 - 9:15 a.m., 1101 S. Winchester, Conference Rm, San Jose.
Domestic Violence Council, Monthly, 1st Friday, 7:30 a.m., 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
Child Abuse Council Meeting, Monthly: 2nd Friday, 7:30 a.m., 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
The focus of most domestic violence intervention programs is on aiding battered women. Too few child witnesses are identified, few receive services through existing programs, and the programs that are provided for those children have not been evaluated for their effectiveness.
However, the Winter 1999 edition of the journal “The Future of Children: Domestic Violence” published by The David and Lucile Packard Foundation attempts to fill that gap and focuses on raising awareness of the issue of child exposure to domestic violence and its effects on development. Its articles analyze the current research regarding the effects of childhood exposure to violence, discusses the responses of the legal system, the health care system, and mental health services to families struggling with domestic violence, and suggest strategies for improving present intervention and prevention techniques. The informative articles discuss laws, protocols, and services presently in place and make suggestions for ways of expanding services in the future.
This issue of “The Future of Children” effectively communicates the services presently available to help children in violent households and suggests possibilities for future action. Including articles by Nancy Lemon, J.D., Patti Culross, M.D, M.P.H., as well as Eleanor Maccoby, Ph.D. and Paul Newacheck, Dr.P.H., this journal is produced from strong and well informed sources. Although some of the articles tend to be somewhat redundant and present a very broad, general overview of domestic violence and its effects on children, the journal does serve as an excellent beginning source of information as to the resources presently available, and mentions the significant efforts being made in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. Its contents also call strongly for further research, funding, and ongoing public support so that more resources might become available and more affective aid obtainable for children.
The Future of Children is published and distributed three times a year at no charge. To be added to the mailing list write to The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Circulation Department, 300 Second Street, Suite 200, Los Altos, California 94022 or access them online at www.futureofchildren.org (submitted by Michelle Wedig).
AB 840(Kuehl) - California's New Rebuttable Presumption Against Custody to Batterers.
Domestic violence hurts children. Studies have shown many different ways in which children are affected by domestic violence even when they themselves are not battered. State legislatures have begun to recognize these dangers by amending the laws to prevent batterers from gaining custody of children. Several states have already passed laws that form a presumption against the granting of custody of children to perpetrators of domestic violence while some other states are beginning to consider doing this. These laws presume that being in a domestic violence situation is inherently not in the best interest of the child. It is then up to the batterer to persuade the court differently - to explain and show evidence to the court as to why it is in the children's best interest to be in the perpetrator's custody.
There are many reasons to avoid giving sole or joint, legal or physical custody to batterers. The obvious is the physical danger to the children. Less obvious are the dangers to the child's other parent or siblings. Often the most dangerous period for a battered woman is the period of separation. This is also the period when custody litigation usually takes place. Also, one of the keys to a battering relationship is control: the perpetrator usually seeks control of the victim. Cases of shared custody allow the batterer some element of control over the victim's life until the children are grown. This control may range from access to personal, financial information to constant interaction through custody exchanges and court appearances. This may be one of the reasons that men who batter are more likely to fight for custody than are nonviolent men. These attempts at control and contact are not only upsetting and dangerous for the victim but also for the children involved. Another factor here is that batterers are likely to perpetrate domestic violence in subsequent relationships, again exposing children to violence.
It appears that although AB 840 has only been in effect a short while, problems are already beginning to arise. California domestic violence advocates have seen judges that now seem to be unwilling to issue restraining orders or that are requiring mini-trials before they will issue them so that the judges may avoid triggering the presumption of AB 840. Many judges have also not abided by this bill's predecessor, AB 200, as noted above, not making "findings" either in writing or on the record in cases that involve domestic violence as required, and so they are again not triggering the presumption. Early anecdotes also seem to highlight some of the gray areas in this legislation. For example, in cases where there is domestic violence, can the parties stipulate to joint custody? Does this avoid the presumption? Is it legal for judges to issue restraining orders without making a finding of domestic violence? Currently, answers to these questions are unclear and will probably remain so until the legislature amends the section or until these cases begin to reach the appellate courts in California.
It looks like this new law, Family Code 3044, will have to be watched carefully to see how it works in California. Domestic violence advocates must remind judges of its presence and help in defining and clarifying its terms to help make custody determinations better for battered spouses and their children.( By Jennifer O'Neal-Watts, Intern to the Policy and Research Committee of CAADV)
children-and-dv@hotmail.com
www.springkidsteam.org/index.htm
www.growing.com/nonviolent
www.snbw.org
www.vawact.org
www.cacscc.org
www.acs-teens.org
Domestic Violence and Children Newsletter is published six times yearly by the Children's Issues Committee of the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Members of the Committee are:
| Tracy Burt (chairperson) | Cynthia Spencer Jonee Donnelly (editor) Maureen Lowell (secretary) Shawnee Smith (vice-chair) Enrique Ramirez 408 279-7572 |
408 522-5800 408 247-3660 408 446-9616 408 279-7550 408 441-5819 For information or to submit articles, contact Jonee Donnelly, editor, at 408 247-3660.
| | ||
Domestic Violence and Children NewsletterVol 3, No 2 - April 2000 |
As always, the committee welcomes new members. We have a number of projects, including the "Guidelines for Reviewing Domestic Violence Protocols for Children's Issues." If you are interested in volunteering your time, please contact the chairperson Tracy Burt at 408-279-7572.
The Santa Cruz County District Attorney's election was focused on which candidate was tougher on domestic violence. Meanwhile, another law enforcement officer was suspended for allegations of domestic violence.
Santa Clara County Beyond the Bench. Best Practices in the Child Welfare System--Practices in Excellence. Friday, June 9, 2000, 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Contact: Beverly Kuhar @ 408-441-5460. This conference will examine various aspects of children in dependency court, focusing on interventions related to drug dependency. The workshops deal with issues ranging from the developmental effects of abuse to drug treatment strategies to domestic violence assessments. It also covers how these different issues impact children in the dependency system. Watch for more information in our next issue.
Summer Seminars by the Sea, 2000: Center for Child Protection, Children's Hospital-San Diego.
Five separate, intensive Continuing Education courses are scheduled, each 2 1/2 days in length.
August 7-9: "Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Traumatized Children and Their Families"; "Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: Building Solutions for Early Intervention"; "Conducting Forensic Evidentiary Interviews with the Child Witness to Violence".
August 9-11: "Creative Interventions for Abused and Traumatized Children"; "Infant Mental Health and the Realm of Relationships". Call 800-542-7400 for more information.
21st Annual Child Abuse Symposium Santa Clara County Child Abuse Council, May 4-5, 2000, Lou's Village, San Jose. More than 25 workshops by local and regional experts, and keynotes by Dr. Matthew Mock, Dir. of Family, Youth and Children's Services for Berkeley Mental Health, and Dr. Edward M. Hallowell, Harvard Medical School. To receive a brochure, call 408-850-9616, after the operator, press 5, and then mailbox 24106001 and #.
"Protecting Children in Conflicted and Violent Families and Neighborhoods: Prevention and Intervention." A workshop by Janet Johnston, Ph.D., providing clinical observations and research findings, and an overview of prevention, intervention, education and therapeutic approaches for children and youth. May 20, 9am to 5pm, UCSC extension, Santa Clara. Fee is $119.00. Call 831-883-848 for more information.
Children's Issues Committee, Santa Clara Domestic Violence Council Monthly, 1st Tuesday, 8 - 9:15 a.m., 1101 S. Winchester, Confer. Rm, San Jose
Domestic Violence Council Monthly, 1st Friday, 7:30 a.m. 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose
Child Abuse Council Meeting Monthly: 2nd Friday, 7:30 a.m. 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose
Breaking the Silence. Art Therapy with Children from Violent Homes. (2nd edition, 1997) By Cathy A. Malchiodi. Brunner/Mazel, Levittown, PA ($34.95 at Amazon.com).
Cathy Malchiodi's book describes the use of art therapy as a tool for working with children who have been exposed to violence and who need to ventilate their feelings in a safe and supportive environment. The book offers clear and enlightening information on how drawings can be used to help children overcome their negative life experiences.
Malchiodi focuses on short-term settings such as battered women's shelters, where time is at a premium and circumstances are unpredictable. She describes the intervention process from intake to termination, noting the issues involved at various levels of evaluation and interpretation. She also offers information on art supplies, space, and storage ideas.
The author's extensive experience makes this an outstanding resource for all professionals who work with traumatized children. The book includes more than 90 drawing by children from violent homes which are both fascinating and touching. Malchiodi presents the use of art therapy with clarity and simplicity, so that therapists can immediately learn the use of this tool in their work with children who have been abused. (submitted by Shawne Smith)
AB 196 (Kuehl): Creation of New Statewide Office of Child Support Services: Creates a new Statewide Office of Child Support Services, which will be located within the Health and Human Services Agency and will manage all aspects of child support. All local district attorneys' offices currently handling child support will transfer its management to a new local county child support department by January 1, 2003.
AB 673 (Honda): Supervised Visitation Centers: Applies to Family Court. It allows the family court to set up or contract with supervised visitation programs, parent education programs and group counseling programs. It also requires the Judicial Council to apply for federal funding for these programs.
AB 840 (Kuehl): Presumption Against Custody to a Batterer: States that awarding sole or joint physical or legal custody to a person who has perpetrated domestic violence during the past five years is not in the best interests of the child. The bill lists various elements that a perpetrator of domestic violence must prove in order to overcome the presumption that custody is not appropriate.
AB 1671 (Committee on Judiciary): Domestic Violence and Custody: Absence from Family Home, Extended Time for Notice in Restraining Order Cases: This bill contains many relevant elements: (1) if a party is absent or relocates because of domestic violence from the other party, this should not be considered against that person in custody decisions; (2) length of restraining orders (ROs) in juvenile court now changed from 1 year to 3 years; (3) in a restraining order case, child support may be ordered, whether the parents are married or not.
SB 433 (Johnson): Custody Evaluators and Domestic Violence Training: Custody evaluators in contested custody or visitation proceedings are now required to attend domestic violence training.
SB 668 (Sher): Replacing the UCCJA with the UCCJEA: The UCCJA (Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act) has been replaced with the UCCJEA (Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act).The state of California will now have the power to make initial custody determinations and emergency custody decisions in certain circumstances. Included are many complicated exceptions and remedies to ensure the child safety when there are conflicting state jurisdictions.(Ed's Note: Hypothetically, this law clarifies the relationship and jurisdiction between decisions of different state governments and may help battered women who are fleeing their batterer from another state to retain child custody).
SB 874 (Escutia): Family Law Centers: This bill appropriates $300,000 to the Judicial Council for the purpose of supporting 3 pilot family law information centers. These centers will provide information and support to unrepresented low-income family law litigants.
SB 792 (Ortiz): Limits on Ordering Supervised Visitation for Parents Who Report Child Sexual Abuse: A parent who reports suspected sexual abuse of their child cannot be penalized for reporting by being ordered to supervised visitation. However, this bill authorizes the court to limit a parent's custody or visitation if there is evidence that the parent made a false report of suspected child sexual abuse.
SB 1250 (Escutia): Restitution to Include Mental Health Therapy Expenses: When a victim of crime gets an order of restitution against the perpetrator of the crime, she or he is now able to include mental health therapy expenses in calculating the amount of economic loss sustained as a result of the crime. (Source: California Alliance Against Domestic Violence).
children-and-dv@hotmail.com
www.springkidsteam.org/index.htm
www.growing.com/nonviolent
www.snbw.org
www.vawact.org
www.cacscc.org
Domestic Violence and Children Newsletter is published six times yearly by the Children's Issues Committee of the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Members of the Committee are:
| Tracy Burt (chairperson) | Cynthia Spencer Jonee Donnelly (editor) Pam Pritchard Maureen Lowell (secretary) Shawnee Smith (vice-chair) Enrique Ramirez 408 279-7572 |
408 522-5800 408 247-3660 408 441-5293 408 446-9616 408 279-7550 408 441-5819 For information or to submit articles, contact Jonee Donnelly, editor, at 408 247-3660.
| | ||
Domestic Violence and Children NewsletterVol 3, No 1 - February 2000 |
This special edition of our newsletter is focused on teenagers affected by domestic violence. Teenagers in general are an underserved population. In the area of domestic violence they are a population that is even more overlooked. They are silent witnesses to DV in the home and then later among their peers. In time, they may be victims/survivors or they may become perpetrators. We hope this issue serves to highlight the special needs and issues of our young adults.
Open Training at the Support Network for Battered Women: Tuesday, March 7th, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. "The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children". A two hour session on how behavior reflects domestic violence exposure and strategies for healing. Geared toward new Support Network volunteers, but open to the community. RSVP to attend. Call Tracy Burt, Children's Program Coordinator, (650) 940-7850.
21st Annual Child Abuse Symposium: Santa Clara County Child Abuse Council, May 4th-5th, 2000, Lou's Village, San Jose. More than 25 workshops by local and regional experts, and keynotes by Dr. Matthew Mock, Director of Family, Youth and Children's Services for Berkeley Mental Health, and Dr. Edward M. Hallowell, Harvard Medical School. To receive a brochure call (408) 850-9616, after the operator press 5 and then mailbox 24106001 and #.
Children's Issues Committee, Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Monthly, 1st Tuesday 8-9:15am, 1101 S. Winchester, Conference Room, San Jose.
Domestic Violence Council Monthly, 1st Friday, 7:30am, 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
Child Abuse Council Meeting Monthly, 2nd Friday, 7:30am, 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
Summary: Research presented at the San Diego Conference on Responding to Child Maltreatment, January 24-28, 2000.
"Developmental Psychological Explanations Regarding Why Adolescent Girls Remain in Abusive Dating Relationships" presented by Nanci M. Monaco, Ph.D., Williamsville, New York.
In the field of domestic violence prevention we have typically held to behavioral, cognitive and biological theories which focus on the cyclical nature of abuse because of factors such as the modeling of abusive behaviors, the victim's belief that she deserves the abuse, gradual escalation of abuse to isolation and deprivation of stimuli. However, the results of this study suggest the need for additions and modifications of these theories specifically related to adolescent development.
The presentation was based on the results of a study of 41 cases of adolescent girls who had been in abusive dating relationships. The group was almost evenly split between girls who had abusive histories in their family of origin and girls who did not. These results have important implications for our work with teens and raise questions about our assumptions regarding teen relationship violence.
Dr. Monaco presented a developmental psychological explanation for why this may happen in the teen population. Developmental predispositions and/or aspects of adolescent thought processes which may be related to this phenomenon include:
Dr. Monaco also found that the girls did not typically disclose until 6-12 months or longer after the abuse had begun, a dangerously long time for the abuse to continue. Disclosure of abuse occurred through police involvement or a hospital visit, an incident directly involving parents, after intervention by a sibling or friend, or after a school prevention program. It was rarely initiated by the teen victim herself.
The findings also have important implications for school or agency violence prevention programs. Dr. Monaco suggests that prevention programs for teens:
Dr. Monaco plans to do a larger study to explore the validity of these findings with a larger population. (Submitted by Tracy Burt.)
Many of the following teen developmental stages are based on Western assumptions. When teens are bicultural, issues of assimilation and acculturation may cause specific conflicts for them. For example, one basic Western assumption is that individual independence is central to the process of adolescent development. However, in many cultures, group identity is central. Thus a child may be expected to rebel and have conflicts with her/his parents, but the parents may experience this as a threat to the central group identity and family structure. When working with teens (or any person), it is important to gather information about their culture.
Sexual orientation issues are also central during the teen years. Gay / lesbian / bisexual / transgendered and uncertain teens are at a very high risk of suicide and could potentially be more isolated if they are in an abusive dating relationship that they have kept hidden from others in their life.
Early adolescence (11-13 years):
Middle adolescence (14-15 years):
Late adolescence (17-19 years):
(Source: The Family and Relationship Center of La Jolla.)
The Support Network for Battered Women and the Rape Crisis Center of the YWCA train peer educators from San Jose's Archbishop Mitty High School to provide workshops on "Building Healthy Relationships" to 10th grade religion classes. The following article was written by a young woman involved in one of those groups.
The girl-to-guy ratio in our group was not high. Our team would have to mainly rely on females to address an issue widely affecting both sexes: domestic abuse. Although one out of ten relationships suffers from abuse, either physically, emotionally, mentally or sexually, it is one of the most taboo topics in our society. Frequently, people perceive this problem as being out of their control or simply none of their business. In comparison, substance abuse and other forms of violence are discussed in length.
It was little more than an accident that I stumbled upon a team of peer counselors determined to change some of those statistics. After my friend introduced me to the team working with the Support Network for Battered Women, I actually began to look forward to the meetings. The program began with a ton of discussions. Being a rather opinionated and even argumentative person, I found that I had much to say and observe about gender roles in society and other topics.
As the weeks progressed, we developed our own presentation to educate our peers. This presentation included role plays, brainstorming, and frank discussions about abuse. I found myself gaining a lot of insight from my experiences. There was such a wide variety of reactions to the presentations. There would always be the collection of immature teenagers that brushed us off. Many were uncomfortable enough to giggle or watch skeptically. However, the most surprising reaction came from a sophomore during one of our presentations about abuse. "That is exactly what happened between me and my last boyfriend," she gasped.
The image of that sophomore whose name I never learned, remains so vivid in my memory. I think about her often. I wonder if she is in another relationship. If so, has anything changed? Does she know when the line is crossed? Will she ever descend to that point again when her relationship is no longer based on equality but on control? I truly hope that this will never again be the case.
A good friend of mine removed himself from an abusive relationship. Abuse can come to both genders, to all ages, to all backgrounds and social classes, and to both heterosexual and homosexual relationships. There have been people in my past and present that have been affected by abuse. Unfortunately, I am sure that there will be others in my future. At least I can recognize the symptoms now. I feel that I have done my best to contribute to making others aware of domestic abuse and its dangers and consequences.
Someone once asked why I take time out of my extremely busy schedule to do this. My initial response is one of compassion. I may not know every single person who suffers because of abuse. Yet I can honestly say that I emphasize with them. It matters that abuse occurs so frequently. Iot bothers me when other people disregard this topic so flippantly, as if it does not exist. The victims will always serve as a reminder of why I do this. Each person deserves the dignity and respect of not having physical or emotional bruises. I would like to do my small p art to ensure that this actually becomes a reality.
Here is a link about teen dating violence:
www.safenetwork.net/teens/teens.html
To schedule a workshop please call David Lee, Directory of Community Education at (650) 940-7864 or email him at davidlee@snbw.org.
Project Action, a project of the Bill Wilson Center, is a prevention program which addresses teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV/AIDS by targeting at-risk youth of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Project Action also places condom machines which dispense high quality, low cost condoms in locations where teenagers congregate. The overall goal of the project is to reduce the negative consequences of unprotected sex among sexually active youth.
Project Action's program strategy uses a social marketing model to address core prevention goals:
Project Action presents participatory workshops on a variety of topics, such as negotiating sexual boundaries, responses to sexual pressure "lines," abstinence, how to use condoms (with a condom demonstration), birth control methods, the effects of alcohol and drugs on sexual decision making, and basic information about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Each workshop includes role plays, brainstorming, question and answer sessions, interactive games, and discussions. The workshops are generally 1 to 2 hours in length.
A recent research study of Project Action finds that its results are in line with the overwhelming weight of evidence from research conducted around the nation during the past few years on sex education programs: programs directed at teens which focus on sexuality, HIV/AIDS and STIs, and condom availability do not increase sexual activity by teenagers.
Workshops for adults or teenagers can be scheduled by contacting Michelle Osborne, the Project Action Coordinator, email projectaction@hotmail.com. (Submitted my Michelle Osborne.)
Bay Area Teen Voices (BATV) is an alternative education program serving at-risk young women in the San Francisco Bay Area. BATV has partnered with the national nonprofit Women Express, Inc. to publish students' writing in Teen Voices magazine, a national publication written by, for and about adolescent girls, to increase economic and social justice in our society by empowering teenage and young adult women.
Since 1997, Bay Area Teen Voices has been o0perating writing and media workshops at public schools and other sites to promote creativity, literacy, and empower young women to express themselves. BATV has published the words of 117 Bay Area girls in 11 magazine features.
Teen Voices is currently in its tenth year of publication, has a readership of 75,000 nationwide, and has won numerous awards and media appearances. Among its goals is targeting young women beyond the reaches of the mainstream – low-income girls, girls of color, girls with disabilities, lesbian and bisexual girls and others who are most often discriminated against. A special effort is made to publish and feature images of a diverse group of girls as well, recognizing the absence of these images in the mainstream media. Teen Voices publishes the words and wisdom of young women who are changing their lives to reach out to inspire others to do the same.
Dating Violence: Young Women in Danger, Barrie Levy, Seattle, Seal Press.
Helping Teens Stop Violence: A Practical Guide for Counselors, Educators and Parents. Allan Creighton and Paul Kivel, Alameda CA, Hunter House.
In Love and in Danger: A Teen's Guide to Breaking Free of Abusive Relationships. Barrie Levy, Seattle, Seal Press.
Making the Peace. Paul Kivel and Allan Creighton, Alameda CA, Hunter House.
What Parents Need to Know About Dating Violence. Barrie Levy and Patricia O Giggans, Seattle, Seal Press.
children-and-dv@hotmail.com
www.springkidsteam.org/index.htm
www.growing.com/nonviolent
www.snbw.org
www.vawact.org
www.cacscc.org
Domestic Violence and Children Newsletter is published six times yearly by the Children's Issues Committee of the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Members of the Committee are:
| Tracy Burt (chairperson) | Cynthia Spencer Jonee Donnelly (editor) Pam Pritchard Maureen Lowell (secretary) Shawnee Smith (vice-chair) Enrique Ramirez 650 940-7850 |
408 522-5800 408 247-3660 408 441-5293 408 446-9616 408 279-7550 408 441-5819 For information or to submit articles, contact Jonee Donnelly, editor, at 408 247-3660.
| | ||
Domestic Violence and Children NewsletterVol 2, No 5 - November 1999 |
We would like to wish everyone a joyous and peaceful holiday season. Unfortunately, the coming holiday season will also bring increased stress to families. The support services in our community will continue to be available throughout the holidays and afterwards. Survivors of domestic violence (adult as well as child) can talk to their advocates regarding holiday food and gifts. For children, sometimes the most meaningful gift is the gift of time. If you can share a quiet moment together, taking care to connect with a smile, a laugh, a conversation, it may help to ease the stress often associated with the holidays. It may seem small, but it can mean a lot.
As always, the committee welcomes new members. We have a number of projects, including the "Guidelines for Reviewing Domestic Violence Protocols for Children's Issues." If you are interested in volunteering your time, please contact the chairperson, Tracy Burt, at (650) 940-7850.
Recently overheard from the Bench in a Santa Clara County courtroom, a woman with a domestic violence restraining order was asked to reconcile with her battering husband.
Open training at the Support Network for battered Women: "The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children" on November 23, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. This two-hour session will focus on how children's behavior reflects their exposure to domestic violence, and on strategies to support children in their healing processes. It is geared towards new Support Network volunteers, and is open to the community. RSVP to attend. Please call Tracy Burt, Children's Program Coordinator, Support Network for Battered Women, (650) 940-7850.
21st Annual Santa Clara County Child Abuse Council Symposium, May 4th and 5th, 2000. Jump boldly into the 21st century by taking part in this broad collaborative venture of diverse professionals to develop Santa Clara County's strategic plan for the war against child abuse. Tracks will address the following fields: legal, mental health, education, childcare, law enforcement and medical.
"Violence Prevention Strategies for Building Safe and Healthy Youth". Friday, December 3rd, 1999 at Scottish Rite Center, San Jose, featuring Robin Karr Morse, author of Ghosts from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence. For more information contact Violence Prevention Program, (408) 885-7924.
Children's Issues Committee, Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Monthly, 1st Tuesday 8-9:15am, 1101 S. Winchester, Conference Room, San Jose.
Domestic Violence Council Monthly, 1st Friday, 7:30am, 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
Child Abuse Council Meeting Monthly, 2nd Friday, 7:30am, 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
We all face the holidays with our individual bags of hopes, expectations, and fantasies. For me, that includes having lots of family around, everyone happy and cooperative, clean house, beautiful decorations, good food, witty conversation, and a spiritual emphasis. Alas, I am rarely fully satisfied, even though there is usually enough of the good stuff to balance the less than perfect reality. For children growing up in families struggling with domestic violence the difference between expectations and reality is a much grimmer picture.
Many children living with domestic violence have much to fear from the holidays. Educated by past abusive incidents some children approach holidays with apprehension. Others hope for reconciliation between parents. Still others, despite past experiences of violence, may have hopes that this will be the perfect Christmas. This year the abuser will be loving and giving. This year there will be family and friends having fun together. This year there will be gifts under a decorated tree. This year they will be so good, no one could complain
For families separated due to domestic violence there may be serious financial issues including housing problems that leave little room for the commercialism and niceties of the holidays. Again there may be a hope for reconciliation on the part of the children. Other families may try throwing money at the problem by buying massive amounts of gifts that do little to help the overall solvency and solidity of the family. For families who are separated there is a strong pull to put aside past hurts and try to have a happy holiday together.
When working with children from families experiencing domestic violence it is important to keep in mind the unrealistic fantasies and expectations children may be holding. This is especially true during the winter holidays. Fantasies of perfect families, glittering trees, mountains of gifts, and family parties dismiss the reality of abusers, financial problems and isolation.
So, how can we help our clients, adults and children, through the holidays? Grief counselors have some tips that may be appropriate for many clients following separation and divorce from abusing partners and parents. They encourage clients to realize that at this time they may have definite limits. They suggest re-evaluating priorities, deciding what is meaningful now, and consideration of making changes in how they celebrate. If they have been isolated in the past, connecting with a church or community celebration may be helpful. If holidays in the past have been the source of a major blow-up, planning a quiet celebration with a few family members or friends may be more comfortable. Including children in decisions and discussions about expectations may help them feel less apprehensive and somewhat more realistic about expectations. (Submitted by Shawne Smith.)
AB 840 (Sheila Kuehl): Establishes a rebuttable presumption against granting custody of a child to an individual found by the court to have perpetrated acts of domestic violence.
Early childhood educators (as well as teachers of higher grades) can assist domestic violence families by:
(Sue Ruane, Project Safe Start)
For families still living with their batterer, safety has to be a major concern. The added stress fo the holidays can turn a tense situation into a lethal one. Victims and children need to have a plan on how to leave a potentially violent situation safely.
Children need to be briefed about these plans. They need a safety plan of their own which includes knowing how to call 911 and identifies a safe place for them to retreat to in the house in the event of violence. (Submitted by Shawne Smith.)
children-and-dv@hotmail.com
www.springkidsteam.org/index.htm
www.growing.com/nonviolent
www.snbw.org
www.vawact.org
www.cacscc.org
Domestic Violence and Children Newsletter is published six times yearly by the Children's Issues Committee of the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Members of the Committee are:
| Tracy Burt (chairperson) | Aaron West Cynthia Spencer Jonee Donnelly (editor) Pam Pritchard Maureen Lowell (secretary) Shawnee Smith (vice-chair) 650 940-7850 |
408 792-2747 408 522-5800 408 247-3660 408 441-5293 408 446-9616 408 279-7550 For information or to submit articles, contact Jonee Donnelly, editor, at 408 247-3660.
| | ||
Domestic Violence and Children NewsletterVol 2, No 4 - September 1999 |
In honor of the upcoming October Family Violence Conference, we have doubled the size of our newsletter in order to include information about county social services available to the child victims and their families.
The Children's Issues Committee extends an invitation to all those interested in serving the needs of children to join our committee. If you are interested in volunteering your time, please contact the chairperson, Tracy Burt, at (650) 940-7850.
One of the Aptos High School football coaches being fired for buying whiskey for players had also worked as a campus security officer even though he had received a brief jail sentence following a 1989 battery conviction. According to the principal, "It was a minor incident that was explainable by him, and we didn't think it would make him a bad risk with kids." Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Support Network for Battered Women Psychoeducational Support Groups for children exposed to domestic violence. 10 week cycle for children ages 5-8 and 9-12. Individual Therapy for children who have witnessed domestic violence. Cost: Victim Witness and/or sliding scale. 444 Castro Street, Suite 305, Mountain View, 94041. Phone (650)
Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence Age appropriate psychoeducational groups for children exposed to domestic violence ages 4-12. Emphasis on "Breaking the secret", safety planning, identifying feelings, and building social skills. Five week cycle but each class stands on its own. Individual and group play therapy for child witnesses of domestic violence Cost: Victim Witness and/or sliding scale. 1181 N. 4th Street, Suite A, San Jose, 95129. Phone (408) 279-7550.
Asian Women's Home, (408) 973-2739
Community Solutions, Gilroy, (408) 683-4118
WATCH (Women and Their Children's Housing), Milpitas, (408) 942-0209.
Maitri – Domestic violence referral service for South Asian women, hotline (408) 730-4049.
Family Service Mid-Peninsula Domestic Violence Program, (650) 326-6576.
Victim Witness Assistance: Women who have witnessed domestic violence are now considered to be primary victims and are eligible to receive the same level of assistance as adult victims. This includes crisis counseling, follow-up care, assistance in court and recovery of loss. Victim Witness will refer clients to qualified practitioners who will accept Victim Witness reimbursement for services. Victim Witness Assistance Center 777 North First Street, Suite 500 San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 295-2656
7th Annual Ending Family Violence Conference
Friday, Oct 1, 1999, Fairmont Hotel, San Jose
Phone (408) 792-2898
email: dvconference@growing.com
2nd Annual Walk to End Domestic Violence
Friday, Oct 8, 1999, 8:30am
San Jose City Hall, 801 N. 1st Street
Info: (408) 277-5820 or 277-5252.
Children's Issues Committee, Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Monthly, 1st Tuesday 8-9:15am, 1101 S. Winchester, Conference Room, San Jose.
Domestic Violence Council Monthly, 1st Friday, 7:30am, 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
Child Abuse Council Meeting Monthly, 2nd Friday, 7:30am, 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
Ending the Cycle of Violence: Community Responses to Children of Battered Women. Einat Peled, Peter G. Jaffe, Jeffrey L. Edleson, editors. Sage Publications, 1995.
While there is a growing body of research on children of battered women, there has been little practical information available on intervention with these children. Ending the Cycle of Violence begins with a discussion on living in a violent culture and covers the many aspects of intervention with children of battered women. It provides a survey of current practice including strategies and program models. The writers present a succinct look into three major areas: shelter and domestic violence counseling, child protection services and the criminal justice system, and prevention and education in schools and communities.
A chapter on assessment focuses on children and adolescents who have witnessed interpersonal violence. I found the discussion on post-traumatic stress and its impact on development from infancy through school age children very helpful. The chapter on advocacy has a box called "A Day in the Life of a Children's Advocate" which would be a good preview of the job for anyone thinking of becoming a children's advocate or case manager. Then again it might be a bit overwhelming. In the chapter on elementary school violence prevention there is a brief curriculum that could be used as a starting place for those working on the development of such a program at their school. There is a similar chapter for high school violence prevention programs. Both chapters include a section on evaluation of the program.
Those who work with battered women and their children, shelter and domestic violence program staff, battered women's advocates, and counselors will find this book most useful. It will also be helpful to all professionals working with children in schools, child protective services, youth programs, health and mental health agencies, institutions, group homes, and foster care settings. Ending the Cycle of Violence also provides an overview of innovations in this filed that can enhance policy makers ability to further develop services of this at-risk population. (Reviewed by Shawne Smith)
This unit provides specialized clinical case management services. The premise of the unit is that the dynamics of domestic violence require specialized services. The concomitant issue of lethality is of particular concern. Traditional child welfare practices can increase lethality and thus put child and adult victims at risk. D.F.C.S.'s domestic violence protocol, "Family Violence Prevention Best Practice Guide", is an asset. However it cannot take the place of comprehensive services that address domestic violence as the context for child abuse and neglect.
This unit works collaboratively with law enforcement, Adult and Juvenile Probation, District Attorney's office, victim advocacy services and batterers' intervention programs. In addition we utilize the D.F.C.S. "Living Without Violence" domestic violence program. Providing these integrated services will facilitate child and adult victim safety while requiring offenders to take responsibility for their violence.
Currently the unit is staffed with four Social Worker Iis: Lori Emil, M.S.W., Lori Portales, M.S.W., Pam Pritchard, M.S.W., and Marcia Southern, M.S.W. In addition the unit is staffed with one Program Services Aide, Marianne Doyle, B.A. They are supervised by Marla K. Johanning, L.C.S.W. If you have any questions please call Marla K. Johanning, L.C.S.W. at (408) 441-5682. (Submitted by Marla K. Johanning.)
Many divisions of the diverse Social Services Agency have taken concrete steps to address the needs of families challenged by domestic violence. The CalWORKS program has launched the Domestic Abuse Project in recognition of the special needs of survivors of domestic violence. They are currently in the process of hiring 8 social workers who will be specially trained and equipped to support survivors of domestic violence who are involved in the CalWORKS system.
In general, CalWORKS services are designed to promote self-sufficiency and independence by providing job training, support and appropriate referrals for their clients. The Domestic Abuse Project will promote self-sufficiency and independence by addressing domestic abuse barriers that get in the way of finding/keeping a job.
When the Domestic Abuse Project is in full swing, if a client in the CalWORKS system self-discloses that she or he has been confronting issues of domestic abuse, she or he will be referred to the domestic abuse unit, with a specially trained social worker who will help determine her or his need for supportive services. The social worker will assist clients in creating safety plans which will ensure their own safety and the safety of their children as well as provide referrals to community agencies for group, individual and family counseling for the client and her or his children.
Specifically, the social workers trained in domestic abuse will:
Lastly, the Domestic Abuse Project has initiated collaborative relationships with various victim advocacy agencies in the community. Hopefully these new partnerships will create and strengthen the webs of support our community provides for child and adult survivors of domestic violence.
Congratulations to the CalWORKS program for taking the lead in addressing the complex and challenging needs of children and their parents surviving domestic abuse. (Submitted by Tracy Burt; Source: Lydia Mendoza, Social Work Supervisor).
Safe Start, an interdisciplinary program that combines high-quality early childhood practices and therapeutic interventions, marks its fifth year of violence intervention training for early childhood professionals. Developed under funding from the U.S. Department of Education, Safe Start is part of the early childhood curriculum of six Bay Area colleges. In Santa Clara County, the Safe Start classes are offered through De Anza Community College, beginning September 21, 1999 at 6:30 pm. For enrollment information call (408) 864-8822.
Safe Start has joined with fifteen community based child care centers to create a parent education component. Parents meet with a Safe Start professional to discuss non-violent childrearing practices. Courses stress the parent-teacher partnership in violence prevention. The results of the Safe Start program are part of a research study with the Centers for Disease Control and UC Berkeley. (For more information about Safe Start call (415) 338-3337.)
Safe Start Family Focus – Family Violence
Children who witness abuse may
You can help by
"Intensive Child-Centered Play Therapy with Child Witnesses of Domestic Violence." by S Kot, G Landreth, and M Giordano, International Journal or Play Therapy, Vol. 7, #2, 1998.
"Visitation and Domestic Violence" by J McGill, R Deutsch, and R Zibbell; "Protecting Victims of Domestic Violence and Their Children after Divorce" by K Reihing; "Teen Dating Violence" by C Sousa; Family and Conciliation Courts Review, Special Issue: Domestic Violence, Vol 37, #3, July 1999.
In February 1997 a joint Department of Family and Children's Services (DFCS) / Office of the Sheriff created the Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT). This team was created to provide a collaborative response to families impacted by domestic violence (DV), particularly those families whose children are present in incidents of domestic violence.
The primary focus of the DVRT is working with families with children. All such cases involving children in the home will require a social worker response. Response guidelines include:
The social worker will also cross-report all DV incidents with children in the home to Social Services, including a Child Abuse Report, and remove the children into Protective Custody if the safety of the children is in question.
As a result of the DVRT Project, DFCS has expanded its DV activity to include a social worker attached to the San Jose Family Violence Center (San Jose Police Department), and attached a social worker to the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center's Violence Intervention Response Team.
Participation in domestic violence intervention has helped DFCS articulate child welfare issues that need further study. Given the dynamics that "power and control" issues are an underlying component of DV, normal child welfare social work practice may be ineffective in promoting a child safety plan. Where the perpetrator and victim re-engage in a relationship, the issues of the child at risk safety plan still needs to be addressed. (Submitted by Jonee Donnelly, from a report by Ken Borelli, DFCS, and Faler, Sheriff's Department.)
Children exposed to violence prior to being able to verbalize their feelings generalize or expand the scope of violence more than older children do. Generalizing fear and apprehension means that entire categories of experiences, smells, sounds, colors, and types of people can become traumatic reminders. Entire classes of people or events can trigger terror.
A two year old boy who has witnessed violence that involved a hammer can not explain (because he is just beginning to talk) that his hysterics in the hardware store are due to experiencing a traumatic reminder. The same small boy cannot explain that, after witnessing a violent incident when his mother was cooking dinner, he has now generalized his fear to the smell of fried food.
Terror is the primary element of emotional trauma. For children it means that they believe that their protectors can no longer protect them. They feel there is no safe haven. This impression affects all types of relationships and can be devastating to emotional development. (Submitted by Jonee Donnelly).
The Girl Scouts of America is offering a "Domestic Violence Awareness Patch". For more information contact Shawnee Girl Scouts Council at shawnee@intrepid.com or call (304) 263-8833.
Of the 1,413 Emergency Protective Restraining Orders issued in 1998 in Santa Clara County, 52% involved children.
Of the 71 deaths reviewed by the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Death Review Committee, children were present in 31 cases.
As of January 1, 1998, domestic violence training is required for all court-appointed persons who evaluate or investigate child custody matters.
children-and-dv@hotmail.com
www.springkidsteam.org/index.htm
www.growing.com/nonviolent
www.snbw.org
www.vawact.org
www.cacscc.org
Domestic Violence and Children Newsletter is published six times yearly by the Children's Issues Committee of the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Members of the Committee are:
| Tracy Burt (chairperson) | Aaron West Cynthia Spencer Jonee Donnelly (editor) Pam Pritchard Maureen Lowell (secretary) Shawnee Smith (vice-chair) 650 940-7850 |
408 792-2747 408 522-5800 408 247-3660 408 441-5293 408 446-9616 408 279-7550 For information or to submit articles, contact Jonee Donnelly, editor, at 408 247-3660.
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Domestic Violence and Children NewsletterVol 2, No 3 - June 1999 |
This issue introduces a new column entitled "Believe It or Not". It will feature news stories from around the country that highlight domestic violence. This issue also includes a selected bibliography of books for children from abusive homes. We hope it helps.
Believe It or Not: One of the investigators for the Santa Cruz County District Attorney's office has been charged with several counts of domestic violence. Two former girlfriends have come forward to report violence. He is married.
Support Network for Battered Women: Psychoeducational Support Groups for children exposed to domestic violence. 10 week cycle for children ages 5-8 and 9-12. Individual Therapy for children who have witnessed domestic violence. Cost: Victim Witness and/or sliding scale. 444 Castro Street, Suite 305, Mountain View, 94041. Phone (650)
Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence: Age appropriate psychoeducational groups for children exposed to domestic violence ages 4-12. Emphasis on "Breaking the secret", safety planning, identifying feelings, and building social skills. Five week cycle but each class stands on its own. Individual and group play therapy for child witnesses of domestic violence Cost: Victim Witness and/or sliding scale. 1181 N. 4th Street, Suite A, San Jose, 95129. Phone (408) 279-7550.
Children's Issues Committee, Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Monthly, 1st Tuesday 8-9:15am, 1101 S. Winchester, Conference Room, San Jose.
Domestic Violence Council Monthly, 1st Friday, 7:30am, 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
Child Abuse Council Meeting Monthly, 2nd Friday, 7:30am, 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
A Family that Fights, by Sharon Bernstein, Morton Grove, IL, Albert Whitman and Co. An 8-year-old boy and his two younger siblings live in a home where the father abuses the mother (picture book with illustrations in pencil, 4-12 years). This book helps open discussion and create an environment where children feel safe sharing their experiences.
Clover's Secret, by Christine Winn and David Walsh, Ph.D., Minneapolis, MN, Fairview Press (800) 544-8207. In an imaginary land where people can fly, two girls form a friendship that helps one of them deal with the problems she faces at home. (picture book with colored pencil illustrations, 4-13 years). This book can be used to talk to children about their friendships, which can contribute to resiliency.
The Dragon and the Mouse, by Steven Timm, Fargo, ND, Touchstone Enterprises (701) 237-4742. A mouse lives with a dragon who is abusive to him emotionally, physically, mentally and socially. In the end, the mouse leaves the living arrangements but continues to be friends with dragon. (picture book with vivid illustrations, 4-13 years). This book may be useful, but it is important to note that abuse (domestic violence) does not stop when someone leaves a relationship. In fact, in many cases abuse intensifies after a woman leaves or attempts to leave the relationship.
Mommy and Daddy are Fighting, by Susan Paris and Gail Labinski, Seattle, WA, Seal Press, (206) 283-7844. Three young sisters build a fort of blankets and huddle together to cope with their father's abuse against their mother (picture book with washed illustrations, 4-8 years). This book could help children identify and build upon the potential strengths of their relationship with a sibling. Sibling relationships can play a compensatory role in helping children cope with trauma.
Something is Wrong at My House, by Diane Davis, Seattle WA, Parenting Press (800) 992-6657. A boy tells about the violence in his home and how it affects him. For younger children you can read just the text below the illustrations. Includes advice for children on coping (3-12 years). This book helps to talk with children about the community resources and how to ask for help.
The Words Hurt, by Chris Loftis, Far Hills NJ, New Horizon Press. Although Greg's dad never physically hurt anybody, he yelled things that often made the people around him feel terrible. Greg tells his father about his sad and hurt feelings. This book can help to address the important subject of verbal abuse. However, it is important to tell children that it is not always safe to share feelings assertively with others. Assertiveness skills can potentially increase danger for children.
The May 1999 issue of Child Maltreatment (Sage Publications, Vol. 4, No. 2) is a special issue devoted to the co-occurrence of child abuse and domestic violence. This issue addresses the major questions faced in defining, assessing, and intervening in the co-occurrence of child maltreatment and woman battering. This issue is of interest to police officers, child protection workers, advocates, mental health providers, and juvenile/dependency court personnel.
Safety planning for children from families experiencing domestic violence can help them manage fear and anxiety. It can also help them minimize their risk during violent incidents at home.
The goal of safety planning is the empowerment of children. Advocates must be careful not to aggravate the fear or anxiety that children of battered women are experiencing. Those working with these children must be committed to assisting the children without frightening them.
Advocates should not insist on safety planning. The child who engages in safety planning should be a volunteer who is interested in learning about how to manage fear or anger and how to protect herself from violence perpetrated by the batterer.
Any safety plan must be realistic. It must be age appropriate. The child must be competent to undertake the strategies designed. The plan should be simple.
Possible safety strategies include:
Safety planning does not guarantee safety. However, it may empower children to act to protect themselves and may reduce the risk of harm to the child.
The Bill Wilson Center is starting a transitional housing program for pregnant and parenting adolescents and their children. The program will provide housing for sixteen and seventeen year-old teen parents and additional services such as educational, therapeutic, legal, vocational and medical assistance, as well as child care.
The Center is looking for people to host a teenage parent and his/her child in their home. The Center will certify the home and train parents to work with adolescents and infants. Host families will receive a stipend, weekly visits by a social worker, ongoing training and 24 hour a day support from Bill Wilson staff. To learn more, contact Amy Ruddle, MSW, at 408 243-0222 ext 291.
children-and-dv@hotmail.com
www.springkidsteam.org/index.htm
www.growing.com/nonviolent
Domestic Violence and Children Newsletter is published six times yearly by the Children's Issues Committee of the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Members of the Committee are:
| Tracy Burt | Aaron West Cynthia Spencer Jonee Donnelly Pam Pritchard Maureen Lowell Shawnee Smith 650 940-7850 |
408 792-2747 408 522-5800 408 247-3660 408 441-5293 408 446-9616 408 279-7550 For information or to submit articles, contact Jonee Donnelly, editor, at 408 247-3660.
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Domestic Violence and Children NewsletterVol 2, No 2 - April 1999 |
We are looking forward to a second year of publication of this newsletter, which is devoted to providing information and resources useful for children who have been affected by domestic violence. This year we expect to double the number of issues published. The committee is seeking to expand membership to better serve the interests of children in all areas of our community. If you think you would be interested in volunteering your time to the committee, please contact chairperson Cynthia Spencer at (408) 522-3800.
Interested in volunteering with children who have been exposed to family violence? Please contact one of the following agencies for more information on their 40-hour trainings.
Open Training at the Support Network for Battered Women: Thursday February 25th, 6:15 to 9:00pm.
“The Effects of Family Violence on Children”. This two hour session will focus on how children's behavior reflects their exposure to domestic violence and concrete strategies to help children heal. It is geared toward new Support Network volunteers but will be open to the community. You must RSVP to attend. Please call Tracy Burt, Children's Program Coordinator, Support Network for Battered Women (650) 940-7850.
“20th Annual Child Abuse Symposium”. Child Abuse Council of Santa Clara County, Friday March 26, 1999, Marriott Santa Clara, Contact Mona Kellem at (408) 567-9182.
“Promoting Resiliency in Children and Families”. March 31st to April 21st, 4 Wednesday evenings, UC Berkeley Extension, (510) 642-4111 ext 300.
Children's Issues Committee, Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council.
Tuesday February 2, 1999, 8-9:15am, San Jose. For more information call (408) 522-3800.
Child Abuse Council Meeting
Monthly, 1st Friday, 7:30am, 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
Ghosts from the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of Violence by Robin Karr-Morse and Meredith S. Wiley, New York, Atlantic Monthly Press, 1977.
“Ghosts in the nursery” was a phrase that Selma Fraiberg used to describe the tendency of parents to bring back “unfinished business” from their own childhood when parenting their own children. “Ghosts from the nursery” is a phrase used by the authors to demonstrate how the traumas of early childhood haunt the later adult.
Tracing the lives of two brothers, one on death row and the other leading a “normal” life, the authors give clinical and anecdotal examples of early maltreatment's ability to shape the “hardwiring” of the brain. The book represents the state of the art of current information regarding early brain development and influences of the earliest environment on a child's developmental processes.
Attachment theory, prenatal experiences, temperament, head injury, emotional deprivation, chronic exposure to violence, resiliency factors, and psychological research are complex issues presented in a highly readable and powerful style. This book is highly recommended to all who work on behalf of traumatized children.
One by one, teens stood up from various seats in the audience: “She made me do it,” “If only I'd done things differently,” “She's making it up,” “I'm sure it's my fault,” “It's no big deal,” “Just get over it.” This series of common excuses that people use to justify, minimize or accept relationship violence kicked off a series of powerful skits which addressed relationship violence and how it touched the lives of the performers. “Through the Eyes of Children” was created by nine San Diego teenagers, aged 13 through 17, representing at least six different ethnic groups.
The skits focused on a variety of issues: how friends can support other friends in abusive relationships, the potentially drastic consequences of not intervening when we overhear a neighbor's violence and how children's experience of violence stays with them throughout their lives. The courage and resilience of the performers reminded me of all the women, men and children fighting to end abuse in our lives. The collaboration between adults and teens created a project where the teens had complete creative control and agency in the project. This translated into transformative experiences for them and powerful experiences for many of us in the audience, as our standing ovation indicated.
The conference organizers embraced the challenge of collaboration between different disciplines, which holds the key to systemic change. In the spirit of collaboration I want to invite each of you to think about what other professional you can ask to join our movement. It could be anyone: mechanic, doctor, teacher, custodian, social worker. I'll look forward to meeting them.
The Support Network for Battered Women provides workshops on teen dating violence for middle and high school students. The workshops cover such topics as violence in teen relationships and how child witnesses are affected by domestic violence. The workshops also focus on how young people can get help and help each other when abuse is in their family. The program offers comprehensive training for high school students in giving peer workshops in schools. School and staff support are part of the services offered.
To schedule a workshop, please call David Lee, Director of Community Education, (650) 940-7864 or email him at davidlee@snbw.org.
Rules for Minors Seeking Restraining Orders: A number of items of new legislation became effective January 1 of this year. Senate Bill 36 is one such bill and addresses a child's rights and procedures for obtaining or opposing domestic violence or harassment restraining orders involving the child.
In summary, this new bill does the following things. It clarifies that a child of at least age 12 can appear in court without counsel, guardian, or guardian ad litem to request or oppose a request for an order prohibiting harassment (Code of Civil Procedure section 527.6), workplace violence (Code of Civil Procedure section 527.8), or protective orders (Family Code sections 6200, 7710, and 7720). For children under 12, they can appear in court without counsel to seek or oppose these same type of orders if they are accompanied by a guardian ad litem (who does not have divergent interests from the child)(Reference Code of Civil Procedure sections 372, 374 and 374.5).
children-and-dv@hotmail.com
www.springkidsteam.org/index.htm
www.growing.com/nonviolent
Domestic Violence and Children Newsletter is published six times yearly by the Children's Issues Committee of the Santa Clara County Domestic Violence Council. Members of the Committee are:
| Faye Johnson | Tracy Burt Phyllis Felger Aaron West Cynthia Spencer Jonee Donnelly Pam Pritchard Maureen Lowell Shawnee Smith 650 603-8293 |
650 940-7850 650 603-8287 408 792-2747 408 522-5800 408 247-3660 408 441-5293 408 446-9616 408 279-7550 For information or to submit articles, contact Jonee Donnelly, editor, at 408 247-3660.
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