domestic violence – RI Future

June 10, 2015June 10, 2015

Children lobby GA leaders on domestic violence prevention

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Speaker Nicholas Mattiello and Senate President Teresa Paiva-Weed were met by unusual lobbyists in the hallways of the State House before going into session on Tuesday. Five children, Shyenne, 14, Seneca, 11, Shawnee, 9 Saponi, 8 and Dominique, 10, all victims of or witnesses to domestic violence, asked the General Assembly leaders to pass legislation that would create the Domestic Violence Prevention Fund, helping to “put an end to domestic violence before it starts.”

Paiva-Weed took extra time to greet the children, and told of her time as an advocate for domestic violence victims, expressing that she understood the traumas associated. She thanked the children for reminding her about this important concern. Mattiello spoke to the children in a crowded hallway, and I was not privy to the specifics of the conversation.

According to the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which organized the event, 500 children have been present at domestic violence arrests since bills H5651 and S650 were heard by committees in March. 500 children that might have been helped had this legislation passed.

“Childhood trauma,” reads a RICADV press release, “is not something a person grows out of- such adverse experiences strongly relate to a person’s development and to the prevalence of health and social problems throughout one’s lifespan, including chronic diseases, substance abuse, dropping out of school, employment challenges and even early death.”

1 in 3 Rhode Islanders will experience domestic violence within their lifetimes. Between 8 and 10 thousand children receive domestic violence services in Rhode Island each year. “In 2013, children were present for 40 percent of domestic violence arrests, and children accounted for 50 percent of the clients who stayed in domestic violence shelters that year.”

The status of children struck by hot cooking oil during a domestic violence incident in Providence last week is unknown, but it is the kind of assault that a smart domestic violence prevention program may have prevented.

About 100 domestic violence advocates and volunteers, many first time visitors to the State House, cornered legislators and pinned small orange paper dolls to their lapels if the legislator expressed support for the bill. “It’s a little like ‘pin the tail on the donkey’” said Deborah DeBare, Executive Director of RICADV. RICADV partnered with SOAR (Sisters Overcoming Abusive Relationships) for this action.

More seriously, DeBare added, “We want our legislators to know that we care about our children, that we know they they care about our children, and that we want the Domestic Violence Prevention Fund established. Simple as that.”

Please consider calling your state rep and senator, and telling them that you want H5651 and S650 passed before more children fall victim to domestic violence.

May 13, 2015

Sojourner House needs community support for its transitional housing program

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By Vanessa Volz

This week has felt particularly challenging for those of us who work in the victim services field in Rhode Island. On Sunday, which was Mother’s Day, a 42-year-old East Providence woman was allegedly killed by her ex-boyfriend. On Monday night, a Cranston municipal court judge was arrested on charges that he allegedly choked his girlfriend. And these local incidents come on the heels of national news about a high-profile professional boxer with a history of domestic violence charges and the NFL’s questionable priorities when it comes to suspending players who have engaged in domestic assault.

Intimate partner violence is a serious public health issue both locally and throughout the country. An estimated 1 in 4 Rhode Island women will experience abuse at the hands of her partner. We know children who grow up in households witnessing violence are more likely to become perpetrators or victims of abuse.

Fortunately, there are local community resources for victims of abuse. Sojourner House is one of six domestic violence agencies in Rhode Island that provides direct services to individuals and families impacted by abuse. In 2014, we provided 3,094 emergency shelter bed nights, 4,930 transitional housing bed nights, and we answered almost 2,000 crisis phone calls. We also worked to break the cycle of violence with our prevention work, which reached 1,776 students in educational settings.

Sojourner House is currently wrapping up its 100 Campaign, which ends this Friday, May 15. The 100 Campaign directly supports the agency’s transitional housing program, which provides longer-term housing (18 to 24 months) for families who need some additional assistance rebuilding their lives.

With six family apartments and four units available for single women, the program allows survivors of violence to live in their own space and receive supportive services as they get back on their feet. Clients are provided their own housing unit, and residents are able to access support groups, individual counseling, youth programs, HIV testing, immigration advocacy, and job training resources.

The goal of the 100 Campaign is to specifically secure donations of $100 or more from local community members to support this program. If 300 people donated just $100 each, the agency would reach its fundraising goal of $30,000, which would not only maintain the current program but allow for the lease of an additional apartment to house a family of four.

With the end of the Campaign just a couple of short days away, Sojourner House has raised well over $25,000, but we are still seeking community support to make this final push to reach our goal.

The words of a former transitional housing client best sum up the significance of the work that Sojourner House does with this program:

“I felt like my life was about to explode. It’s difficult to leave a home where my kids had their own space and their own privacy… For my children and me, this apartment marked a turning point: I was able to sign a lease as head of household for the first time. My kids finally had a home with space and privacy again. In short, we got our life back. Thank you for putting a set of keys in my hand and trusting me with this opportunity of a new life.”

Join our efforts…become 1 of the 100 Campaign donors!

Vanessa Volz is the Executive Director of Sojourner House. You can find out more about their work and the 100 Campaign at www.sojournerri.org.

April 19, 2015

Poll: 80 percent of RI wants to deny guns to domestic abusers

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An overwhelming majority of Rhode Islanders support a bill to make it illegal for those convicted of domestic abuse or those under a domestic violence protective order to possess guns according to a new poll from the Rhode Island Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and Everytown for Gun Safety.

The poll comes as Rhode Island’s General Assembly considers two bills: S0503 and H5655, which will prohibit domestic abusers from possessing guns. Rhode Island Moms issued a statement in support of the legislation when the bill was introduced in February, saying “it’s just common sense that people convicted of domestic violence crimes and under protective orders shouldn’t possess guns.”

Among the poll’s findings:

80 percent of Rhode Islanders support a proposal to change state law so that a person convicted of domestic violence or a person subject to a domestic violence protective order cannot buy or possess a gun.

83 percent of Rhode Islanders believe people convicted of a domestic violence crime should not be allowed to buy or possess a gun and 82 percent believe people subject to a domestic violence protective order should not be allowed to buy or possess a gun.

76 percent of Rhode Islanders support a proposal to change state law so that a person convicted of domestic violence or a person subject to a domestic violence protective order has to turn in any guns they already own.

72 percent of Rhode Islanders believe it’s possible to protect the Second Amendment while also keeping guns away from dangerous people.

“The poll shows that keeping guns away from domestic abusers is something four out of five Rhode Islanders support,” said Jennifer Smith Boylan, volunteer chapter leader with the Rhode Island Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “It’s not surprising that an overwhelming majority of Rhode Islanders rally behind this common sense proposal. States as diverse as Texas, Connecticut, and 20 others have already taken similar steps to protect domestic violence victims from armed abusers. Eighty percent of Rhode Islanders, and the nearly 10,000 Everytown supporters in our state, urge our lawmakers to get up to speed.”

This poll comes in the wake of the largest Rally Against Gun Violence ever staged at the State House. Over 350 people rallied to ask the General Assembly to approve this legislation.

This post is crafted from an Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action press release.

March 26, 2015March 27, 2015

The dark art of defending domestic abusers’ right to a gun

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When Frank Saccoccio, president of the Rhode Island Second Amendment Coalition and Johnston’s assistant city solicitor, introduced himself to the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify against Senate Bill 503, which would prohibit “any individual convicted of domestic violence or subject to a restraining order from possessing a firearm,” he played up the fact that he does the criminal prosecutions for Johnston in district court.

He said that he’s “very familiar with the domestic violence issues and what actually comes in front of District Court…” and implied that this was because of his prosecutorial experience. “I’ll try to give you my perspective,” said Saccoccio, “that I see each and every week in the court system…”

Watching a lawyer walk the line between a job that requires him to prosecute perpetrators of domestic violence and a job that requires him to protect the Second Amendment rights of gun owners should have been an interesting experience. No one supports the idea of domestic abusers having access to guns, so the intent of this law was generally thought to be a good thing by everyone. Further, prosecutors generally like laws that make prosecuting wrongdoers easier while at the same time protecting victims from further harm. Yet early on Saccoccio made comments that made it appear he had as much sympathy for those accused of domestic violence as he did for those who claimed to be victims, saying, for instance, “A lot of times you take a look at Family Court judges, they are very, very liberal. They like to err on the side of caution.”

This doesn’t seem like something someone interested in prosecuting domestic abusers might say. What lawyer complains when the judge is on their side?

The jump from talking about district court to family court was also puzzling. Didn’t Saccoccio indicate that his perspective was gleaned from his experience in district court? Now, I’m not a lawyer by any means. I know that lawyers work in a variety of courts and court settings, and that Saccoccio is sure to have a lot of knowledge about the workings of various courts, but is his concern on this issue truly informed by his experience as the assistant town solicitor of Johnston?

I don’t think so.

It seems to me that Saccocio’s perspective on this issue is informed by his work as a lawyer who helps defend, not prosecute, those accused of domestic violence. On the website for his law firm, Comerford & Saccoccio, there is a section about the “increased penalties for crimes committed on family members, spouses or those who share the same household.” The website goes on to say that, “If you have been accused of domestic violence, you can be arrested on the spot. At Comerford & Saccoccio, we will work hard to get you out of jail and immediately begin building your defense.”

In light of this, Saccoccio’s perspective begins to make sense, and it’s no wonder that he would not want to broadcast the basis of his perspective to the Senate committee. Not only is Saccoccio, as the president of the Rhode Island Second Amendment Coalition inclined to fight legislation that might limit access to firearms, he’s also a lawyer that “will work hard” to get clients accused of domestic violence “out of jail immediately.” Testifying against this bill did not require Saccoccio to navigate a difficult line, it simply required him to do what he always does: advocate for gun owners and domestic abusers.

Saccoccio told two stories during his 20 minutes of testimony in which he attempted to highlight how easy it was for innocent men to get caught up in the court system because of domestic violence accusations and the violations of restraining and protective orders.

Everybody here who practices law that knows it is extremely easy to be found in violation of a protective order or restraining order. We have one right now in Johnston, I’ll explain to you the quick facts without saying the name.

“Male and female, the female filed for divorce. She got a protective order in the divorce, probably to get a leg up on it, I’m not sure, then she goes in, as she goes in to drop off the kids, at the house, he comes out and says, ‘We got to do taxes at the end of the month, I really need the finances.’ Takes the kids and goes into the house. She goes around the corner, calls the police. he gets arrested, he’s charged, and that’s going to trial right now.

“So under this section, that you’ve put in place, that person, if they’re convicted, even if they’re put on probation, would lose their firearms, forever, because they spoke to the other person. No threats, no intimidation, no name calling… asked if he could get the finances so that he could do the taxes at the end of the month. That’s a violation of a protective order and a restraining order. And it’s just that simple.”

We have a seminal case in Rhode Island, State v. Conti and the attorneys that are here understand this. They’re aware of the basis of this. Mr. Conti was walking out of the post office, held the door open for Mrs. Conti, and there was a protective order. As she walked by he said, ‘Hi Liz.’ And she walked in. A day later, she’s driving down the street, he’s going the other way, he waves. She called the police and had him arrested. He was charged, had to go through a trial, and he lost. They said he violated the protective order. That case went to the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and it was overturned. But something as simple as that, ‘How are you doing?’ and you could be right in the middle of this [law], losing your firearms, and you could be convicted of that.”

Certainly everyone accused of a crime deserves a robust defense. And Saccoccio, as a defense attorney, provides an invaluable service representing those accused of domestic violence who, we should all remember, are innocent until proven guilty. That said, our society and our government has an obligation to protect victims of domestic violence, and not having access to your guns while the case is decided is a small price to pay for justice and safety.

This is the line Saccocio was pretending to walk.

The intent of Senate Bill 503 is to save lives. Since Saccoccio likes stories, here’s one he should know: The story of Evelyn Burgos, who lived in Johnston until August 2013. According to the Providence Journal, two weeks after she applied for a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend, she was killed violently – much like she feared. And what actually took place was far worse. Armed with a .357 caliber revolver, her ex-boyfriend shot and killed Burgos and her 25-year-old daughter Vanessa Perez in the presence of her two sons, 2 and 8, and her 3-year-old granddaughter.”

I wrote about the importance of closing the loophole Senate Bill 503 addresses back in January. Here’s the full video of Saccoccio’s testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

February 24, 2015February 24, 2015

Climate Coalition demands a ‘just transition’ to clean energy

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Though RI’s Sheldon Whitehouse is the foremost climate champion in the US Senate, many environmentalists find themselves at odds with the Senator’s position on the Spectra Pipeline expansion in Burrillville, since he sees fracked natural gas as a potential bridge between today’s dirty fossil fuels and the clean renewable energy sources of the future.

Locally, FANG (Fighting Against Natural Gas) has engaged in non-violent direct action and civil disobedience when members occupied Whitehouse’s offices in December and Senator Jack Reed’s offices in October.

One of those arrested in Senator Reed’s office was Sherrie Andre, who was part of a panel, Energy in Rhode Island: Reframing the Debate, organized by RISCC (Rhode Island Student Climate Coalition, pronounced “risk”) at Knight Memorial Library in Providence. Andre was joined by Kathy Martley and Amanda, representing BASE (Burrillville Against Spectra Expansion) and Kat Burnham, representing People’s Power & Light.

Andre has come to the climate struggle from a background in domestic violence prevention, noting that “areas where gas is fracked see a 300% increase in domestic violence.” When an oil company comes to town and begins fracking operations, the town booms in size, bringing itinerant short term workers pulling long shifts and a host of social problems including increased substance use and car accidents. Small communities struggle with these costs.

“How much does cleaning up a meth lab cost?” asked Andre, noting that most communities have never had to deal with such an issue. Communities are forced to invest in emergency services, such as additional full time EMTs, which they can ill afford.

Kathy Martley helped to form BASE in part because the Spectra Pipeline maintains a compressor station virtually in her backyard. The pipeline has been in continuous use since 1952, says Martley, and runs on a 22 horsepower compressor. The noise from the compressor ebbs and flows, and is made bearable only by a copse of trees that separates Martley’s home from the compressor station. Plans for expansion include adding a 16,000 horsepower compressor, and eliminating all the trees between the compressor station and her home.

Martley is also concerned about the chemicals the station is using. Fracked gas is dirtier, she says, and requires an additional 25 chemical additives to make it run smoothly through the pipeline. Many of these chemicals are industrial secrets, meaning there is no information available to the public as to what they are. In the event of a leak, Martley and her family and neighbors may be exposed to an unknown toxic brew.

Burrillville is well known for its farming, fishing and camping. The pipeline doesn’t run far from Wallum Lake, which crosses the border between Rhode island and Massachusetts. An accident would ruin this pristine natural habitat.

Martley was blunt about the environmental impacts, saying, “Burrillville is Rhode Island’s sacrifice zone.”

In answer to a question about potential jobs being lost if the Spectra Pipeline expansion is stopped, Martley pointed out that right now the plant runs with two full time employees working nine to five. The rest of the time the plant is run by computers. The expansion will raise the number of employes to seven, and these will not be local jobs in Martley’s opinion, but outsourced.

This dovetailed nicely into a short discussion of the necessity for a “just transition.” A smart transition to green energy and energy independence for Rhode Island will include trades unions in the discussion. We need policies that create jobs and opportunities for Rhode Islanders, not wealth for multinational corporations.

“We want good, sustainable jobs,” said Andre.

January 22, 2015January 22, 2015

Group seeks to close loophole leaving guns in the hands of domestic abusers

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Under Federal law, a person “convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic abuse” is banned from owning a gun for life. Yet in Rhode Island, this law is not often prosecuted, leaving weapons in the hands of domestic abusers. Worse, even when this statue is prosecuted by the state, it falls short in several ways.

Under Rhode Island law, domestic abuse includes dating partners as well as married and co-habitating couples. Federal law does not include dating partners. Also, under Federal law, there is no mechanism defined for actually removing guns from the homes of domestic abusers, but there is under Rhode Island law.

Under Rhode Island law § 11-47-5 (b) “…no person convicted of an offense punishable as a felony offense…shall purchase, own, carry, transport or having in his or her possession any firearm, for a period of two years following the conviction.” Often a domestic abuser will plead down their offense from a felony to a misdemeanor, which has the effect of leaving guns in the possession of abusers.

The upshot of this legal maze of federal and state law is that guns too often remain in the hands of domestic abusers, and the statistics on the intersection of guns and domestic abuse are stark. According the the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, (RICAGV) between 2001 and 2012 more than 6,410 women were murdered in the United States by an intimate partner using a gun and abused women are five times more likely to be killed if their abuser has access to a gun.

According to the Center for American Progress and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, “of the 67 female homicide victims in Rhode Island from 2003 to 2012, 27 were the result of a domestic violence incident.”

A study from the Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association, “Batterers’ Use of Guns to Threaten Intimate Partners,” domestic abusers use their guns in many ways as a form of threat. Abusers may threaten to shoot their victim or a person or pet the victim cares about. Abusers may clean, hold, load or even fire a gun during an argument with the victim, driving home their threat without the use of words.

Most gun advocates will agree that guns need to be in the hands of responsible gun owners, not criminals. To that end, the RICAGV is backing legislation that will close the maze of legal loopholes surrounding gun ownership and domestic abuse. The changes in RI § 11-47-5(b) being suggested would:

Reduce the sentence from felony to misdemeanor, thereby forcing domestic abusers to lose the right to their guns,
Increase the ban on possessing firearms from 2 years to lifetime, since domestic abusers are typically repeat offenders and can easily “wait out” a two year restriction, and
Include a clause that would allow persons who have expunged their records, thereby demonstrating that they have reformed themselves, to have their right to firearms reinstated.

A form of this legislation passed the Rhode Island Senate last year unanimously, but died in committee in the House. This year it is hoped that the House has the leadership to pass this common sense legislation out of committee and bring it to the floor for a full vote. Like the legislation that seeks to close the loophole allowing guns in schools, this should be an easy win for gun safety advocates in Rhode Island.

January 27, 2014January 28, 2014

Sojourner House’s Vanessa Volz on domestic violence and Reproductive Justice

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At the legislative launch for the Rhode Island Coalition for Reproductive Freedom, Vanessa Volz, executive director of Sojourner House, talks about the intersection of domestic violence and reproductive justice.

You can see Vanessa Volz’s full talk here.

And learn more on reproductive justice, from: