3 Women 3 Ways

POLICING, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT: ACLU REPORT Do police responders believe victims? Do they take reports of sexual violence seriously?  If you call police will that trigger unwanted contact from child protection services?  To find out the answers to those questions and more, the ACLU did a nationwide survey of domestic violence and sexual assault and the police response over a one month period last year.   Donna Coker, MSW, JD, and professor of law at University of Miami, helped author the report and will share those results with us.  Professor Coker has carried out research that focuses on criminal law, gender and inequality, and she is a nationally recognized expert in domestic violence law and policy.  Her extensive body of research includes economic vulnerability and intimate partner violence and gender and criminal law doctrine. Join us Saturday as we talk about the ACLU report, “Responses from the Field: Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Policing.” Call in with your comments to 64

WHAT’S IN A NAME WHEN IT COMES TO ABUSE? It was domestic violence, then violence against women. Then came intimate terrorism, and then abuse.  Sometimes intimate partner violence, and now it’s gendered violence.  Are we talking about the same thing? Is this just semantics, or political correctness or do these names refer to different things?  Why the changes in terminology and what does it all mean? Merril Cousin is the Executive Director of the recently renamed Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence and Michael Munson is the co-founder and Executive Director of FORGE, an organization focused on improving the lives of transgender individuals by building stronger connections, providing resources, and empowering growth through knowledge.  Both have many years working and leading in organizations that help educate and support those affected by abuse and sexual violence, and they will help us hash out just what these terms mean, why they change, and whether names are important when it comes to working against i

Victims of Intimate Partner Abuse often struggle with the courts and legal systems as much as they do with their abusers. The cost, the availability, the misinformation and lack of understanding they face as they try to find lawyers and work their way through the maze of courts, laws and agencies can be staggering. In Chicago, however, some victims are finding relief thanks to a virtual legal clinic offered by area lawyers and the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The only one in the country, the clinic has been a resource for hundreds of women for the last two years. Vickie Smith. Executive Director of the lCADV since 1993, is a founding board member of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, and has worked with other state and national advocates to draft the historic 1994 Violence Against Women Act.  Vickie has worked with a number of agencies and criminal justice and health care professionals to develop community responses to family violence. She joins us to talk about the Virtual Legal

"I'm sorry," "I'm no expert, but...," "I think." You know you've used them. The qualifiers and minimizers women learn to use when talking so we don't sound bossy or pushy. While we may have come a long way in careers and money, is it possible that we haven't come far at all in equalizing the language we use in our relationships and our careers? Is there a female way to speak? And does it really matter? Some studies have shown that men and women use different language, but it is much more complicated. Several factors, including the conversation topic and characteristics of the communication partner influence our language choices. Knowing if, how, and when men and women use and understand language differently may improve how you communicate your intentions. Adrienne B. Hancock, PhD is coauthor of a study, "Influence of Communication Partner's Gender on Language." She is an associate profesor at George Washington University's Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, and she knows how gender is involved in la

Many people are familiar with how technology can be used to perpetrate intimate partner abuse, whether a victim is stalked, tracked, or rarassed using phones and computers, or whether an abuser threatens, isolates or destroys using high tech equipment. But research is now showing that technology can be used not just as a tool to hurt someone, but also as a trigger for abuse. A study on the roles of phones and computers in abusing women by male perpetrators helps define all the ways technology fits into the equaation of intimate partner abuse, Ibe if tge aytgirs if tgat researcgm Jiabbe Belknap, PhD, joins us as does Jenn Doe, MPA, Outreach Coordinator for Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley in Longmont, CO as we discuss technology, abuse and how the two fit together.

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE: THE HISTORY,THE REALITY, AND THE HOPE Think child sexual abuse is something that only happens to once in a while?  That it couldn’t affect your life?  Think again.  It’s time to drag this silent issue out of the closet and learn exactly how prevalent it is and exactly what is being done about it. Find out what the signs of abuse are, what to do if your child or someone you know is being abused. And what about all those sex offender registries? And what about all the adults we encounter every day who lived through abuse? One man who knows the answers to these questions will join us Saturday as we discuss this sad, overwhelming and necessary topic.            Eric Jones is the Survivor Support Director for Restore Hope, a Portland area nonprofit with the mission to protect children of all ages from sexual abuse and help adult survivors heal from their trauma. He is himself a survivor and believes all adults have a collective responsibility to keep everybody’s children safe from the many

KIDS REFUSE TO SEE DAD? SEND ‘EM TO JAIL, ACCORDING TO ONE JUDGE Juvenile detention facilities are for the junior criminals in our society, right? A place to send the bad kids who are too young for prison, you might assume.  But what if you knew of three nice kids, good in school, never in any trouble, who got sent to kiddie jail because they refused to meet with the father they say is abusive? That’s what happened to three Michigan youngsters, 15, 10, and 9 when a judge said they were in contempt of court for not spending time with the dad the kids say was violent. The judge, however, said the father was a great man, and sentenced the children to a facility until they changed their minds about seeing him.  And by the way, the judge ordered the kids be kept apart, and prohibited their mother from seeing them. Investigative journalist Michael Volpe's work has been in publications from the Washington Examiner, Crime Magazine, and numerous others.  He has published articles on family court in six different me

PTSD, DISABILITIES AND THE COURTS: EQUAL ACCESS FOR ALL? Did you know that as many as 85% of women who experience Intimate Partner Violence have PTSD?  Some studies say a little less, but no matter which study you read, the numbers are alarming. Did you know that in courts a person with PTSD or other disability is often accused of being “crazy,” or lying to manipulate the court rather than being recognized as a person with a disability? Just because some disabilities are not visible doesn’t mean they are not included under federal regulations. People with PTSD may qualify for taking breaks in the proceedings, may be able to get extensions on deadlines, may be able to testify in court from a safe room or even on the phone.  Courts are mandated to accommodate to ensure equal access to the justice system, but how can we get them to do it? Dr. Karin Huffer is doing something about that. Dr. Huffer is an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, and knows plenty about the law, dis

HOW DO MEN BENEFIT FROM RAPE? THE ANSWER ISN’T AS OBVIOUS AS YOU THINK Yes, there’s THAT, but is that really the reason men rape?  Especially in an age when sex is pretty acceptable and available no matter who you are, why go the forced route? Of course, most people realized decades ago that rape isn’t about sex, it’s about a type of control. But how do all men, not just the rapists benefit from a rape culture?           Dr. Christopher Kilmartin is an emeritus college professor, author, comedian, actor, playwright, consultant and professional psychologist will walk us through his latest article on what all men (rapists or not) stand to gain from rape.  He holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and is a licensed clinical psychologist who has a great deal of experience consulting with businesses, college students, human services workers, athletic departments, the military, and counselors.   He has authored four books on gender and gender-based violence, and is an internationally-recognized expert on gender a

  ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER RAPE, ANOTHER SLAP ON THE WRIST An Olympic caliber swimmer, a college student, a Stanford man…a rapist…a slap on the hand…all make for headlines and outrage. But maybe the overarching outrage over the Brock Turner story should be for how often this happens.  How many times this story is repeated, how many times there isn’t even a slap on the hand, could be the real story here.  Add in the letter the father of the rapist wrote to a judge trying to make the case for how difficult the whole situation is for his son, and you have just one more verse of a song that is sung in court rooms all over the country, every single day. We have two experts on the show this week to talk about the Turner case and why it is a typical situation, not an unusual one.           Ebony Tucker is the Advocacy Director for the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence. Before that, she directed the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault helping to develop anti-sexual assault initiatives, and as the Assoc

THE POLITICS OF ANGER: THE HELP AND THE HINDRANCE           It seems that every campaign, every electoral contest, stirs up deep emotions on both sides. Often that emotion is anger, and often it serves a purpose or at least accomplishes something for one side or the other. More times than not, it just shuts down discourse. So what is the politics of anger and how and why should we diffuse it? And does it matter more to women than to men?           Nick Licata is a former Seattle City councilmember who grew from Ohio farm country, the son of two high school dropouts, to become an activist, politician, elected official, founder of a national municipal policy network, proponent of a higher minimum wage and paid sick leave, supporter of funding for cultural facilities, and initiator of Seattle’s Civic Poet program.  Does he know about politics and anger? Undoubtedly.           His recent article, “Defusing the Politics of Anger,” appeared in the latest issue of Utne Reader, and he joins us to discuss anger and

GENDER AND JUDGING: WOMEN ON THE BENCH           Does it matter if you go before a male or a female judge? Do they make different decisions? And here’s an easy one: are there more men judges or women judges?  Twenty years ago, pundits explained the low numbers of women on the bench by pointing out the low numbers of female law school grads.  That explanation no longer holds water. So where are the women judges, and why should we care?           Dr. Sally Kenney is the co-founder and co-chair of the Law And Society’s Collaborative Research Network on Women Judges, and has researched gender and judging, judicial selection, feminist social movements, women and electoral politics, the European Court of Justice, exclusionary employment policies, and pregnancy discrimination. Her most recent book, Gender and Justice: Why Women in the Judiciary Really Matter, was published by Routledge Press in 2013. She has worked closely with the academic network of the National Association of Women Judges and in 2013, she recei

  WHY DOES HE DO THAT?  HERE’S EXACTLY WHY! People who work in the field of domestic violence get frustrated whenever someone asks of a victim, “Why does she stay?”  Why, they wonder, isn’t the question for the abuser, as in “Why does he do that?” Finally someone asked the question, and it was Chuck Derry, director of the Gender Violence Institute in Clearwater, Minnesota.  The answers are not unexpected, but they are disturbing, revealing, and clearly paint a picture of abusers and their motivations when they decide to abuse. The benefits to them are so numerous, maybe the better question is, “Why would he ever stop?” Derry has helped to end men’s violence against women for thirty years, first as men’s program coordinator with male offenders in Minnesota, then as a founder of the Gender Violence Institute. That organization provides training and assistance nationally and internationally on the dynamics of domestic violence, criminal justice system reform, effective coordinated community responses to DV,

  MOTHERHOOD AND MOTHERING: THE FUN STUFF Humorist Erma Bombeck said, “When humor goes, there goes civilization.”  That applies to motherhood as well.  We all know the pain, the mess, the disappointment, the self-sacrifice, that motherhood brings. But it also brings amazing joy, huge rewards, and a lot of laughter (some of which isn’t revealed until much later).  So let’s talk mothering and being mothered – and focus on the fun bits in honor of Mothers Day! Deanna Sundvick-Egge is the mother of three, grandmother to a changing number, and says she has a resume somewhere but she really hasn’t seen it since the 90’s. Mary O’Brien, PhD, is the mother of two teenagerish girls and learned that all her education and credentials don’t give her any special status or capabilities when it comes to the world’s oldest profession (we’re talking motherhood, not that other one).  Rebecca Luncan is an artist and brand new mother, and she promises to join us between feeding, rocking, changing, and playing with her newborn

Strangulation is can be lethal within minutes, and can cause a victim to black out in seconds. It's also used a lot by domestic violence perpetrators.  Sometimes it's not taken very seriously by courts or law enforcement, or even by victims, but as one survey indicated, nearly ten percent of women have been strangled by a partner in their lives. Gael B. Strack is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder for Alliance for HOPE International and she knows a lot about what strangulation is and what it does to victims.  Programs of the Alliance include: National Family Justice Center Alliance, Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention, Camp HOPE America, Justice Legal Network and VOICES Survivor Network, and we will talk about what all this means and what can be done about it

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HONOR CRIMES, AND IMMIGRANT WOMEN: THE COMMON FACTOR Domestic violence in the US, honor crimes in those “other” countries: are they really so different? And what can this mean for women who immigrate to the US and have experienced both?  What are the connections, what are the commonalities, and what are the realities for women of all cultures when it comes to victimization by intimate partners? Jessica Winegar says the 18,000 women killed by abusers in the US between 2003 and 2014 are no different from the women killed in the Middle East or South Asia. She is the Harold H. and Virginia Anderson Chair in Anthropology at Northwestern University. Her research specialization is in the Middle East, and she has written widely on issues of gender, Islam, and global politics.  Penny Venetis is Executive Vice President and Legal Director of Legal Momentum and as Clinical Professor of Law, and Director of the International Human Rights Clinic, at Rutgers, she specialized in civil rights and interna

When doctors discovered that gonorrhea affected all classes of girls back in the late 19th Century, they dismissed any evidence about the transmission of the disease from fathers to daughters, and instead blamed --you guessed it-- women for the spread of the disease. It was poor housekeeping, not daddy dearest, accounting for the STD/ Author Lynn Sacco, assistant professor in the Department of History at the University of Tennessee wrote "Unspeakable: Father - Daughter Incest in American History," to explore the role of medicine and society in detecting and dealing wiht incest historically, and she reseearched how the experts threw scientific knowledge to the winds rather than face the issue of father- daughter incest. Easier to blame the mothers than to face a harsh reality. Sacco has documented medical history and social attitudes about incest and sex crimes over the last two hundred years and how the problem was ignored in order to sustain an image of the ideal white family and paternal authority. Prof.

Remember women's commissions? There was a time when such groups were appointed internationally, nationally, and even locally, to study the status of women and the progress being made in gender equality. But when was the last time you heard of one? What is the status of women's commissions, both internationally and in the US? What are they, why are they important, what is the history of them? And why are the US commissions struggling when the international one is strong? What is CEDAW and why should we care about it? One woman knows about commissions and it turns out they are still out there workig to examine issues that affect women. From child care to equal pay, from property rights to human rights, these associations have been working since the 1960's to illuminate and resolve social problems affecting women. But they are not as strong a presence as they have been.  Susan Rose, with more than 30 years' experience in public administartion, education and community activism, has been committed to the advance

A woman in San Francisco recently was scheduled to have a Cesarean section and decided she wanted to have a tubal ligation at the time of that surgery. Her doctor agreed. The problem? The hospital where she was going to have the procedure, refused to allow the sterilization ecause it was a Catholic institution and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops said the prodedure was "evil."  Just go to another hospital you say? Well good luck with that. Many regions in this country have prohibitive distances between facilities and it is a problem that's restricting access to health care for growing numbers of women. Janet Chung, legal and legislative counsel at Legal Voice in Seattle joins us to talk about medical access in the age of mergers. Legal voice is a non-rofit organization that fights for legal rights and justice for women in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska by bringing ground breaking cases to court, advocating for landmark legislation and providing legal information. Chung has advocated for policies to pr

Research has indicated that far too often, family courts make decisions that hurt women and children who are already victims of abuse.  For the many victims who have tried to fight such decisions and for the advocates and family members who witness such actions, it may seem that we are powerless against such decisions.  But are we? Garland Waller, a professor, a film producer, and spokesperson on domestic violence joins us. She has made documentaries about court injustices since the 1980's, including "Small Justice: Little Justice in America's Family Court," and "No Way Out But One," about the story of one American domestic violence victim who was granted asylum by the Netherlands because of the violence she experienced. She joins Eileen King, the founding director of Child Justice, Inc.  She has worked since the 1990's helping get free legal representation to vicitms of domestic violence and their children who have witnessed DV, or been abused directly. Her organization offers emotional support for protecti