Focus: stopping domestic violence

This October, "zero tolerance" regarding domestic violence is the message Montgomery County community agencies and government officials wish to convey.

That directive was central at a Proclamation Ceremony sponsored by Catholic Charities of Montgomery County last week.

Agency workers and government officials came together to "emphasize the commitment from local leaders that they stand behind collaboration to ensure victims' safety and hold offenders accountable," said Peggy Carney, an outreach coordinator with Catholic Charities' domestic violence program.

Task force

The ceremony included statements from the Montgomery County Task Force on Domestic Violence -- police officers, members of the sheriff's department, court officials, clergy and Catholic Charities programs -- intent on fostering collaboration to eliminate domestic violence.

Since the task force's inception, said Ms. Carney, Catholic Charities officials have been gratified to see "rising numbers" in the fight against domestic violence: police making "better arrests," Catholic Charities' domestic abuse hotline serving more and more women, and a shelter for battered women operating at full capacity for a number of months.

"The numbers have increased, and that means that people are more aware that the services are out there. That's a very positive thing for Montgomery County," Ms. Carney stated.

Hotline

Women who call the hotline speak to a trained advocate, who works to ensure the safety of the caller both during the conversation and afterwards -- whether there's a follow-up conversation or not.

Advocates make sure the woman can speak freely about her situation. They then work to assess her predicament and discover her needs and options.

"Our role is not to tell them what to do," said Ms. Carney. "Our role is to enlighten them on what services are out there and how to access them. It's always the victim's decision what to do."

Options

Among a battered woman's options are orders of protection from the court, battered women's shelters or legal action.

If a woman does not want to leave the situation, advocates concentrate on safety planning, including making sure the woman knows who to call, where to go and what to do if a violent argument erupts.

"The victim knows what her partner is capable of. I don't, the police don't, nobody does -- but she does," said Ms. Carney.

Sometimes, women on the other end of the line don't give their names but simply call for information. All calls are confidential.

Goals

According to Ms. Carney, one of the task force's main goals is to "get everyone on the same page" regarding enforcement of domestic violence policies, from healthcare workers to city court judges.

"We meet a lot of victims through the court system. That's due to the continued collaboration with the judges and the DAs," she explained. "Healthcare workers go into these people's homes and might see if there is a problem. Friends and neighbors aware of our program can get information."

In addition, advocates from Catholic Charities Domestic Violence program work closely with the police department and are in Family Court every day.

(The Catholic Charities Montgomery County domestic violence hotline is 800-721-2173.)

(10/9/03) [[In-content Ad]]