inside this issue - Texas Council on Family Violence

Providing a Vital Link to Safety
SPRING 2005
Liz Claiborne
Honored for
Leadership in
National
Awareness
Clarissa Hernandez
NDVH Staff Writer
Donate Old Cell Phones Through
the Wireless Foundation’s
CALL TO PROTECT Program
Clarissa Hernandez
NDVH Staff Writer
Dana Stambaugh, manager of
corporate communications for
Liz Claiborne, Inc. accepts the
Leadership in National Awareness Award from Sheryl Cates
at the recent “Honoring Women in Our Lives” Luncheon in
Austin.
In 1991, Liz Claiborne Inc.
launched the “Women’s Work”
program as a way to give something back to the people who have
made the company a success since
its inception. Fourteen years later,
Liz Claiborne Inc. is a national leader in the fight to end to domestic
violence. The Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) and
National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) presented Dana
Stambaugh, of Liz Claiborne Inc., with its Leadership in National
Awareness (LINA) award on May 3 for the company’s ongoing efforts to bring awareness to the domestic violence movement.
Accepting the award at the “Honoring Women in Our Lives”
luncheon in Austin, Texas, Stambaugh, manager of corporate
communications for Liz Claiborne Inc. said,“We are proud to use
our resources to help organizations like TCFV and the National
Domestic Violence Hotline to make a difference.”
The company committed itself to women’s issues with the
creation of the “Women’s Work” program, which began tackling
issues such as domestic violence and working mothers. By 1993,
“Women’s Work” was dedicated solely to domestic violence.
For more than a decade, Liz Claiborne Inc. has developed
public service announcements (PSAs), brochures, educational
posters and fundraising items benefiting domestic violence programs for numerous public awareness campaigns during Domestic
Violence Awareness Month in October. The company continues
to sell limited-edition apparel and accessories to raise money for
national and local domestic violence organizations every year.
Other fundraising efforts include the annual “Charity Shopping
Day,” established in 1994. For one day in October, Liz Claiborne
stores nationwide donate 10 percent of the day’s total revenue
to local domestic violence programs.
At the luncheon, Stambaugh announced that this spring all Liz
Claiborne apparel tags will include the NDVH phone number.
“We feel this is an innovative and important way to get resources
1-800-799-SAFE
(7233) TTY:
to Hotline:
those who
need them,” Stambaugh
said.1-800-787-3224
Administration: 512-453-8117 • www.ndvh.org
(continued on page 6)
Launched in 1996, The Wireless Foundation’s CALL TO
PROTECT program uses wireless phones to benefit victims of
domestic violence nationwide. In 1999, the program launched
a supplemental campaign, Donate a Phone, to ask consumers
to donate their retired wireless phones that could be reused
to help support domestic violence relief efforts. Since then,
wireless industry programs including HopeLine from Verizon
Wireless have collected nearly 4 million retired wireless
phones, delivered more than 60,000 wireless lifelines to survivors and prevented 2,000 tons of retired electronics from
entering landfills through responsible reuse and recycling.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) received a $750,000 grant from the CALL TO PROTECT program
in 2003, helping to ensure that every call to NDVH will be
answered.
(continued on page 8)
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
You can donate your used cell phone to
the Call to Protect program by using the
enclosed, self-addressed envelope. For
more information on the program
or to see if there is a drop-off
location in your area, visit
www.calltoprotect.org.
Hotlines, Spring 2005
page 1
Raising Awareness and
Support for the Hotline
Hotlines is published to provide information about
National Domestic Violence Hotline services and
operations, as well as national domestic violence
issues and trends. It is a project of the Texas Council
on Family Violence based in Austin, Texas. Materials
from Hotlines may be reprinted without permission,
using the following credit: “Hotlines, a publication of
the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the
Texas Council on Family Violence.”
Hotlines is written, edited, and designed by the
TCFV Communications Team:
Christine Simmons, Director
Jitin Hingorani, Associate Director
Havilah L. Tower-Perkins, MA, Coordinator
Wade Treichler, Specialist
Patty Perez, Specialist
Clarissa Hernandez, Writer
Allison Treichler, Assistant
TCFV Board of Directors
Kim Vickers, Chair, Abilene
Virginia Lewis,Vice Chair, Nacogdoches
Amando Gonzalez, Secretary, McAllen
MariBen Ramsey, Treasurer, Austin
Susan Keeling, Abilene
Anne C. Crews, Addison
Jackie Bolden, Amarillo
Narciso “Cisco” Garcia, Austin
Cindy Dyer, Dallas
Marcela Ramirez, Del Rio
Becky Rivera, Dumas
Rosemary Combs, El Paso
Deborah Turner, El Paso
Jana Barker,Grand Prairie
Cassandra Thomas, Houston
Caroline Vetterling, Houston
Brigida Pirra, Laredo
Linda Poland, Lufkin
Carole Wayland, Midland
Kay Stroman, San Marcos
Steve Fisher, Texarkana
Louise Thornell, Texarkana
Sheryl Cates, Executive Director
In recent months, NDVH has taken part in and witnessed
some exciting developments in the movement to end domestic violence.
Sheryl Cates,
NDVH has teamed up with our Connections Campaign part- Executive Director
ner, CTIA Wireless Foundation’s CALL TO PROTECT program to
encourage you to donate your used wireless phones to benefit victims of domestic
violence. Enclosed in this issue of Hotlines, you will find a self-addressed,
plasticaware
Public
envelope that can be used to ensure that your old cell phone goes to someone who
role in
ending
needs it. Often, a cell phone serves as a lifeline for those living with violence.
It can
give the victim a chance to call for help without the abuser’s knowledge. The WireBeginning
less Foundation has paid for postage, and your donation is fully tax-deductible.
Liz Claiborne Inc. was awarded our Leadership in National Awareness
award in throu
running
May at the Texas Council on Family Violence’s Honoring Women in Our Lives luncheon.
The company announced another important partnership with NDVH:The Hotline dayt
number will soon be included on Liz Claiborne apparel tags. This is an incredible “All
step in creating awareness about domestic violence and the resources available to
f
those who experience its effects.
NDVH is committed to helping its callers from across the country. We recognize
domestic
that domestic violence affects people of every gender, race, age and background.
Men, women and teenagers call the Hotline as victims, abusers, concerned family
and friends. A recent Lifetime survey of young people aged 16-24, from which we
reported results on page six, shows that approximately seven in 10 women and men
said they know or have known someone in an abusive relationship.
While young people know about the prevalence of domestic violence, there
are still some misconceptions that we must expose. Nearly half of the women and
men who responded still believe that women abuse men just as much as men abuse
women. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2001, among adults 18 and
up, women accounted for 85 percent of the victims of intimate partner violence
and men accounted for approximately 15 percent of the victims.
ABC’s daytime drama,“All My Children,” broached the topic of domestic violence
with its younger viewers through a storyline involving two main characters. At the
end of three different episodes, one of the actors appeared onscreen and urged
viewers to call the Hotline if they or someone they knew needed guidance in dealing
with domestic violence. An “All My Children” fan club called “BAM Fans” contacted
NDVH in hopes of raising money for our efforts. Colleen Harris, one of the club’s
officers, said the group held an online auction benefiting the Rape, Abuse & Incest
National Network (RAINN) during a storyline involving rape, and she wanted to
do the same for NDVH. BAM Fans auctioned various souvenirs from the show and
raised more than $3,700 for NDVH in one month.
We are very appreciative of organizations like BAM Fans who’ve joined our
team of corporations, media outlets and other groups that believe in our cause and
support NDVH in so many ways. We look forward to maintaining these important
relationships, and also forging new ones, in our efforts to provide help and safety
for families experiencing domestic violence.
Hotline Stats
Total Number of Calls Answered – 1,301,964 calls
Total Calls Answered in April, 2005 – 15,167 calls
The number of male victims for February, March and April 2005*
February – 200 calls | March – 213 calls | April – 176 calls
Hotlines, Spring 2005
page 2
*These numbers reflect calls that were documented by staff and volunteers.
Some calls are not documented due to call volume or call characteristics.
MC Martinez
NDVH Advocate
Public awareness
plays a crucial role in
ending domestic violence. Beginning in December and running
through March, the ABC
enessdaytime
playsdrama
a crucial
“All My
Children”
featured
g domestic violence.a
domestic violence stog in December
and
ryline.
ugh March,
thegenerated
ABC
The plot
discussion and provided
time drama
insight about domestic
My Children”
violence for the show’s
viewers.
featured
a
At the conclusion of three
c violence
separatestoryline.
episodes, one of the actors involved in the storyline told
viewers that violent behavior in
a relationship is never okay and
encouraged them to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline
(NDVH) for help and information.
After the number aired, NDVH
tracked a 481percent increase in
calls. Show-related calls continued for weeks after the episodes
aired.
“There is no excuse, no reason,
no justification for emotional or
physical abuse in a relationship,”
said “ All My Children” Head Writer Megan McTavish. “Young women
need to know that. They need to
know the signs that mean they’re in
trouble. They need to know that
‘being in love’ never equals being
hurt. They need to know there’s
help out there for them. What
better way to tell them than to
dramatize their own plight on our
show, with beloved characters they
already care deeply about. We at ‘All My Children’ are so
proud if our story helps even one young woman extricate
herself from a relationship that places her at risk. “
The couple at the center of the storyline is Jonathan and
Maggie. Their relationship became emotionally and physically abusive. Hotline advocates reported that viewers who
called NDVH related to
the characters and their
situation. Viewers often
recognized themselves
or someone they knew in
the characters. Many callers wanted information
on domestic violence or
to talk about what to do in
their situation. “I think it’s
good that they are starting to address domestic
violence on soaps so that
society can look at it on
many levels and be freer to
talk about it,” one advocate
said.
Advocates who are “All
My Children” fans felt the
storyline was a realistic portrayal
of domestic violence. Jonathan and
Maggie’s plotline brought attention
to domestic violence dynamics
in dating relationships. The
emphasis on mind games, emotional
manipulation, isolation from friends,
jealousy and the threat of violence
as tools of power and control were
particularly useful in dispelling the
myth that domestic violence is only
physical. The story also highlighted
the challenges friends may face
when trying to help and how their
attempts to confront the abuser
often result in more abuse.
The storyline has had an impact
on both the actors and viewers. Liz
Kendrickson (Maggie) and Jeff Branson (Jonathan) spoke with various
soap opera entertainment publications about their storyline. Jeff said
“All My Children’s” commitment to
show scenes where his character
works with a therapist had the most
impact for him.
The daytime drama’s portrayal
of abuse in a realistic light has generated new supporters for
NDVH. BAM Fans, an established fan club dedicated to “All
My Children” and the characters Bianca and Maggie, took an
interest in the storyline since it involved one of their favorite
characters. The group contacted NDVH and organized an
auction of “All My Children” memorabilia through eBay to
Domestic Violence
Storyline on
“All My Children”
Fosters Awareness
Continued on page 6
Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) TTY: 1-800-787-3224
Administration: 512-453-8117 • www.ndvh.org
Hotlines, Spring 2005
page 3
I
received a call from a victim. He was crying because he had been in an abusive
relationship for nine years. He felt really hurt after viewing a public service
announcement (PSA) with only women shown as victims. He had suffered abuse
because he loved his wife. He felt that the PSA should have portrayed both
males and females as victims of domestic violence.
Every hour of every day,
Hotline Advocates answer
calls from all
over the nation.
The calls are dramatic,
touching, and real.
An increasing number of
callers are men.
Here are a few
examples, as shared by
Hotline Advocates.
Though the majority of domestic violence victims are women, men too
can be abused. NDVH helps everyone in domestic violence situations,
regardless of gender, age, race and socio-economic status.
A
caller said he was afraid because his wife was threatening to call the police
and fake an injury so he would get into trouble. As we began debriefing, he
told me that he was a former batterer who had spent time in jail for domestic
violence. He said that he went through counseling, anger management and a
Batterer’s Intervention and Prevention Program (BIPP). His wife would get in
his face and yell at him to provoke him. He loved her, and all he wanted was to
peacefully live at his house. He knew exactly what would happen if he didn’t
keep control of his anger. Amazingly, he said that even when she was being so
hateful and angry, he did not feel the kind of anger he used to. He realized that
he could be upset without being angry or violent, and he was calling us for help
because lately, his wife was escalating her behavior. He didn’t know where to
turn.
At NDVH, our advocates are both men and women of many ages, races and
backgrounds. The diversity of our staff reflects the diversity of our callers.
T
he Caller stated that he discovered that he is “non-physically” abusive to
his wife and doesn’t know what to do. He had read the book No Visible
Wounds and found that he has been emotionally abusive for three years.
He stated that the abuse is not an everyday occurrence, but it will happen when
a situation sparks something “unpleasant” in him. He said he has had a lot of
trouble admitting that he has this “unpleasant” part of him. He also said that he
might be looking for an easier fix than what is realistic, but he really wants to
change. He asked for men’s programs or support groups, specifically.
He also said that he realized that the problem only becomes a huge issue when
the abused person stands up for him/herself. He commended women that do
this with love and compassion because it really does get harder for them when
they do.
Hotlines, Spring 2005
page 4
Around the Nation
I
just talked to this man who is being abused by his wife from Korea. She is five
months pregnant with their child. She has thrown a computer monitor at his
head, and she gets worked up over little things. She also hits him while he is
driving. She has been arrested once. He says that he has much of her behavior
on videotape. She apparently comes from a very wealthy family in Korea and is
completely unsatisfied with the lifestyle they are currently living.
I
did have a male caller whose same-sex partner was physically, emotionally
and sexually abusing him. He spoke about trying to access domestic violence
shelters in his area and having no luck in being able to enter. He ended up staying
at a homeless shelter the first time he tried to leave the relationship, but he
felt like it was not an option for him this time. He said he experienced a lot of
homophobia and hostility from some of the homeless shelter residents. I offered
to advocate with him to local services, but he refused. He decided that it was too
hard to leave because he didn’t have any friend or family support, and he was tired
of being turned down by every service he called. In the end, I talked to him about
ways to stay safe in his home, ways to become more independent and things he
could do to get some sleep that night. I know when I hung up that I helped him, but
it felt very temporary, and I feared for his safety.
An increasing number of male callers are friends, family, and co-workers of
the abused. They ask for information about what they can do to help and
about if, and how, they should talk about domestic violence.
A
caller wanted to help his girlfriend, who was living with her physically abusive
ex-husband. During the course of the conversation, the caller indicated that
he had grown up in a domestic violence household, and would be happy to share
his story.
He stated that growing up, his mother tried to hide the domestic violence that
occurred. He was a young child when he walked in on his father choking his
mother on the living room couch. Both parents told him to go back to his room.
The caller said he believes that growing up in a domestic violence household has
affected his and his siblings’ past and current relationships. He is very sympathetic,
perhaps too sympathetic, to women, causing him to be a pushover. None of the
siblings have followed their father’s path to violence but have continued to struggle
with issues surrounding abuse.
The caller said emphatically that domestic violence is a terrible and silent problem
— perhaps the worst social problem today. He believes that women need to have
better esteem and men need to learn how to control their abusive behavior. The
caller stated that without help or change, the cycle repeats itself as either abuse
and/or self-abuse.
Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) TTY: 1-800-787-3224
Administration: 512-453-8117 • www.ndvh.org
Forging Alliances. Building
Leadership.
The National Center for Victims of Crime
will hold its first national conference from
June 20-22 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel
in Washington, D.C. The National Center
is providing a unique forum to challenge
our thinking and foster the development
of new skills on a variety of cutting-edge
issues, including: human trafficking, victim
confidentiality, high-tech stalking, criminal
profiling and repeat rapes by undetected
offenders. For information, contact the
National Center for Victims of Crime at
202-467-8700.
EMERGE: Counseling and
Education to Stop Domestic
Violence Advanced Training:
A Two-Day Course
The June 16-17 training in Massachusetts
is designed for people who have previously
taken training based on the Emerge,
Duluth or other ‘power and control’ based
batterer intervention models. Participants
will become more knowledgeable about
later-stage group interventions, learn
to identify effective interventions for
common group process challenges and
learn new educational techniques and
strategies. For information visit
www.emergedv.com/advanced.html.
Cut It Out: Salons Against
Domestic Abuse
Cut It Out is dedicated to mobilizing salon
professionals and others to fight the
epidemic of domestic abuse in communities
throughout the United States. So far,
29,000 Cut It Out posters and 400,000
safety cards have been ordered by salons,
domestic abuse programs and Southern
Living at HOME consultants. More than
1,000 licensed salon professionals across
the country have been trained to deal
with the signs of domestic abuse in their
environment. To order free posters and
safety cards, contact Cut It Out at 1-800383-0210 or www.cutitout.org.
If you have information for this section of the
Hotlines, please contact Clarissa Hernandez at
512/794-1133
Hotlines, Spring 2005
page 5
Lifetime Poll Finds Violence Common
Among Young Realtionships
A recent Lifetime poll of 600 men and women, ages 16-24, reveals that
the majority of young people believe that violence against women remains
an extremely serious and common problem. The poll is part of Lifetime’s
Emmy Award-winning campaign Our Lifetime Commitment: Stop Violence Against
Women.
72% of respondents believe that violence against women – defined as
domestic violence; acts of sexual assault, such as rape; stalking; and verbal,
physical and emotional abuse – receives too little attention.
77% of women and 64% of men surveyed said they know or have known
someone in an abusive relationship, and approximately six in ten say they
know a woman who has been sexually assaulted.
63% of respondents named law enforcement as the most responsible
entity for addressing violence against women. 35% said Congress is the
second most responsible party.
50% of men surveyed said they would say something to a friend or relative who was abusing a girlfriend or wife. 66% said they’d be somewhat
or very likely to report the abuse to police.
74% of men and women said that they would urge the woman to get
help, if she were in an abusive relationship.
91% of respondents knew that less than one-third of rapes and sexual
assaults are reported to law enforcement officials.
80% of respondents knew that, in the United States, the leading cause
of injury to women between 15 and 25 is battering.
78% of respondents believe that the number one reason a woman stays
in an abusive relationship is low self-esteem, even though in reality the
reasons are much more complicated, including financial and custody
issues and fears.
Liz Claiborne
Inc. Honored
(continued from page 1)
Public awareness plays an integral role
in ending domestic violence. Liz Claiborne
Inc. has produced three public service announcements (PSAs) since 1997 featuring
well-known actors and musicians.
The company’s dedication to fighting domestic violence extends into the workplace
as well. A member of the Corporate Alliance
to End Partner Violence, Liz Claiborne Inc.
sponsored a survey of leaders in corporate
America in 1994 and a benchmark survey in
2002. In both cases, most corporate leaders
identified domestic violence as a major social issue (66 percent in 2002; 57 percent in
1994). However, only 12 percent—the same
as in 1994—said that corporations should
play a major role in addressing the issue.
Liz Claiborne Inc.’s domestic violence
workplace policy is a model for other corporations. It involves both public awareness
campaigns and internal efforts to create a
safe environment in which employees, 78
percent of whom are female, can report
abuse and receive counseling.
“We depend on corporate partners who
are invested in building safe and healthy communities to help us achieve our mission of
ending violence against women through public awareness and education,“ Sheryl Cates,
executive director of TCFV and NDVH.
“Liz Claiborne, Inc. has been promoting the
Hotline number since its inception and has
provided over $100,000 in vital funding to
ensure that every call is answered.”
“All My Children” Domestic Violence Storyline Promotes Hotline
(Continued from page 3)
benefit the Hotline. BAM Fans raised
more than $3,700 for NDVH.
Colleen Harris of BAM Fans said
that though domestic violence has many
social stigmas, Jonathan and Maggie’s
storyline allowed fans to discuss domestic violence issues on Internet fanmessage boards. Harris said the online
conversations were mostly positive
and fans were able to learn from one
Hotlines, Spring 2005
page 6
another. She shared that some fans did
not understand why Maggie stayed with
Jonathan. Fans who had been in similar
relationships took a chance to speak
out about their experiences, explaining that the show was very realistic.
Harris said those were great “teaching
moments.”
The “All My Children” writers’
choice to portray a domestic violence
relationship exemplifies how television
has made strides in understanding that
domestic violence may not be perpetrated by crazy, obsessed batterers, but
by ordinary people who try to control
their partners through verbal, emotional and sometimes, physical abuse.
“All My Children” and other media
productions continue to play a vital role
in breaking the silence and bringing an
end to domestic violence.
Working on the Connections Campaign:
Hotline Donors
MC Martinez, NDVH Advocate
The National Domestic Violence Hotline extends its deepest gratitude to
the following contributors for their
generosity (February 1, 2004 – April
31, 2004):
Creating a New Database Application
NDVH has approached an exciting point in its Connections Campaign. The
campaign is dedicated to providing up-to-date technology for the Hotline, and
recently, Catapult Systems was contracted to re-engineer the NDVH call center
application. Their goal is to build an easy-to-use program that enables advocates
to distribute life-saving information quickly and effectively.
On January 20 and 21, 2005, Hotline advocates met with a team from Catapult
Systems for a brainstorming session to create a new database application for the
Hotline. Advocates were included in the design process because they are the
end-user of the system that provides services to callers. The experience was
exciting and rewarding for both the NDVH advocates and the Catapult Systems
consultants, and it was the first of many collaborative meetings that will follow to
create the new application.
“I found working with the team at NDVH
to be a fun, highly productive experience.
The team members seemed enthusiastic and
genuinely excited about providing input into
the functional design effort for the new call
center application. They came up with great
ideas, and everyone seemed more than willing
to do whatever was needed to ensure that the
new call center application will be a valuable,
well-designed tool for the Hotline. Some staff
members even came into the office on their days off to help out. It is evident to me
that the staff at NDVH truly cares about the Hotline’s mission and is willing to make
even personal sacrifices to help women in crisis.”
Jason Rios
Senior Lead Consultant
Catapult Systems
“I know I am part of the team when I am asked to participate on a project this
big. It’s good to know that my opinions are valued and needed to make this
process work. I learned a lot during the meetings we participated in — not
only about what we need as a hotline but also what the process looks like when
designing systems for businesses. It was really cool to be part of all that.”
Jane, Hotline Coordinator
“I worked for a call center that took thousands of calls a day. The call center
employees were rarely, — I could probably say never — included in discussion
about changes to the very systems that they used on a daily basis. Critical
changes to the application and eligibility database were decided in meeting
rooms between people who never, or hardly, ever used the system — Needless to say, the fact that the entire call center staff was included in the planning
process at the hotline was great to me. That TCFV and NDVH staff were
participating, and that we actually felt that we were in some way guiding the
process is an amazing thing, from my perspective.”
John, Hotline Advocate
Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) TTY: 1-800-787-3224
Administration: 512-453-8117 • www.ndvh.org
Donors
BAMfans
Graham Family
Charitable Foundation
Kerr Foundation
Liz Claiborne, Inc.
Nortel Networks
Shopping.com
Target
The Body Shop
Hotline Website
In May, NDVH will launch its redesigned and improved Website. The
new site will feature a new registration
process that allows users to receive
updates and newsletters electronically as well as improved navigation.
Also, with help from our Connections
Campaign partner AOL, NDVH has
integrated new accessibility standards
into the site to improve access for
deaf, blind and hard-of-hearing communities.
Check us out at
www.ndvh.org
Hotlines, Spring 2005
page 7
A Project of the Texas Council on Family Violence
P.O. Box 161810
Austin, TX 78716
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 1374
Austin, Texas
CTIA Wireless Foundation Answers the Call for Help
(Continued from page 1)
“We believe that the partnership between wireless
companies, the Wireless Foundation and domestic violence programs nationwide, including the National Domestic Violence Hotline, represents a model of how public
funding, private funding and support, and non-profits can
work together
to improve the
lives of victims
of domestic
violence and
their families,”
said Sheryl
Cates, NDVH
executive director. “CALL TO PROTECT and Donate a Phone are tremendous programs, providing many women with a sense of
security that help and emergency intervention are just a
Hotlines, Spring 2005
page 8
phone call away, should their abusers reenter their lives
or continue to make threats against them.”
In addition to supporting NDVH, CALL TO PROTECT has
made cash grants of nearly $3 million to charities including
the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV),
the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) and the National Network
to End Domestic Violence
(NNEDV).
Readers
can donate
their used cell
phones to the
CALL TO PROTECT
program by using the enclosed, self-addressed envelope.
For more information on the program or to find a drop-off
location in your area, visit www.calltoprotect.org.