16.10.09

CA victim confidential address program getting update effective Jan 2010

Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Mothers Justice- Initiative Project.

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CA victim confidential address program getting update effective Jan 2010

http://alexisamoore.blogspot.com/2009/10/ca-victim-address-confidentiality.html

The California Secretary of State released today that the Safe At Home Victim Confidential Address Program is getting a much needed update to aid victims wanting a confidential name change.

Presently name changes are public records even for victims of crime including victims of domestic violence who are at a high risk for stalking, continued harassment or even death.

With the upgrade to the Safe At Home Program it is indicated that victims' in the program will be given special accommodations stemming form this legislation that will mark their name changes confidential so that they prevent publication in public records databases and datafurnishing companies.

I hope this update is actually implemented. Far too often legislation is passed and caught in what I refer to often as a, "legislative log jam" and quality life saving legislation that benefits victims' never comes to fruition, and the old saying "fail to plan, plan to fail" applies.

This is good news that CA Secretary of State is finally considering updates, I have lobbied for them for almost 5 years when I first realized how flawed the CA Safe At Home Program was and how dangerous it is for victims who rely upon it without disclaimers of its short comings.

I remain cautious and skeptical knowing that big government has big flaws and for victims of domestic violence its far too often a matter or life or death so it is always better to error on the side of safety.

A message to those reading including vulnerable victims' of domestic violence, rape and stalking please be advised it won't take much for this program update to fail. It would only take one person to miss the "confidential stamp" on the courts file or within the cover sheet of the name change paperwork to have what should have been a "confidential name change" become part of cyberspace and published within the on-line datafurnishing agencies for all (including the batterers) to see.

Proceeding with cautious optimism.

If you are a victim of crime in need of privacy protection you are not alone, please visit Survivors In Action web site.

Privacy protection is a serious matter. Whether you are a defendant who testified in a criminal case, law enforcement that tackles the bad guys or a senior wanting to prevent identity theft, privacy protection is a serious concern that everyone has to address in the very visible 21st century and Survivors In Action is here to help ensure "No Victim is Left Behind"

Survivors In Action

"No Victim Left Behind"

POSTED BY ALEXIS A. MOORE AT 4:19 PM

LABELS: CA SAFE AT HOME PROGRAM, CONFIDENTIAL ADDRESS PROGRAMS FOR VICTIMS, SURVIVORS IN ACTION, VICTIM IDENTITY CHANGE,

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Abuse and Eviction

Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] A Human Rights Issue-Custodial Justice.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2009

SUSAN MURPHY MILANO'S JOURNAL

Abuse and Eviction

 

The hurdles a victim of abuse must cross once they contact police after an anrgry explosion with an abuser can be overwhelming. As an example Kathy Cleaves-Milan was living with her young daughter and boyfriend in the Elm Creek apartment complex in Elmhurst Illinois when her abuser pulled out a loaded gun threatening to kill her and himself. She contacted police who arrived at the complex, he was arrested and the next day she was in front of a judge requesting an order of protection.

The management spoke with Kathy and arrangements for the abusers personal items were going to be moved into a storgae locker located in the complex. A day or two passed and Kathy went to the leasing office with her order of protection. The management company told Kathy she and her daughter could remain as long as her income could be verified. Kathy asked permission and was given permission to pay rent on the 15th of the month.

Kathy went to the bank to secure a cashiers check calling the property managment for the full amount owed. The leasing informed that she was being evicted because the arrest of her boyfriend by police was in clear violation of her lease. "As the safety of our resident is our top priority, we have a sero-tolerance police for any criminal activies said a spokesperson.

Kathy did not give up leaving her abusive relationship she sought legal advice from the Sargent Shriver National center who have filed a lawsuit against the apartment complex for the 2007 eviction that went on her credit report as an unpaid debt and learned she was being sought for the money when a collection agency called over the summer.

The Illinois Safe Homes Act allows a victim of abuse to early termination of the lease or request a lock change at no additional charge to the victim.

Kathy Cleaves-Milan is a successful "thriver." She did not allow circumstances beyond her control to keep her from moving forward successfully leaving the abuse and supporting her now 11 year-old daughter in a toxic free and safe envornment.

If you are a victim of abuse, seeking services for counseling, advocacy or divorce, confidental assistance and direction on your journey as a successful thriver is a phone call away 1-800-799-SAFE. The National Coaltion Against Domestic Violence is there for you 7 days a week, 24-hours a day.

POSTED BY SUSAN MURPHY MILANO'S JOURNAL AT 02:55

LABELS: ABUSE, BROKEN LEGAL SYSTEM, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, EVICTION,GUNPOINT, HOUSING INDUSTRY

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Domestic Violence: Abused then denied care: Eight states allow practice

Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] A Human Rights Issue-Custodial Justice.

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http://www.thecherawchronicle.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Abused+then+denied+care-+Eight+states+allow+practice-%20&id=4007033-Abused+then+denied+care-+Eight+states+allow+practice-&instance=home_news_lead

by Jenny Gold

Some insurers say victims of domestic violence are too high risk to cover. In 2006, attorney Jody Neal-Post tried to get health insurance but was rejected because of treatment - counseling and Valium - she received following a domestic-abuse incident. She says the insurer told her that her history made her a high risk, more likely to end up in the emergency room for problems associated with domestic violence.

Four years earlier, Neal-Post says that her ex-husband had assaulted her in her home in Albuquerque, N.M. According to police records, both she and her ex-spouse were charged in the incident. The charges were later dropped. She wasn't prepared for the blow from the insurer.

"I was just flabbergasted," says Neal-Post, a 52-year-old attorney. During the altercation with her ex-husband, "I was beaten and choked in my living room," she says. "I'm trying to keep my family together and get medical care. And then you make it through, with everyone back on track, and years later, when it's no longer part of your daily life to remember that and you're feeling good, it's back again." Advocates say it's not uncommon for people who have been abused to be denied insurance on the individual market. While the majority of states have barred insurance companies from using abuse as grounds for denying coverage, eight states and the District of Columbia don't prohibit denying coverage for that reason. And even when states do have a law, it doesn't necessarily prevent carriers from initially rejecting applicants who are victims of violence. It's unclear how often such rejections take place. But it is clear, experts say, that the fact that they occur at all can have a chilling effect on victims, who may be afraid to tell their doctors about attacks out of concern they'll have trouble getting insurance in the future.

A state vs. federal issue: How insurers treat victims of domestic abuse now is emerging as part of the health care overhaul debate.

"Think of this, you have survived domestic violence and now you are discriminated in the insurance market because you have a pre-existing medical condition," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told leaders from women's organizations at a press conference Tuesday. "Well, that will all be gone under this legislation," she promised. But for now, the issue is left to the states. In some ways, Neal-Post was lucky. Her home state of New Mexico has strict laws prohibiting insurers from denying insurance based on a history of abuse. She's also an attorney with experience representing victims of domestic abuse. After her fight with her ex-husband, and the coverage denial by the insurer years later, she filed an official complaint with the state's Public Regulatory Commission's insurance division. The commission insisted the insurer reverse its decision, which the company did. But had Neal-Post lived in one of the states that does not offer protection against insurance discrimination for abuse, she might have ended up uninsured. America's Health Insurance Plans, an industry trade group, has supported laws that explicitly prohibit domestic abuse from being a factor in denying insurance. "We have encouraged all states to adopt the legislation," referring to a "model law" developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, says spokesman Robert Zirkelbach.

But Idaho, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Wyoming and the District of Columbia have not yet done so. How widespread? There have been no recent surveys to gauge how often victims of domestic abuse are rejected by insurers. An informal 1994 survey conducted by the Senate Judiciary Committee subcommittee staff found that eight of the 16 largest U.S. insurers used domestic violence as a factor in deciding whether to offer insurance coverage and how much to charge. Follow-up surveys by the insurance commissioners of Pennsylvania and Kansas the next year found that one in four responding insurers reported taking domestic violence into account when determining whether to issue or renew health, accident or life insurance policies. To get a sense of current conditions, Kaiser Health News contacted the departments of insurance in the states that have not adopted a ban. The majority said they had never heard of the issue, nor had they ever seen a question on an insurance application specifically asking about domestic abuse. None found records of complaints from domestic violence victims who had been denied coverage. And several, including North Carolina's department of insurance, said they had other stopgap measures in place to prevent the practice.

Technorati Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] A Human Rights Issue-Custodial Justice.

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Ex-Husband Chased Down His Mother and Shot Her; a Pipe bomb then detonated during West Bend murder-suicide

Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Whos Killing Families?.

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http://metro.onmilwaukee.com/articles/562812-pipe-bomb-detonated-during-west-bend-murder-suicide

 

Tagged with:

west

Published Oct. 15, 2009 at 8:35 a.m.

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A man in West Bend tried to help his mother early Thursday as his mother's ex-husband chased her down his mother and shot her. The ex-husband then shot himself in the head, police said.A Milwaukee police bomb squad team and federal agents helped West Bend police investigate the chaotic scene Thursday morning in the 1200 block of N. 12 St. where the victim, Alice Gill, 52, and the shooter, Jeffrey Gill, 50, died.A news release from the West Bend Police Department says investigators later learned that a pipe bomb had been detonated in Alice Gill's vehicle during the shooting, which occurred just after midnight.

Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Whos Killing Families?.

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KanSUCKS Governor calls for Women's prison audit- Training Procedures

http://cjonline.com/news/state/2009-10-14/governor_calls_for_prison_audit

 

They dont bother to mention that most all these women are of a ABUSED origin- self defense from battering dad and or trying to protect their children.

YOU ARE HERE:

CJOnline » News » State

Governor calls for prison audit

    OCTOBER 2009 FILE PHOTOGRAPH/THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

    Inmates and staff members estimate that as many as one-third of the employees at the Topeka Correctional Facility, a prison for women in East Topeka, were involved in trafficking banned substances.

     

    RELATED STORIES

    DOCUMENTS

    View Gov. Mark Parkinson’s letter to Tom Beauclair, deputy director of the National Institute of Corrections, concerning an audit of the Kansas Correctional system’s policies and training procedures

    U.S. Department of Justice agency asked to assist in review of policies, training procedures

    | EMAIL | PRINT | COMMENT | SHARE

    BY TIM CARPENTER

    Created October 14, 2009 at 2:55pm

    Updated October 15, 2009 at 9:07am

    Gov. Mark Parkinson reached out to federal corrections experts Wednesday for help identifying an independent, nationally recognized prison management expert to examine state policy and training in the wake of complaints about staff sexual misconduct at Topeka Correctional Facility.

    Officials with the National Institute of Corrections, an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice, were asked to assist in advancing a broad investigation of the Kansas Department of Corrections designed to promote the safety and security of the department's 3,000 employees and 8,600 inmates scattered among eight prison facilities. The all-female facility for women in East Topeka will come under special scrutiny.

    "We must ensure that the policies we have in place are working, and that when people do not follow these policies, they are appropriately dealt with," Parkinson said. "An outside, objective evaluation by a nationally recognized expert will provide us the best results and most reliable information with which to move forward."

    The governor's approach to the scandal unfolded 10 days after The Topeka Capital-Journal began publication of a series of stories detailing allegations that some TCF employees were trafficking in contraband and participating in sexual activities with some of the 550 female inmates incarcerated at the facility. In October 2007, an inmate became pregnant during intercourse with Anastacio "Ted" Gallardo, a TCF vocational plumbing instructor. Inmate Tracy Keith, who remains behind bars on a drug conviction, was taken by state prison staff to a Johnson County clinic for an abortion. DNA testing by the state offered a 99.99 percent assurance that Gallardo was the father of Keith's fetus.

    Interviews with inmates and staff members, a review of court records and examination of hundreds of documents indicated Gallardo was involved with other women at the prison. In addition, former TCF inmates have implicated other prison employees in sexual improprieties.

    "No one in our corrections system -- whether it's an employee or inmate -- should ever be exploited or abused," Parkinson said.

    Parkinson had previously condemned exploitation of any inmate in the state's prison system and called upon DOC Secretary Roger Werholtz to launch a review to make certain all was being done to limit sexual contact between prisoners and corrections staff members. The governor also said his staff was exploring the potential of amending state law to raise the severity level for "unlawful sexual relations," for which Gallardo entered a guilty plea and was placed on probation in Shawnee County.

    Werholtz and Parkinson have expressed confidence in a majority of DOC employees, and both said the agency had a zero-tolerance policy for sexual impropriety.

    "The department deals with issues of staff misconduct each time those issues arise," Werholtz said in a statement. "Having sex with inmates and trafficking in contraband are illegal. Those laws are enforced."

    TCF inmates and correctional officers at the prison estimated that as many as one-third of employees at TCF were involved in trafficking banned substances into the prison. State prison officials said a more accurate estimate was that 2 percent of state corrections department staff were involved in black market enterprises and other illegal activities on prison property.

    The National Institute of Corrections' mission is to provide training, technical assistance, information services and policy development aid to federal, state and local corrections agencies.

    Parkinson wants the review to be completed before the start of the 2010 legislative session in January.

    Specifically, the governor sought input from Tom Beauclair, deputy director of the National Institute of Corrections, to locate a management expert "to review the policies and training procedures related to staff sexual misconduct and cross-gender supervision in the Kansas correctional system."

    Parkinson will seek insight about the general effectiveness of corrections department policies and procedures, the state's training of employees on issues of sexual misconduct, prison facility reactions to allegations of staff wrongdoing, the education of inmates about avenues for reporting incidents, the adequacy of security equipment and the level of staff supervision.

    Mother Pays Tribute To Murdered Children

     

    http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Dad-Petros-Mwashireta-Arrested-For-Murder-Of-Children-In-Manchester-Had-Taken-Overdose/Article/200910315406452?lpos=UK_News_Top_Stories_Header_3&lid=ARTICLE_15406452_Dad_Petros_Mwashireta_Arrested_For_Murder_Of_Children_In_Manchester_Had_Taken_Overdose

    7:01pm UK, Thursday October 15, 2009

    Tom Parmenter, North of England correspondent

    A mother whose two children were allegedly murdered by their father has paid tribute to her "polite, caring, happy babies".

    Yolande and Theo Molemohi

    Yolanda (L) and Theo were found unconscious in a flat in Whalley Road

    Theo Molemohi, two, and Yolanda Molemohi, four, were strangled to death on Wednesday at their home in a Manchester suburb.

    Their mother, Morongoe Molemohi, said she "will always remain proud to be their mother".

    She said: "I take pride in knowing that they were polite, caring, happy babies.

    "I will take strength from their high energy and beautiful smiles.

    "Theo would dance, with the most charming smile. He was the only two-year-old who would initiate his own potty training and master it so quickly.

    "Yolanda would greet everyone at school by name each morning. She was sociable, happy and full of confident fairydust.

    Whalley Road in Manchester

    Whalley Road in Manchester

    "I will always remain proud to be their mother. Their lives were short but they lived it to their full potential."

    Their father Petros Mwashireta, 37, has been arrested on suspicion of killing his young children.

    Mwashireta - originally from Zimbabwe - is recovering from a suspected overdose and cannot yet be interviewed by police.

    Yolanda and her younger brother Theo had both been strangled.

    Mwashireta had been looking after the children on his own after Ms Molemohi moved out of the flat following a separation.

    It was only when she returned to the property on Whalley Road, Manchester, to check on the children and pick up some clothes that she found their lifeless bodies.

    She is now being supported by specialist police officers.

    Neighbours spoke of how the children seemed happy and well-cared for.

    They had been seen enjoying themselves at a harvest festival at a nearby church at the weekend.

    Manchester City Council have confirmed that the children were not known to their social services teams.

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    Murder-suicide in Fairfield Township devastates families (PA)

     

    http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/westmoreland/s_648104.html

    Mary Pickels can be reached via e-mail or at 724-836-5401.

    By Mary Pickels
    TRIBUNE-REVIEW
    Thursday, October 15, 2009

    Buzz up!

    The brother of a Fairfield woman allegedly slain by her husband earlier this week in an apparent murder-suicide mourned the loss of his sister and his brother-in-law Wednesday, offering prayers for both devastated families.

    The Rev. Thomas A. Federline, pastor of St. Paul Parish in Hempfield's Carbon section, said Jeanette C. Brinkos, 62, and Conrad J. Brinkos, 71, had been married for 10 years. It was a second marriage for both.

    "My sister was very intelligent, very bright, very hardworking," Federline said yesterday. "She had a lot of friends. She loved life and celebrated life. She loved to travel. She loved to care for animals, both pets and wild."

    His sister was the oldest of seven children, he said.

    "She was a wonderful big sister," he said. "She had a very special relationship with Mom and Dad, being the firstborn. She and Mom talked almost daily."

    "They are broken-hearted," he said of his parents. "It is so tragic."

    Westmoreland County Deputy Coroner John Ackerman pronounced both Brinkoses dead shortly after noon Tuesday. Both died of gunshot wounds to the head. Yesterday, the coroner's office determined that Jeanette Brinkos was shot by her husband, who then shot himself.

    Autopsies were deemed unnecessary, according to the coroner's office.

    The couple enjoyed traveling together, Federline said. They recently had bought a motor home and planned to travel to Florida.

    Federline said his brother-in-law enjoyed going for walks and playing with the couple's miniature schnauzer, Gretchen.

    "She was basically a lap dog for Conrad," Federline said.

    The couple often joined family members for dinners and get-togethers, he said.

    "We got concerned because no one had heard from them," he said.

    Federline said his mother spoke with Jeanette Brinkos on Sunday.

    "No one heard from them for the next 24 hours," he said. "I went out to the house and found them. I could see through the front door. I called 911."

    Conrad Brinkos came from a small family, with a brother and sister-in-law.

    Federline said Conrad Brinkos' brother also was broken-hearted.

    "We will cry together and get through this," he said.

    Whatever happened inside the couple's rural home, Federline said, "is too difficult to try to figure out."

    "It is very sad, very unfortunate," he said. "We feel consolation for his family. We are all praying for both sides of the family."

    Funeral arrangements for Jeanette Brinkos are being handled by the Leo M. Bacha Funeral Home, 516 Stanton at Green streets, Southwest Greensburg. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday in St. Paul Parish, in Hempfield's Carbon section. (Everyone please go directly to the church on Saturday). Interment will follow in the Twin Valley Memorial Park, Delmont. www.bachafuneralhomeinc.com.

    Funeral arrangements for Conrad Brinkos could not be determined last night. His family could not be reached for comment.

    THIRTY U.S. Senators Voted Against Allowing Government Contractor Rape Victims from Taking Their Workplace Sexual Assault Cases to Court

    Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Mothers Justice- Initiative Project.

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    RightsForMothers.com

    THIRTY U.S. Senators Voted Against Allowing Government Contractor Rape Victims from Taking Their Workplace Sexual Assault Cases to Court

    Filed under: Activism, Alabama, Corrupt Lawyers, Corrupt bastards, Domestic Violence, Getting screwed by the politicians, Senator Al Franken, Senator Jeff Sessions, Speak Out, U.S. Senate, United States Senate, Violence against women — justice4mothers @ 10:48 pm

    s-JON-STEWART-large

    From The Huffington Post:

    Jon Stewart Takes On 30 Republicans Who Voted Against Franken Rape Amendment (VIDEO)

    Huffington Post |  Alex Leo
    First Posted: 10-15-09 09:06 AM   |   Updated: 10-15-09 10:30 AM

    In 2005, Jamie Leigh Jones was gang-raped by her Halliburton/KBR co-workers while working in Iraq and locked in a shipping container for over a day to prevent her from reporting her attack. The rape occurred outside of U.S. criminal jurisdiction, but to add serious insult to serious injury she was not allowed to sue KBR because her employment contract said that sexual assault allegations would only be heard in private arbitration–a process that overwhelmingly favors corporations.

    This year, Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) proposed an amendment that would deny defense contracts to companies that ask employees to sign away the right to sue. It passed, but it wasn’t the slam dunk Jon Stewart expected. Instead the amendment received 30 nay votes all from Republicans. “I understand we’re a divided country, some disagreements on health care. How is ANYONE against this?” He asked.

    He went on to show video of Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) arguing that it’s not the government’s place to decide who the government does business with and juxtaposed that with Republican sentiment on how the government should deal with ACORN. “I guess it’s an efficiency thing. You don’t want to waste tax-payer money giving it to someone who advises fake prostitutes how to commit imaginary crimes, you want to give it to Halliburton because they’re committing real gang rape.”

    And who are the corrupt bastards?

    Again, from The Huffington Post:

    Jason Linkins

    Jason Linkins

    jason@huffingtonpost.com | HuffPost Reporting

    Become a Fan Get Email Alerts from this Reporter

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    Meet The Senators Who Voted Against The Franken Amendment

    I think that all homo sapiens can understand how the mere thought of an organization that receives government money through contract mechanisms being tangentially involved in setting up a fake tax shelter for a fake pimp and his fake prostitution ring of fake prostitutes can justifiably lead to lawmakersgoing absolutely cross-eyed with white-hot, impotent rage. But what happens when a similarly taxpayer-endowed contractor attempts to cover up employee-on-employee gang rape by locking up the victim in a shipping container without food and water and threatening her with reprisals if she report the incident? Somehow, it doesn’t engender the same level of anger!

    Credit new Senator Al Franken however, for introducing an amendment to the Defense Appropriations billthat would punish contractors if they “restrict their employees from taking workplace sexual assault, battery and discrimination cases to court.” You’d think that this would be a no-brainer, actually, but that didn’t stop Jeff Sessions from labeling Franken’s effort a “political attack directed at Halliburton.” Franken, of course, pointed out that his amendment would apply broadly, to all contractors, because otherwise,‘twould be a bill of attainder, right? Right?

    Franken’s amendment ended up passing, 68-30. Here’s a list of the Senators who showed broad support for Roman Polanski by voting against it:

    Alexander (R-TN)
    Barrasso (R-WY)
    Bond (R-MO)
    Brownback (R-KS)
    Bunning (R-KY)
    Burr (R-NC)
    Chambliss (R-GA)
    Coburn (R-OK)
    Cochran (R-MS)
    Corker (R-TN)
    Cornyn (R-TX)
    Crapo (R-ID)
    DeMint (R-SC)
    Ensign (R-NV)
    Enzi (R-WY)
    Graham (R-SC)
    Gregg (R-NH)
    Inhofe (R-OK)
    Isakson (R-GA)
    Johanns (R-NE)
    Kyl (R-AZ)
    McCain (R-AZ)
    McConnell (R-KY)
    Risch (R-ID)
    Roberts (R-KS)
    Sessions (R-AL)
    Shelby (R-AL)
    Thune (R-SD)
    Vitter (R-LA)
    Wicker (R-MS)

    ADDENDUM: It’s been pointed out to me that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce lobbied against the Franken amendment as well:

    Republicans point out that the amendment was opposed by a host of business interests, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and applies to a wide range of companies, including IBM and Boeing.

    I guess we must cover up crimes like rape in order to save capitalism.

    Do any of these senators work for YOU?  If so, please contact them and let them know how you feel about their vote!

    Don’t stop what you are doing, Senator Al Franken, you are doing awesome things!

    Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Mothers Justice- Initiative Project.

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    Abused Women DO Really Lose Their Children to Their Abusers

    Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Battered Mothers Rights - A Human Rights Issue.

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    Abused Women DO Really Lose Their Children to Their Abusers

    Filed under: Activism, Andrew Titelman, Bad Dads, Battered Mothers Custody Conference, Batterers, Child Abuse, Child Custody, Child Custody Battle, Child Custody Issues, Child Rape, Child custody for fathers, Children and Domestic Violence, Children who witness abuse, Children's rights, Claudine Dombrowski, Corrupt Judges, Corrupt Lawyers,Corrupt bastards, Desperate men, Domestic Violence, Georgia, Getting screwed by the Family Courts, Hal Richardson,Hate Crimes, Judicial Immunity, Kansas, Legal abuse, Maternal Deprivation, Mother Child Relationship, Noncustodial Mothers, Sex Predators, Sexual Violence, Violence against women, Wendy Titelman, Women of Distinction, Women's Rights, fathers fighting for custody — justice4mothers @ 9:30 am

    Interviews from the Battered Mothers Custody Conference, held every year in New York…this is from the 2008 conference:

    [IMPORTANT: The following audiovisual piece includes real-life interviews featuring disturbing verbal content and statements on child abuse and domestic violence. Viewer discretion is advised.]

    Prof. Garland Waller produced “Small Justice: Little Justice in America’s Family Courts” which is an independent documentary that explores the relationship between domestic violence, child sexual abuse and custody laws in America. To learn more about the stories of the women seen in this 10 minute clip, please go to http://batteredmotherscustodyconferen…

    Jessie Beers Altman, a graduate student in the College of Communication, was in charge of editing this video.

    For more information of Boston University’s Department of Film and Television at the College of Communication, visit: http://www.bu.edu/com/ft

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5viwjaIorU8&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1]

    On May 11, 2007,  just before Mother’s Day weekend, ten mothers, one victimized child, now an adult,  leading national and state organizations filed a complaint against the United States with the Inter American Commission on Human Rights. Their petition claims that U.S. courts, by frequently awarding child custody to abusers and child molesters, has failed to protect the life, liberties, security and other human rights of abused mothers and their children.  Wendy Titelman, who begins on the video, is a member of the petition…here is her situation:

    The story of Wendy Titelman is well known in the United States. Her two daughters were taken from her by a Cobb County judge in Georgia at ages five and seven after sexual abuse was reported against the father who was abusive to her during the nine year marriage. She has not seen them for more than six years. She was jailed twice and acquitted by a jury once. She has filed bankruptcy. Expert after expert, witness after witness verified the child sex abuse. Rather than dealing with the confirmed sexual abuse of the children, parental alienation and mental illness were alleged against her because of her belief that the girls were telling the truth about molestation by their father.

    In February of 2000, she was put on supervised visitation. In the divorce, the court made no finding of facts. The court and various related personnel clearly participated in a cover up of the abuse. In September 2000, in an ex parte hearing, the court ordered her not to come near her own children. The court did not hold a final hearing for 5.5 years, did not apply the clear and convincing legal standard as required and did not make findings of fact or conclusions of law.

    Instead contempt motions have been filed against her and bogus arrest warrants, one federal and two from Georgia were served and she was jailed for five days in Mississippi and one day in Georgia. She was criminally prosecuted for custodial interference and not only did the jury return a not guilty verdict, but wrote a letter to the judge in the custody case condemning her prosecution as malicious and a cover up of the abuse. The court in Mississippi put the children in protective custody after an investigation there, but the father was successful in having them returned to Georgia where the abuse continued.

    The courts have refused her petition and she has had to go to the state Supreme Court to force the lower court to accept the petition. When they were ordered to accept it, they then promptly dismissed it. She filed a federal suit for malicious prosecution and it was dismissed and the attorney sanctioned $84,000. This sanction was upheld all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Just recently the Georgia Supreme Court dismissed all her appeals and requests for reconsideration.

    As a method of sustaining herself during this nightmare, Wendy has written a book documenting the case. The forward includes endorsements from Paul Fink, M.D., a prominent psychiatrist, Seth Goldstein, a lawyer, former investigator and instructor at the FBI academy, and Sol Gothard, a judge in Louisiana. The book details the marriage, the violence, the early years with the children, the divorce, the mother’s unceasing efforts to protect the children, the court system’s cover up of the abuse including withholding of evidence, ex parte hearings, and denial of due process, the retaliation of the system against the mother and her attorney. Exhibit 2.

    It also includes documents from the children, letters, notes, emails, a court petition, reports of the abuse, professional assessments, drawings of the children, documentation of the abuse, supervised visitation reports, and expresses the deep pain, loss and grief the mother is suffering not only because she cannot see her children but knowing they are being abused and she is helpless to prevent it. This case is an extreme example of the State silencing the protective mother and putting the children directly in harms way. Unfortunately, it is not unusual.

    See a letter from Wendy here:  Wendy Titelman, a Mother who has Not Seen Her Abused Daughters in Eight Years, Fights for Justice

    Visit Stop Family Violence to see information on the petition.  Claudine Dombrowski is also a petitioner in this lawsuit, please visit her website.

    Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Battered Mothers Rights - A Human Rights Issue.

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    15.10.09

    Kansas? Domestic abuse, 15 seconds to violence

    Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Battered Mothers Rights - A Human Rights Issue.

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    http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-8358-Detroit-Substance-Abuse-Examiner~y2009m9d26-Domestic-abuse-15-seconds-to-violence

     

    Ok its a start but the author whom I am now following has a lot to learn as far as addictions go… he confuses addiction ( in my quick glimpse over with what is actually CRIMINAL- not addiction.. perhaps by following a fellow kansas survivor of DV and still struggling to to just survive the Criminal rewards the author may be able to HELP more victims, by enforcing consequences rather than rewards to those who beat, mame and kill in the name of addiction? It is a hatred for and an oppression of women. PERIOD. Do not place blame other than on who it belongs THE PERP!

    How about we start fixing those who have suffered the violent crimes- instead of focus on the addiction albeit is an easy blame off.

    Claudine Dombrowski a KS survivor, I look forward to further dialogue with some one as committed, and thank you for your time but please do get all the true facts.

    www.JusticeForMothers.com

    www.KansansForJudicialAccountability.com

    www.AngelFury.org

    www.KS-FCRC.com

    Here is an article about domestic violence I wrote. Please RT this. Important. http://bit.ly/1U4wca


    Megan Bushell safe-home 2004. Pictured are Congressman Dennis Moore,
    Stacey Mann - Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence,
    Sharon Katz- safehome Executive Director, Megan Bushell with Miss
    Kansas, and Julie Diekemper.

    In America, a female is beaten down by her intimate partner every 15 seconds according to D.G. Dutton in: Aggression and Violence Throughout the Lifespan. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1992. pp. 192-221. In addition, domestic violence is likely to contribute to the victim's use of alcohol and/or drugs to deal with the abuse.

    According to the American Institute on Domestic Violence, (AIDV), "The health-related costs of rape, physical assault, stalking, and homicide by intimate partners exceed $5.8 billion each year."

    At least $4.1 billion of that total go directly to mental health and medical treatment for the victims. Workplace costs amount to $1.8 billion annually. However, money isn't the important issue here. Victim's of domestic violence are the persons needing attention. With domestic violence reports on the rise we need to help as much as we can. Ohio is just one state experiencing a rising domestic abuse rate.

    One of the problems evident now are substance abuse treatment facilities unable to cope with the victims of domestic violence because they lack understanding of the needs of survivors, and batterers. If a substance abuse counselor is treating one of these victims, or perpetrators of domestic violence, they normally have little knowledge of their client's particular needs, and would have problems with developing a treatment plan to address the areas of concern needed to deliver effective services.

    According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, (SAMHSA), they also lack the knowledge of "when" to seek help from domestic violence experts. However, SAMHSA is trying to close that gap with TIPs, Treatment Improvement Protocol efforts. Not all substance abuse professionals lack this awareness, but many do. Of course, the same applies to domestic violence experts lacking knowledge of substance abuse related issues, and client needs. SAMHSA is addressing that as well.

    The U.S. Justice Department found in 2002 that 61% of batterers, and 36% of victims in domestic violence programs have a substance abuse problem. And in a recent report by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, (NCADV), abused women are 15 times more likely to abuse alcohol, and 9 times more likely to abuse drugs than women who have not been abused.


    Victims of domestic violence often turn to alcohol or drugs.
    Up to 50% of perps have a substance abuse problem.

    The AIDV has gathered chilling statistics about victim abuse.

    * 85-95% of victims of domestic violence are female
    * Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women
    * 500,000 women are stalked by an intimate partner each year
    * 1,232 women are murdered each year by an intimate partner
    * 5.3 million are abused each year by an intimate partner
    * Homicide is the leading cause of death in the workplace for
    women
    * Women are more likely to be attacked by someone they know, than by a stranger

    The United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Statistics indicates that between 2001-2005, 42% of non-fatal intimate partner violence involved alcohol or drugs. That is a pretty high number, and bears out the importance of getting domestic violence, and substance abuse providers to coordinate with each other. At the very least, some type of guidleines, or protocols could be developed to address the gap in treatment that exists to deal with the dual problems of domestic violence, and substance abuse.

    My First Day

    In 2010 the Violence Against Women Act is due for reauthorization by Congress, so it is important to get as much information, and suggestions out there as possible. Strengthening the Act would seem like a good idea with the amount of victims we have each year in the U.S. Many of these violent acts are probably not even reported, a tragedy in itself.

    As we approach the deadline for the reauthorization of the Act, keep in mind that there is never an excuse to revert to violence unless it is in self-defense. Women, do not deserve to be battered, nor do men. The perpetrators using physical, or psychological abuse against their partner, or spouse deserve nothing less in punishment than what the crime calls for. When a person acts like this toward another, they set back evolution a few millennia, and should remind us all that it is a sign of a very weak mind trying desperately to express itself.

    Domestic violence and/or substance abuse are 2 more factors compromising the health, and well-being of those unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of these tragedies. Let's act toward one another with respect, and honesty because all of us deserve no less ithan that in life.  

    National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−SAFE (7233) or TTY 1−800−787−3224

    If you or a loved one needs help with any type of drug problem, contact these sites depending on where you live. SEMCA (Wayne County residents), CARE (Macomb County residents), PACE(Oakland County residents), Drug Free Detroit (City of Detroit residents).

    Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Battered Mothers Rights - A Human Rights Issue.

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    Event to honor violence victims Jack and Duncan (would have been 10th Birthday) Leichtenberg.

    Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Battered Mothers Rights - A Human Rights Issue.

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    Event to honor violence victimshttp://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/article_0fe88840-b92d-11de-9ee9-001cc4c002e0.html

    LeROY - The public is invited to a "celebration of life" event Saturday in LeRoy to recognize victims of domestic violence and mark what would have been the 10th birthday of murder victim Duncan Leichtenberg.

    Mid-Central Community Action's Countering Domestic Violence Program will sponsor the event with Amy Leichtenberg, the mother of Duncan and Jack Leichtenberg, the LeRoy brothers who were killed by their father in March.

    The 10 a.m. celebration in LeRoy's town circle will include a birthday cake, raffle and the unveiling of silhouettes for the Silent Witnesses domestic violence program. Visitors are asked to bring a toy for donation to Neville House, a center that assists abuse victims and their families.

    Road work to shut Morris Ave.

    BLOOMINGTON - Morris Avenue from Six Points Road to Goose Creek Drive will be closed to through traffic starting at 8 a.m. today for water main repairs.

    Posted in Local on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 8:50 pm

    Technorati Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Battered Mothers Rights - A Human Rights Issue.

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    Kansas Governor Announces Funding To Centers That Aid Victims Of Child Abuse

    Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Battered Mothers Rights - A Human Rights Issue.

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    http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/64213667.html

    “To bad each and every one actually profit from keeping battered mothers and children separated” We have a CRISIS IN OUR FAMILY COURTS- ABUSERS ARE GETTING CUSTODY OF THEIR VICTIMS!! WHERE IS THE LAW-( IGNORED) AND FUNDING TO HELP HEAL THE LIVES DESTROYED AS A MATTER OF JUSTICE?” E.G. www.KS-FCRC.com Kansas Outrages

    I am sick of of lip service… we demand ACTION. without federal funding

    Governor Announces Funding To Centers That Aid Victims Of Child Abuse

    Governor Mark Parkinson announced that $934,591 from the State Children's Advocacy Centers Grant Program will help advocacy centers across Kansas continue their work.

    Posted: 10:17 AM Oct 14, 2009

    TOPEKA, Kansas - Child Advocacy Centers across Kansas help support young children who have been victims of child abuse. Wednesday, Governor Mark Parkinson announced that $934,591 from the State Children's Advocacy Centers Grant Program will help these advocacy centers continue their work.

    “Children’s Advocacy Centers provide a safe place for abused children to talk about difficult and frightening abuse,” said Parkinson. “I’m grateful these centers are available to our children, and I am pleased to assist them in carrying out their important mission.”

    Assistance from the State Children’s Advocacy Centers Grant Program can be used to support staff salaries, forensic interviews or family support advocates who help connect families with local resources. For many centers, the grant program’s award is their primary source of funding.

    Children’s Advocacy Centers are child-focused, child-friendly programs that coordinate the services to investigate, prosecute and treat child abuse. The Centers bring together a multi-disciplinary team that can include social workers, law enforcement officers, doctors, prosecutors, mental health professionals and victim advocates.

    2010 State Children's Advocacy Centers Grant Program Recipients
    [County
    Program
    Grant Award]

    Allen
    Hope Unlimited
    $ 34,313

    Butler
    Sunlight Child Advocacy Center
    $ 40,121

    Crawford
    Children’s Advocacy Center
    $ 46,900

    Ford
    Crisis Center of Dodge City
    $ 50,114

    Harvey
    Heart to Heart
    $ 70,807

    Johnson
    Kansas Chapter of CACs
    $ 48,089

    Johnson
    Sunflower House, Inc.
    $185,293

    Leavenworth
    Alliance Against Family Violence
    $ 47,324

    Lyon
    SOS
    $ 50,098

    Reno
    Horizons Mental Health Center
    $ 45,324

    Riley
    Sunflower CASA Project, Inc.
    $ 34,806

    Saline
    Child Advocacy & Parenting Services, Inc.
    $ 45,138

    Scott
    Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center
    $ 46,647

    Sedgwick
    CAC of Sedgwick County
    $112,613

    Shawnee
    Prairie Advocacy Center
    $ 77,004

    For more information on the State Children’s Advocacy Centers Grant Program and other Governor’s grants programs, please visit: http://www.governor.ks.gov/Grants/.

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    Father Strangled to death his two and four year old children

    Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] A Human Rights Issue-Custodial Justice.

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    Brother and sister were strangled

    http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hYBQHXTMVrhPM4BPOLx_AxRq7SEQ

    (UKPA) – 3 hours ago

    A brother and sister who were allegedly killed by their father had been strangled, tests revealed.

    Theo Molemohi, aged two, and Yolanda Molemohi aged four, were found unconscious at their home in Manchester on Wednesday morning.

    A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: "The cause of death for both children was strangulation."

    Their father, 37, was arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in hospital after collapsing in police custody. Officers described Petros Mwashita's condition as "unwell" but hope to question him later on Thursday. Mwashita is also known to use the name Petros Williams.

    The children's mother, Morongoe Molemohi, discovered their bodies in the bedroom of the flat in Whalley Road, Whalley Range. Police said their father was with them.

    Detective Superintendent Geoff Wessell, of GMP, said the parents were recently estranged. It is understood that the Zimbabwean couple had separated and Ms Molemohi had moved out of their ground floor housing association flat and been living in bed and breakfasts as well as homeless shelters.

    Mr Wessell said the children spent the weekend with their father and their mother had gone to the flat to pick up some of her belongings when she made the grim discovery. Mr Wessell said detectives were not seeking anyone else in connection with the deaths.

    The family has lived in England for six years. It is believed that Ms Molemohi was studying for a PhD and her husband was unemployed.

    Flowers and teddy bears were left outside the block of flats. One home-made card in the shape of a daisy had a photo of the two deceased children on it.

    Several mothers who had dropped their children off at the local primary school attended by Yolanda stopped to look at the tributes and clutched each other tightly.

    Copyright © 2009 The Press Association. All rights reserved.

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    Killer left messages in blood at home of 3 slain children

    Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Whos Killing Families?.

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    http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Killer+left+messages+blood+home+slain+children/2085658/story.html

     

    Video at murder trial of father shows person had written 'Forever Young' and 'Gone to Neverland' on a pillowcase

    BY NEAL HALL, VANCOUVER SUNOCTOBER 8, 2009

    A killer left cruel messages scrawled in blood last year at the death scene of three young children.

    A video played Thursday at the murder trial of the children's father, Allan Dwayne Schoenborn, showed the killer had written "Forever Young" in blood on a pillow case and "Gone to Neverland" on the flip side.

    "Forever Young" was also written in large letters on a living room wall above the TV, the video showed. (Prosecutor Glenn Kelt told the judge there will be an admission today that soy sauce was likely used to write the words in the living room.)

    The video camera then panned across the room to the couch, where two young boys appeared to be cuddled together, sleeping. The eight-year-old boy was facing his younger brother with an arm draped over the five-year-old.

    The boys were dead, as was their older sister, who was found beneath a bloody blanket in a back bedroom on April 6, 2008.

    The girl had been stabbed to death. The boys had been suffocated.

    The video was shown at the opening day of Schoenborn's trial. He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his 10-year-old daughter Kaitlynne Schoenborn, his eight-year-old son Max and five-year-old son Cordon.

    The children had moved with their mother to Merritt in the summer of 2007, after Schoenborn threatened his former common-law wife, Darcie Clarke, resulting in his arrest and a court imposing a peace bond against him.

    The peace bond allowed Clarke to ask police to remove Schoenborn if he became abusive or was drinking.

    The father had come for an overnight visit with his kids before the slayings. Clarke had made arrangements to stay elsewhere that night -- April 5, 2008.

    The video showed blood on the kitchen floor, a large pool of blood on the carpet of a bedroom and droplets of blood all through the trailer, where the children had lived in Merritt with their mother.

    A bloody kitchen knife was shown on the floor of one of three bedrooms.

    There were also bloody fingerprints in the bathroom and a sink full of red-tinged water.

    Schoenborn, 41, a former Vancouver roofer, hung his head when the video was first played.

    The sombre silence in the courtroom was broken at one point when Schoenborn blurted out from the prisoner's box: "A couple of brothers in arms."

    At another point, while an RCMP officer was recounting taking dozens of photos at the murder scene, including a closeup of plastic wrap and a bloody razor blade, Schoenborn loudly asked: "Saran wrap or a plastic bag?"

    Defence lawyer Peter Wilson whispered something in the ear of his client, who has a bushy beard and long black hair, extending 15 centimetres over his shirt collar.

    The accused bears a striking resemblance to infamous killer Charlie Manson.

    Schoenborn nodded as his lawyer spoke to him and said nothing further.

    Clarke had talked to Schoenborn a few times the evening of April 5 and heard the lively voices of the children in the background.

    She came home after 2 p.m. the next day to find her children dead and Schoenborn gone.

    Schoenborn wasn't arrested until April 16, 2008, after an extensive 10-day police manhunt.

    A local trapper, Kim Robinson, found him, emaciated and dehydrated, hiding in the bush near a highway rest stop overlooking Merritt on the highway to Kelowna.

    The Crown's theory is the murders were revenge killings to make his former common-law wife suffer.

    One of the first officers to arrive at the scene, Const. Lurene Dillon, recalled the mother was screaming and crying as police arrived.

    "She would stop, calm down, then cry out 'My babies, my babies,'" she told B.C. Supreme Court Justice Robert Powers.

    "She was in complete shock."

    Dillon recalled the mother said Schoenborn had no car but wasn't at the mother's rented trailer when she arrived home.

    Cross-examined by Rishi Gill, who with Wilson is defending the accused, the officer agreed the mother said at the scene that Schoenborn had no money and suffered from a mental disorder -- paranoid schizophrenia.

    The defence is expected to focus on the mental state of the accused at the time of the murders.

    The Crown said during its opening that after his arrest, the accused confessed to killing his children to a number of people.

    An undercover officer and a medical doctor are expected to be called to testify about post-arrest statements made by Schoenborn.

    Prosecutor Sheri Mark said during the Crown's opening outline of the evidence that the mother is expected to testify next week. "We also expect her to relate a series of communications and conversations with Mr. Schoenborn both before and after the deaths of the children," Mark said.

    The prosecutor said the court will hear the "wrenching" 911 call the mother made.

    Defence lawyer Gill, however, opposed the playing of the 911 call, saying there is little value to hearing the call.

    The judge will consider the issue.

    "I'm going to reserve on that because I don't know how the case will play out," the judge said.

    Schoenborn is also facing charges of uttering threats, escaping lawful custody and breach of recognizance stemming from incidents prior to the murders.

    nhall@vancouversun.com

    Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] Whos Killing Families?.

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