10.2.10

Reading List on Domestic Violence

Reading List on
Domestic Violence

Myths and Facts about Mother Absence
More Research Myths and Facts

NEW  Coercive Control: Review by Diane Post
More comments on-line here by the author, Dr. Stark.

NEW  Violence Against Women in Families and Relationships, Evan Stark and Eve S. Buzawa, ed.

Coercive Control: How Men Entrap Women in Personal Life, by Evan Stark (Oxford University Press)

RAISING BOYS WITHOUT MEN mothers movementDespite its great achievements, the domestic violence revolution is stalled, Evan Stark argues, a provocative conclusion he documents by showing that interventions have failed to improve womens long-term safety in relationships or to hold perpetrators accountable. Stark traces this failure to a startling paradox, that the singular focus on violence against women masks an even more devastating reality. In millions of abusive relationships, men use a largely unidentified form of subjugation that more closely resembles kidnapping or indentured servitude than assault. He calls this pattern coercive control. Drawing on sources that range from FBI statistics and film to dozens of actual cases from his thirty years of experience as an award-winning researcher, advocate, and forensic expert, Stark shows in terrifying detail how men can use coercive control to extend their dominance over time and through social space in ways that subvert womens autonomy, isolate them, and infiltrate the most intimate corners of their lives. Against this backdrop, Stark analyzes the cases of three women tried for crimes committed in the context of abuse, showing that their reactions are only intelligible when they are reframed as victims of coercive control rather than as battered wives. The story of physical and sexual violence against women has been told often. But this is the first book to show that most abused women who seek help do so because their rights and liberties have been jeopardized, not because they have been injured. The coercive control model Stark develops resolves three of the most perplexing challenges posed by abuse: why these relationships endure, why abused women develop a profile of problems seen among no other group of assault victims, and why the legal system has failed to win them justice. Elevating coercive control from a second-class misdemeanor to a human rights violation, Stark explains why law, policy, and advocacy must shift its focus to emphasize how coercive control jeopardizes womens freedom in everyday life. Fiercely argued and eminently readable, Starks work is certain to breathe new life into the domestic violence revolution.


APA Presidential Task Force on Violence and the Family

ON-LINE:  The Court Order in In Re Sharline Nicholson, et al., March 1, 2002 -- Judge Jack Weinstein details his findings on the outrageous removal of children from, and further abuse of battered women by CPS workers in New York pdf file to download 329kb


ON-LINE:  Stalking Through the Courts: The "Father's Right's" Movement -- How to Legally Stalk, Harass, and Intimidate Victims of Domestic Violence after a Restraining Order has been Issued


ON-LINE:  When Paradigms Collide: Protecting Battered Parents and Their Children in the Family Court System, by Clare Dalton, 37 Fam. & Conciliation Courts Rev. 273 (1999)


Beware Family Court:  What Victims and Advocates Should KnowON-LINE:  Protection from Abuse Orders offer the shelter of the law -- PFAs are viewed as the first line of defense for someone trying to keep safe from an abusive partner.  By Mackenzie Carpenter, Post-Gazette 8/29/99. http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19990829pfa1.asp


ON-LINE:  Family Violence -- Fifty Obstacles to Leaving, aka Why Abuse Victims Stay, By Sarah M. Buel, The Colorado Lawyer October 1999 Vol. 28, No. 10. More in this Special Issue at http://www.cobar.org/static/tcl/1999/october/obstacles.htm


ON-LINE:  Understanding the Batterer in Visitation and Custody Disputes, by R. Lundy Bancroft   Why abuse may be reported for the first time at the time of a separation or divorce; critique of Janet Johnston's categories of batterer; more.

Myths and Facts about Domestic Violence


ON-LINE:  MINCAVA, including articles of Barbara Hart, Esq., others


LIST OF OTHER ARTICLES ON THE INTERNET



BIBLIGRAPHY OF BOOKS:

The following list. which has been supplemented, originally was compiled by Susan Chalfin and Karen Michelle Mirko.  Please credit them when republishing.  Contact sarah-at-argate.net to suggest additions to this page. Inclusion on this list does not necessarily constitute an endorsement by thelizlibrary.org; reviews and comments are solicited and welcome. 

Battered Wives, revised, updated, by Del Martin (Volcano Press 1976, 1981)

A classic text which was one of the first books to address domestic violence. Martin documents domestic violence in its entirety: the social constructs that facilitate men abusing and women staying, how legal services and social services can work against the victim, and how shelters work.

The Battered Woman, by Lenore Walker (Harper and Row 1979)

Walker explores the myths and realities about battered women. She explains the dynamics of learned helplessness and the cycle of violence within the relationship. Includes chapters on safe houses, legal and medical alternatives and psychotherapy for women in abusive relationships.

The Battered Woman Syndrome, by Lenore Walker Ed.D. (Springer 1984)

An update of her previous book, Walker includes psychosocial characteristics of battered women and their abusers. Contains chapters on the impact of violence in the home on children, the correlation of alcohol and drug use and violence and psychological and legal responses to changing violent relationships.

Battered Women in the Courtroom: The Power of Judicial Responses, by James Ptacek. (Boston: Northeastern University Press 1999)

How the behavior and demeanor of judges affects law and justice in battery situations.

BONSHEA, by Coral Anika TheillBONSHEÁ, by Coral Anika Theill

"On March 10, 1996, I was forced, by an Order of the Court, and by my ex-husband, his attorney, his family and religious supporters, to do something that raged against my good conscience, my common sense and against all my motherly instincts. After a temporary custody hearing, a Court Order signed by Judge Norblad forcibly removed my nursing baby and two youngest children from me. I obeyed the Court Order and gave my children over to my ex-husband. I drove to the hospital, rented a breast-pump and later collapsed and went into shock. I could not understand what had happened and why. I have not yet recovered from the shock; perhaps I never will... Mr. Warner and his attorney, Mr. Lawrence, were pleased... they had taken away my children."

The Burning Bed, by Faith McNulty (Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1980)

Based on the true story of Francine Hughes who, after suffering years of chronic abuse, burned her husband to death while he slept. A detailed chronicle of the interactions and events between husband and wife, this book illuminates the reader as to how this woman could commit murder.

Called To Account: The Story of One Family's Struggle to Say No to Abuse, by M'Liss Switzer and Katherine Hale (Seal Press 1984, 1987)

A personal account of a Minnesota woman who after twenty years of abuse held her husband accountable and helped him change his violent behavior.

Child Custody and Domestic Violence, (Volcano Press, right)

Dating Violence: Young Women in Danger, by Barrie Levy (Seal Press 1991)

Anthology of personal stories, critiques by researchers and social analysts, intervention strategies and education and prevention projects.

Domestic Tyranny: The Making of American Social Policy Against Family Violence from Colonial Times to the Present,by Elizabeth Pleck (Oxford University Press 1987)

Documents the attention given to domestic violence from the first American reform against family violence in 1641 to the more recent feminist-led, battered women's movement and the different forces that have shaped social reform.

Every Eighteen Seconds: A Journey Through Domestic Violence, by Nancy Kilgore (Volcano Press 1992)

Written as a series of letters to her son, Kilgore explains her abusive relationship with her husband. At the end of each letter there is are exercises to educate and help the reader understand her own abusive relationship.

Feminist Perspectives on Wife Abuse, edited by Kersti Yll* and Michele Bograd (Sage Publications, Inc. 1988)

An anthology of researchers and activists who present empirical data and narrative testimony on aspects of male violence against women from criminology to the Stockholm syndrome.

Getting Free: You Can End Abuse and Take Back Your Life, by Ginny NiCarthy (Seal Press 1986)

Comprehensive workbook for battered women which delves into all aspects of intimate violence from the social aspects of abuse to self-help activities to getting professional help to restarting your life after you have left. Also has chapters on lesbian violence and teenage dating violence.

Healing Your Life: Recovery from Domestic Violence, by Candace Hennekens (Pro Writing Services and Press 1991)

Written by a formerly battered woman, this self-help book examines the emotional aspects of being a battered woman and the steps to take to leave an abusive relationship. Also offers suggestions on how to build a healthy relationship.

Learning to Live Without Violence: A Handbook for Men, by Daniel Jay Sonkin, Ph.D and Michael Durphy, M.D. (Volcano Press 1989)

Workbook with exercises for men to help them work through anger constructively and change their behavior within an intimate relationship. Includes starting a self-help group.

Men Who Beat the Men Who Love Them: Battered Gay Men & Domestic Violence, by David Island and Patrick Letellier. New York, NY: Harrington Park Press, 1991.

Naming the Violence: Speaking Out About Lesbian Battering, edited by Kerry Lobel for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Lesbian Taskforce (Seal Press 1986)

Anthology of personal stories and the community-organizing strategies to support and empower battered lesbians.

Next Time She'll Be Dead: Battering and How To Stop It, by Ann Jones (Beacon Press 1994)

Analyzes the attitudes and institutions in society which contribute to domestic violence. Chapters deal with how the legal system leaves women unprotected, how language contributes to blaming the woman and what can be done by different branches of society to eradicate the problem.

The Ones Who Got Away: Women Who Left Abusive Partners, by Ginny NiCarthy (Seal Press 1987)

Thirty-three edited interviews from a diverse group of formerly battered women and their advice.

ARTICLE: Separation Assault in the Context of Postdivorce Parenting: An Integrative Review of the Literature, by Jennifer L. Hardesty Violence Against Women 8.5 (May 2002): 597-625.

Author discusses the negative implications of friendly parent provisions for abused women

Sourcebook for Working with Battered Women, by Nancy Kilgore (Volcano Press 1992.)

Written by a formerly battered woman who is now an educator on domestic violence, this manual offers suggestions on working with battered women, facilitating support groups and provides the necessary supplemental material.

Surviving Intimate Terrorism, by Hedda Nussbaum (PublishAmerica 2005.)

HEDDA NUSSBAUM: Surviving Intimate TerrorismHedda Nussbaum, battered and bruised after years of torture by her domestic partner, Joel Steinberg, was abruptly thrown into the public spotlight in November 1987 after Steinberg assaulted and killed their daughter, Lisa. This book tells the painful story of Hedda's 12 years with Steinberg, how she went from quiet book editor to notorious battered woman blamed for her daughter's death because she didn't "get out" soon enough. But, as the title suggests, Hedda not only survived the double abuse, but grew strong in the process and went on to become an advocate for other battered women - writing and speaking, teaching women how to stay out of and/or to survive intimate terrorism. In her Prologue, Ms. Nussbaum states the book's primary purpose: "I pray that my story be an inspiration to women to see the truth before it's too late and to use their inner strength to save their own lives and those of their children. If this book saves just one child or one mother, I will be content. If it saves even more, I will be fulfilled."

Trauma and Recovery, by Judith Lewis Herman, M.D. (Basic Books 1992.)

Documents research findings on traumatized people, including combat veterans, victims of political terror as well as victims of sexual and domestic violence. Contains chapters on childhood trauma and the experience of and defense used during chronic terror.

Violence Against Women: The Bloody Footprints, edited by Pauline B. Bart and Eileen Geil Moran (Sage Press 1993)

A broad-based anthology which analyzes violence against women in the home, in the workplace and in the streets. Covers different types of violence, structural supports for violence and the politics of institutional responses to violence.

Violent Betrayal: Partner Abuse in Lesbian Relationships, by Claire Renzetti. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, Inc., 1992.

Violent No More: Helping Men End Domestic Abuse, by Michael Paymar (Hunter House 1993)

Written by a training coordinator at the Duluth Domestic Abuse Intervention Project, this guide uses stories of both previously violent men and abused women, cultural explanations and self-help exercises to help men dealing with the issue of domestic violence change their behavior.

When Love Goes Wrong: What to do When You Can't Do Anything Right, by Ann Jones and Susan Schechter (HarperPerennial 1992)

Based on their work with women in abusive relationships, Jones and Schechter offer an analysis of controlling partners as well as concrete information on options women have in or out of the relationship, how they can find safety and support and a list of resources.

When Battered Women Kill, by Angela Browne (Free Press 1987)

Focuses on the patterns of violence in relationships involving the physical abuse of women by their male partners and the unfolding of events that lead to homicide committed by the woman victim. Also has chapters on the psychology of intimate relationships and the legal system.

When "I Love You" Turns Violent, by Scott A. Johnson (New Horizon Press, 1993)

In a clear and easy-to-understand style, this book provides definitions and examples of physical and emotional abuse. It describes the escalation and cycling of abuse as well as how abuse is learned. The emotional issues for the abuser and the victim that generally accompany the violence are contrasted with the emotional environment of a healthy relationship.

Women and Male Violence: The Visions and Struggles of the Battered Women's Movement, by Susan Schechter (South End Press 1982)

As an activist and social service provider, Schechter documents the movement's history and growth. Offers feminist analysis of violence in the home as well as the involvement of the judicial system and government in this social issue.

You Can Be Free: An Easy-To-Read Handbook for Abused Women, by Ginny NiCarthy and Sue Davidson (Seal Press 1989)

Based on Getting Free, this simply-written workbook for battered women covers all aspects of violence from defining the abuse to getting professional help from doctors, lawyers and the police. Also has chapters on lesbian violence and teenage dating violence.

SITE INDEX  |  LIZNOTES MAIN PAGE  |  COLLECTIONS  |  WOMENS HISTORY LIBRARY  |  RESEARCH ROOMS  |  THE READING ROOM
FATHERLESS CHILDREN STORIES  |  THERAPEUTIC JURISPRUDENCE  |  WOMAN SUFFRAGE TIMELINE  |  THE LIZ LIBRARY ENTRANCE

Except as otherwise noted, all contents in this collection are copyright 1996-2009 the liz library. All rights reserved.
This site is hosted and maintained by argate.net Send queries to: sarah-at-thelizlibrary.org

Technorati Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Dad charged with torture, abuse of 13-week-old son during unsupervised visitation

 

Dad charged with torture, abuse of 13-week-old son during unsupervised visitation (Farmington Hills, Michigan)

Unmarried teenage dads like JOHN KELLY do not need visitation time with babies. Cut these guys loose, and let them go out and carouse with their friends, play football, etc. Because that's what 17-year-old boys are designed to do. Let's get real: teenage guys are mostly about physically active stuff, not nurturing stuff (and many guys never grow into the nurturing stuff either, but that's another story). Teenage guys are not about cooing at babies and changing diapers. And because this idiotic boyfriend or ex-boyfriend wasn't cut loose, and apparently spent unsupervised time with this baby, we know have a 13-week-old baby boy with a broken leg and a fractured skull. Are all the joint custody people happy now?

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2010/02/reports_17-year-old_< wbr>farmington.html

Reports: 17-year-old Farmington Hills father charged with torture, abuse of 13-week-old son

By Aaron Foley MLive.com

February 10, 2010, 11:11AM

WDIV and the Detroit Free Press report that a teen father is facing child abuse and torture charges after his 13-week-old son was hospitalized with fractured bones.

Farmington Hills resident John Kelly, a 17-year-old student at Farmington High School, could face life in prison if convicted. He was arraigned on Tuesday and being held on a $250,000 bond.

The baby, who was treated for a broken leg and fractured skull, was released. The baby's mother, also a high school student but who does not live with Kelly, will not face any charges.

Technorati Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Example of custody threat being used by abusive father to keep mom from calling police (Florida--where else?)

 

Dad gets 15 years in death of 4-month-old daughter; had wanted a boy, not a girl (Bartow, Florida)

Dad MARCOS GOMEZ-ROMERO has pleaded no contest to aggravated manslaughter in the beating death of his 4-month-old daughter. Seems that Daddy didn't thank heaven for little girls; he just wanted a son, thank you very much. Mom says that he was consistently nasty and abusive to the infant daughter, but "loves and worships" their 2-year-old son. And get this: Dad had threatened to LEAVE WITH THE SON if Mom ever called the police.

Well, Daddy Dearest has been sentenced to 15 years in prison (not long enough in my opinion), but that should give him lots and lots of the "bro time" he apparently craves. Have fun, dude.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20100210/NEWS/100219971?Title=Polk-Man-Gets-15-Years-for-Baby-s-Girl-s-Death

Polk Man Gets 15 Years for Baby Girl's Death

By Jason Geary

THE LEDGER

Published: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 12:26 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 12:42 p.m.

BARTOW A Winter Haven man accused of beating his 4-month-old daughter because he wanted a boy instead of a girl was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison for the child's death.

Marcos Gomez-Romero, 30, pleaded no contest to aggravated manslaughter. A charge of child abuse was dropped as part of a plea deal.

Originally, a grand jury indicted Gomez-Romero on Jan. 10, 2008, on charges of first-degree murder and child abuse. Prosecutors had been seeking the death penalty.

But the cause of death for the child was further explored as the case proceeded to trial.

“It became clear that, while the attitude of the father of the child was horrible, there were problems related to determining the actual cause of the child's death,” said Chip Thullbery, a spokesman with the State Attorney's Office.

The plea agreement was a difficult decision to make, he said.

During Wednesday's hearing, Gomez-Romero's lawyer, Austin Maslanik, described the child's death as a terrible tragedy.

He said his client loved both his daughter and his son.

Ariana Rodriguez Romero died on Christmas Day in 2007.

Rescue workers went to the girl's home on 3145 Ave. Q N.W. after being called about the baby being unresponsive. The girl was taken to Winter Haven Hospital and pronounced dead at 9:59 a.m.

An emergency room doctor told detectives that the girl's trachea was full of baby formula, which was consistent with the girl choking on the food, according to investigative reports.

However, an autopsy later found the baby suffered from numerous injuries, including multiple new and old rib fractures.

In addition, the baby had a bruised liver, a hematoma and laceration on her spleen, a hemorrhage in her left eye, a bruise on her shoulder blade, a hemorrhage to a back muscle, and bruising on each side of the mouth near the lower jaw.

Gomez-Romero told a detective that he had been bottle-feeding the girl when she began to choke from eating too fast and stopped breathing, reports state.

He suggested some of the girls' injuries could have been caused as he tried to revive her.

The child's mother, Juana Rodriguez, told detectives that Gomez-Romero hated the girl and was violent toward the baby, but he would threaten to leave with their 2-year-old son if she called the police.

Rodriguez told the detective that Gomez-Romero “loves and worships” their son and was never abusive toward him.

Under further questioning, Gomez-Romero told the detective that he would spank the girl on the buttocks, and grab and squeeze her torso, and would carry her by her hands and arms allowing her to hang, reports state.

“He would become so bothered and angry if Ariana slept too long that he would slap her on the rib cage to wake her,” the report states.

Gomez-Romero told the detective that he wanted a boy instead of a girl, and in anger would call her ugly and a prostitute as well as say that he did not love her, reports state.

Technorati Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Rough Summary of Murders by Dads with Child Visitation/Custody Rights 2010

By DastardlyDads

I started to wonder just how many dads have murdered their children, the mother, or other related person where the dad's child visitation and/or custody rights played a role. I soon realized that this is a huge project. So I narrowed it down to names from articles I have found that have been published this year (2010). Some may refer to murders that took place in previous years, but are only now coming to trial, etc. Admittedly, this is a highly imprecise list. But it will give you a sense of the carnage.

AUSTRALIA

Freeman, Arthur Philip. Threw 3-year-old daughter off bridge, killing her. Had court-ordered visitation.

CALIFORNIA

Fuentes, Jesus Roman. Shot to death 4-year-old son during visitation.

Garcia, Stephen Charles. Shot to death 9-month-old son during court-ordered visitation. Mother's pleas ignored by 3 judges.

Brown, Cameron. Facing third trial for murdering 4-year-old daughter by pushing her off cliff. Allegedly wanted to avoid child support.

CANADA

McKenzie, Kelly David. Murdered girlfriend while 9-year-old son was in his home on an "access visit."

CHINA

Kang, Liu. Beat to death 12-year-old daughter. Appears to have been custodial father (divorced from girl's mother, girl lived with father).

IDAHO

Bacon, Nicholas. Shot to death 9-month-old son during visitation Had joint custody.

INDIANA

Bohannon, Ronald A. Shot to death 14-month-old son during visitation. Convicted of reckless homicide.

KENTUCKY

Frazier, Timothy. Murdered 21-month-old son after obtaining custody with police help through fraudulent EPO. Mother is now suing the police and the City.

MISSOURI

Robinson, Nathaniel. Murdered 3-year-old son after obtaining custody 1 month before.

OHIO

Mammone, James III. Stabbed his two children to death, beat to death former mother-in-law. Had been granted visitation rights.

OREGON

Cockerel, Donald L. Along with girlfriend, charged with starving, beating to death 3-year-old daughter. Dad had "shared custody," but had been refusing to return the child to her mother.

SWEDEN

Hensvold, Martin. Shot his ex-wife "execution style" while she was picking up their 2-year-old son.

TEXAS

Desormeaux, Leo IV. Murdered 21-month-old son during visitation.

Watrous, Duke Lawrence. Custodial father who shot to death 10-year-old daughter.

UNITED KINGDOM

Copland, Andrew. Murdered his 4-year-old daughter and her mother while the mother was dropping off the child for an "access visit."

Technorati Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Bravo, RightsforMothers & Claudine Dombrowski! by Anne Caroline Drake

 

cropped-wpwaterheader2

January 31, 2010

Bravo, RightsforMothers & Claudine Dombrowski!

You want justice?  Pack the court room with people wearing purple ribbons.     

Vernetta Cockerham and RitaAnita Linger proved this strategy worked in North Carolina.  PETA proved it worked when a couple of punks savagely killed a stray dog.  Sadly, nobody showed up to pack the same judge’s courtroom when a little girl was allegedly raped by her daddy.  Nobody cared about what happened to that little girl until her daddy killed four Lakewood, WA cops.  A teenager in the same county was similarly not protected from her daddy’s abuse.  Nobody cared about what happened to her until her daddy killed a cop and wounded another.  This brave teenager ended up having to protect the cops during a close-range shoot-out with her daddy.     

Truth be told, the system still doesn’t care about the welfare of those two girls.  Gov. Christine Gregoire is deeply concerned about the welfare of her police officers, but preventing domestic violence isn’t a priority for her.  She doesn’t get that those cops are all dead because domestic violence victims don’t get much real protection in Pierce County, WA.  And, she certainly doesn’t get how much Washington’s failure to make domestic violence a priority is costing the taxpayers.     

Searching for Justice © 2009, Carole May

Bravo, Rights for Mothers!

Pit bull abusers have lots of Internet help available to them on how to manipulate the legal system as an instrument of abuse.  They quickly learn they’ll go to jail for physicial abuse.  In jail, they learn that they can more brutally ~ and legally ~ hurt a mother by taking away her kids.  In a strategy as old as Adam blaming Eve for the apple, they turn the tables on their victims.  Women fiercely trying to protect their kids from brutal fathers find themselves called prostitutes and addicts and mentally unstable.  Many find their professional careers blackballed by false accusations and innuendos.     

Rights for Mothers, however, is a valiant advocate for these women.  Her blog focuses on Parental Alienation Syndrome which all the experts agree is bullshit, but judges around the country keep falling for it.  Why?  They either are abusive behind their own closed doors or they have never been to judicial training to learn about the dynamics of litigation abuse and how to stop it.     

Rights for Mothers has been a champion for women like Julie Levine ~ where is the media ~ why don’t they engage in their First Amendment duty to investigate?  And, Lisa Hutchings ~ who lost her kids to her uber-rich Florida husband with a history of crack abuse.  And, Claudine Dombrowski ~ who lost her kids in Kansas because she was disabled by her ex-husband’s abuse.  Go figure.  It boggles the mind how a judge could find it in the best interest of these kids to be with their brutal fathers rather than with their fiercely protective mothers.     

Bravo, Claudine Dombrowski!

Despite her disabilities, Claudine Dombrowski didn’t go quietly into the night.  She’s breaking down the walls of silence on her blog.  And, she followed in Vernetta Cockerham’s footsteps.  Last week, she and Rights for Mothers packed the courtroom, and Ms. Dombrowski finally got some justice.  The judge opined that she had a First Amendment right to break down the walls of silence.  Are you listening WordPress?

Breaking Down the Walls of Silence:  Power of the Sisterhood and the Press

Let’sGetHonest, who has an insider’s knowledge, blows the whistle on “creaming” by non-profit agencies ~ this is why so many women experiencing domestic violence don’t get help from the system.     

In August, 2009, O Magazine did extensive investigative journalism into Vernetta Cockerham’s story.  Her story, sadly, is the story of many women experiencing domestic violence.     

Denise Richards got justice ~ it took her four very long years.  She was quite fortunate to have the funds to prevail over her ex-husband actor Charlie Sheen, who is a serial pit-bull abuser.  Sandra Boss similarly was able to fund the long fight to hold her ex-husband “Clark Rockefeller” accountable for kidnapping their daughter Snooks.  He’s now serving five years in prison.     

Sadly, most women don’t have that kind of money.  Lisa Hutchings, for example, lost her kids to abusive ex-husbands with money and power twice because she didn’t have the money to put up a viable fight.  Their buddies have engaged in a nasty Internet campaign to discredit her with vicious, anonymous comments to blog posts supporting her.  This strategy is as old as preachers falsely suggesting Mary Magdalene is a prostitute because she was Jesus’ favorite disciple.     

I hope those of you walking in the shoes of these brave women will click on the purple words in this post.  You are most definitely not alone, and the litigation abuse you are experiencing is not unique.  We all need to contribute our own talents to break down the walls of silence and demand justice.  When we band together as sisters, we will all be empowered.  And, we will get justice.  Finally.

Posted by Anne Caroline Drake under DV in the News, Protection Circles | Tags: abuse of power, activist, child abuse, child custody, Claudine Dombrowski, Denise Richards, domestic violence, empowerment, family court reform, Gov. Christine Gregoire, Let'sGetHonest, Lisa Hutchings, litigation abuse, O Magazine, parental alienation, Pierce County WA, pit bull abusers, RightsforMothers, Rita Anita Linger, Sandra Boss, Vernetta Cockerham |

Technorati Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Despite History of Crack Abuse, Man From Ultra-Rich Family Wins Custody of 2-Year-Old

Despite History of Crack Abuse, Man From Ultra-Rich Family Wins Custody of 2-Year-Old

San Diego Courts ExaminerGregory Smart

http://www.examiner.com/x-27585-San-Diego-Courts-Examiner~y2009m10d27-Despite-History-of-Crack-Abuse-Man-From-UltraRich-Family-Wins-Custody-of-2YearOld#comments

Lisa Hutchings

Lisa Hutchings

Lisa Hutchings

Wesley Hutchings enjoys the kinds of privileges that come with being born to a family made rich by the American automotive industry. His father, James "Jack" Hutchings made hundreds of millions though the manufacture of air-conditioning units for cars. The Hutchings family's 20,000-square-foot home spreads across two huge lots at a Las Olas Isles point, surrounded on three sides by the Intracoastal Waterway. "La Maison Blanche," as it's locally known, is listed by this realtor for $28.5 million.

But Wes Hutchings has a legal history that's decidedly ghetto -- multiple DUIs and a 2004 arrest for cocaine possession after he was found running crazily through the halls of a Seminole County hotel, high on crack and threatening to kill himself.

In that case, Hutchings entered a guilty plea to cocaine possession, but adjudication was withheld. There are no signs of a more recent encounter with hardcore drugs. But the question is whether a Broward County judge was right to entrust a 2-year-old child to Hutchings' custody, rather than to the child's mother, who doesn't have Hutchings' checkered legal history.

In December 2004 -- three months after Wes Hutchings' crack-induced meltdown in a Seminole County hotel -- he met Lisa Kreiss in Beverly Hills. Their date had been brokered through a very exclusive, very expensive dating service. Even if she did trust that service to do background checks on its clients, Kreiss -- who was in the midst of a nasty divorce -- trusted her therapist's assessment of Hutchings. Having got the green light, she and Hutchings became engaged and in 2006 she had a baby daughter.

"I had just gone through a brutal, multi-million dollar divorce," she says. "And I thought, 'Now I've met Prince Charming.'" Wes would help pay the expense of her divorce. They took trips in the family's private jet. Wes' parents bought the couple a home near the fourth hole of Parkland Golf and County Club. Lisa, who legally changed her last name to Hutchings in advance of the wedding, was ready to live happily ever after.

But it didn't work out that way. Lisa claims she only learned of Wes' history with drugs after she had made a commitment to him. She became fearful he would harm their daughter.

Wes' lawyer, Matt Miller of Hollywood, claims that Lisa is "a very disturbed woman" and points to psychological evaluations that note a history of psychiatric symptoms, psychotropic medications and multiple suicide attempts.

Those incidents, says Lisa, came under the stress of her divorce and the protracted custody battle for the son from her previous marriage.

After the couple broke up in 2008, Wes allowed Lisa to take their daughter back to California in exchange for her signing a parenting agreement. It called for her to receive financial support, while Wes was to be given regular opportunities to speak with his daughter. Both sides say that the other breached the parenting agreement.

In such contests, the tie tends to go to the party who has a more convincing lawyer. Wes had Miller. Lisa couldn't afford one, so she represented herself. Broward Circuit Court Judge Arthur M. Birken ruled that Lisa had violated the terms of the parenting agreement.

He also ruled that Dr. Efrain Gonzalez, a Miami psychologist paid by Wes' side to evaluate both parents, and who found mental health problems that could make Lisa unfit to be a mother, gave a more credible report than the Los Angeles psychologist who evaluated Lisa and found "no firm evidence of diagnostic condition."

On July 22, Birken awarded sole custody of the child to Wes. Lisa says that she was denied the opportunity to see her when she last visited, in mid-September. (Miller says that it was Lisa's fault for failing to schedule a visitation so that Wes could make arrangements for a social worker to monitor that visit.)

The child will have her third birthday on Thursday. Lisa, who lives in Los Angeles, hasn't seen her daughter since June 1. She still hopes to contest Birken's ruling.

In the meantime, however, she will not be able to talk to her daughter. In a letter in late August, Wes told Lisa that the child was showing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and that she feared her mother. For those reasons, he's cut off phone communication.

As for Wes' drug issues, Miller says: "Nobody ever said in court that Mr. Hutchings was perfect. He has owned up to his past problems. Lisa Hutchings, on the other hand, is in total denial."

Click here to find out more!

Technorati Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

TOLD YOU SO (PAS & DSM) by MamaLiberty

TOLD YOU SO

February 10, 2010 in Child Custody Issues, Child Custody for fathers, Children's Rights, Family Courts, activism, child abuse, domestic violence | Tags: custody, corruption, mothers, abusers, government corruption, battered women, Judges, Court, father rights, fathers, bad fathers, FRA, misogynists, women haters, Title IV Grants, protective parent, parental alienation, family court corruption, FR, pas, court whores, maternal deprivation, killer fathers, stupid men, DSM 5, DSM

On February 10, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) released the proposed draft diagnostic criteria for DSM-5 on its Website www.dsm5.org.
The draft criteria represent content changes under consideration. The information posted on the Website includes the proposed criteria, the rationale, the supporting research, and DSM-IV content as a comparison.

Where is PAS??

All the FReaks (fathers/mens rights) and their supporters said it was going to in there…. Sorry court whores….your money train has just left the station!!! Truly I am laughing my ass off!

WHERE IS PAS?

NOT ANYWHERE ON THERE!

NA NA NA NA BOO BOO!!

Technorati Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,