Police Aid Wifebeaters

In a class action filed in U.S. District Court on behalf of two Cleveland women, the Legal Aid Society is asking that the Cleveland Police Prosecutor's policy of refusing to prosecute men who allegedly have beaten their wives, former wives, womenfriends or former womenfriends be declared a violation of constitutional rights of equal access to courts. It seems that without the prosecutor's consent and unless the woman "can make it clear as to why she was beaten," the clerk of Cleveland Municipal Court will not issue an arrest warrant.

"The women I have talked with come in with some of the most outrageous stories," says Everett A. Chandler, chief police prosecu. tor. Chandler claims that convictions are difficult but that he has urged the judges to be tougher in this area. Legal Aid is also asking for the appointment of a special prosecutor who will prosecute crimes committed by men against their wives and womenfriends. Across the country Legal Aid offices have

been reporting more and more of these beating cases. In these reports, lawyers and victims have been highly critical of police inaction and unwillingness to arrest men who have been repeatedly involved in such cases. Before police move to help, women either must have been severely beaten or have made several complaints. Frequently the police response is to encourage the couple to seek reconciliation to "find a marriage counselor." But in innumerable cases this advice comes too late. To "find a divorce lawyer" or better yet to "find a doctor" would seem to be more appropriate advice. It is fact that in cases of domestic homocide, police have been called to intervene one or many more times previously.

Police, who cry, "we're not social workers", are not trained as mediators and often behave in such a way that brings on violence rather than placates the participants. Indeed, the mere fact that the police have been called may

A PLACE TO GO

A woman who needs a place to stay for the night in Cleveland now has almost no place to go. To be specific, she can call Cleveland Women's Counseling or NOW and they will find a private home for her to stay in. If she has no children she can go to the Hospitality House run by the Thomas Merton community (for men and women) on the near West Side. Or if she doesn't know about these places, she may spend the night on the street (remember Blanket Annie?).

This kind of emergency housing was only part of the need talked about by a group of women

19TH

SOLE LEATHER

have shelter and food, be able to talk with other women, be supported in making choices and acting on them a place where the energy for. merly used to cope with a bad situation would be freed to go into finding ways to improve or escape it.

It was made very clear that this would not be another agency where professionals "help". clients, who thus remain dependent and powerless. The house would belong to everyone who participated in it. Powerless women would find their own power by helping themselves and each other, and by learning ways to deal with the

further stimulate the wife-beater to resume after they have left the scene of the argument. Were police better trained to evaluate these situations, firmer preventive or punitive steps could be taken before further assault, battery or homodice of the wife or of the police. A nationwide study a few years ago showed that intervening in family disputes accounted for 22% of the policemen killed in the line of duty and about 40% of those injured.

The Legal Aid reports have revealed that there is no typical "wife-beater", but that wife-beaters in fact range all along the social scale. A study concluded last month in Norwalk, Connecticutt, indicated that police in that city of 85,000 with its wide socioeconomic range received roughly the same number of wife-abuse complaints as police in a Harlem precinct of the same size which was four or five a week, and who-knows-how-many unre. ported cases.

Psychological assessments of these cases show little sado-maso variety. These women feel they deserve no better or that they are economically helpless to change their situations. Because women feel trapped in these roles and relationships, families stay together, passing along by example this transactional pattern to their children. The girls grow up expecting to be beaten, the boys expecting to do the beating.

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who met January 6 to do something about changing the situation. The more common need was seen to be that of the woman who stays in an intolerable environment because her only options are as bad or worse. For instance, a woman may stay with a man who beats her or her kids because he'd beat her worse if she sought help; women in prison may be denied parole because they have no place to live on getting out; women who have been raped may be afraid to return home, or may just want some time off to rest; young women who become pregnant may be thrown out of home; the list seems endless, So the women talked about starting a house to which a woman could come, with her children,

world they live in.

This meeting was a beginning. The broad outlines have been made; many hard questions (especially about money) remain to be dealt with. By the time this is published more meetings will have happened, and the women's house will be a little less of a dream, a little closer to reality. Women are invited to help make it happen. If you want to be part of the action, call Jan Dickey, 371-0470..

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page 10/What She Wants/February, 1975