Family Violence Program

By Lynn Hammond

There's this woman, see, and her husband has been beating her about once a week for five years. She calls the police, and sometimes they arrive, and sometimes they don't (Oh, you've heard this one before?). When they do, they stand around and mumble, or they take her husband for a walk, or they tell her to see the prosecutor tomorrow (she's tried that; he says he can't do anything-there are no witnesses and not enough bruises.).

She wants them to see a marriage counselor, but her husband maintains that she has a problem, while he does not, so he won't go. She goes to a therapist, who tells her that the relationship needs work (her work, of course). Her minister explains that her duty is to stay with her husband for the sake of the children. Her friends, what few are left, can't believe that he would actually beat her. Her parents say that she made her own bed, and now she must etc., etc. And besides, they always knew he was no good. Her doctor gives her valium.

Now there are shelters and a hotline. The women on the hotline are very supportive to her. She is not sure what she wants to do. She would like to go to the shelter for a few days, to think. She does this, but decides to go back home, because when he calls there, her husband cries and promises to change. Soon after her return, he beats her for running away. He says that if she ever pulls anything like that again, he will kill her and the children. He says that she forces him to do these things; that she makes him lose control. She begins to believe that. Eventually, she decides that she is going crazy and signs herself into a hospital (where, incidentally, she discovers that you don't get beaten up. She has begun a new career.).

In a way, she's right; people whose opinions she respects have been denying her reality for years. She has become more and more isolated, and she has lost faith in her own judgment. Now, her only yardstick is her own experience, which is definitely totally stone crazy.

The woman described here is, of course, many women. Until recently, practically no resources were available to help such women break out of that crazymaking scenario. However, in December of 1978, two important breakthroughs occurred: Ohio's Domestic Violence Bill was passed, and the Cuyahoga County Family Violence Program began operation.

The Domestic Violence Law, in effect since March 28, 1979, states that doing harm to family or household members is a crime-and furthermore, it is illegal (I know; there are so many good second lines for that one. But wait a minute. Domestic violence has been seen traditionally as at least tacitly acceptable, and the law's explicit statement is a monumental step towards removing those cultural sanctions.). The law provides both civil and criminal relief for persons who are abused, mandates increased training for police, and orders law enforcement agencies to document the number of domestic calls which they receive. And it's even beginning to be implemented. In some places.

The Family Violence Program (FVP), funded by the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, is a unit of the Witness/Victim Service Center, under the Cuyahoga County Commissioners. The program was designed by representatives of several social service and law enforcement agencies to be an alternative to the criminal justice system for families in which violence is occurring. Its aim is to stop the violence from being repeated, by increasing the choices for family members-including, if possible, the abuser.

While criminal prosecution is, at times, necessary, it is viewed by FVP as a last resort in many cases. The criminal justice system is, by nature, adversarial, and tends to reinforce the disputants' roles as adversaries, with one winner and one loser. More importantly, prosecution can only address a single violent episode,

and only in limited ways. The criminal courts are simply not equipped to break an established pattern of violence. Interestingly enough, the largest number of referrals to FVP come from police officers-even in cases where they may have made an arrest.

Services offered by FVP include counseling, support, information, mediation, referral and advocacy. Persons coming to the program for help are assigned to a counselor, who presents them with all of the available options, examines each option' with them,

and then does everything possible to support their choice.

Often, the abuser can be persuaded to come into the office. In many of these cases, the couple or family will choose to enter into mediation; a trained staff member helps the parties to arrive at decisions abou their relationship and about how they will behave toward each other in the future. They are then referred back to the counselor, who helps them with resources and provides follow-up support.

Should all else fail and prosecution becom necessary, the counselor will act as an advocate fór (continued on page 13)

"Women Office Workers Unite!"

By Carol Epstein

"Good art tells you what you need to know but would rather not.

J

-Kate Ellis In These Times Dec. 19, 1979

In mid-December, Jane Fonda spoke to a standing-room-only crowd in downtown Cleveland as part of the 4th Anniversary Celebration of Cleveland Women Working. Most of the 1200 women attending earn their weekly wages as women office workers. Some of these women work at National City Bank where their salary level is low enough to qualify them for food stamp supplements. Many of these women are called "girls" by their male "superiors". They make only $0.57 for every $1.00 their male counterpart takes home.

"My consciousness about office workers was opened up several years ago," Jane Fonda announced, "when my friends at [the Boston-based] Nine to Five began to talk to me." Most women office workers, she insists, like their work and view it as a vital activity requiring skill, patience, and all kinds. of abilities. They don't like their work because others, particularly those in control, do not respect and value it." Ms. Fonda continued, "It's not normal for a woman over 40 to be called 'girl'." It also isn't normal or appropriate for 20th Century Fox, after reaping millions from "Star Wars", to ask its

women office workers to take a cut in pay by onethird.

With a capable and intent delivery, Fonda presented ideas specifically applicable to her target population. The language was simple, clear, and reminiscent of the early consciousness-raising of this past decade's women's movement. The first step for an office worker is to acknowledge her right to demand what belongs to her and the right to say no to what does not. Secondly, she must recognize that competition with other women will ultimately gain nothing for her or for women collectively: "Although one exceptional woman may get ahcad, in the long run we all lose by this. We can't do it on our own. We must stand up to the boss." The third step involves activism-organizing women office workers in individual offices, in city-wide groups, and in the national organizations-in a similar manner to the Cleveland-based "Working Women".

As an actress who fortunately happens to infuse her career with political activism, Fonda's contribution to the "hard struggle ahead" will crystallize as a film called "Nine to Five". "I had been a secretary once, in between being a student and actress. I didn't have what it takes; I was fired." She will play a 42-year-old married woman whose husband leaves her for his secretary. Facing the working world for the first time, she finds employment in a large office of women workers. Lily Tomlin, who "trained the boss," heads up the workers and has been there for

DEMONSTRATE!

(continued on page 13)

Tuesday, January 22, 1980-7 p.m. at the Masonic Temple (36 & Euclid) For the second time pro-choice supporters will confront the Right-to-Life party in front of the Masonic Temple on the anniversary of our Supreme Court victory! Join us in making 1980 the turning point for reproductive rights.

A celebration will follow the demonstration at The Park, party room, 17th & Chester $1 donation-refreshments

January, 1980/What She Wants/Page 3