Newsletter Winter 2012 - Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic

WISCONSIN COALITION AGAINST
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
A Newsletter For Friends of WCADV
Winter 2012 · Volume 1, Issue 1
Sara: A Domestic Violence Survivor’s Story
The Wisconsin Coalition
Against Domestic Violence
(WCADV) is the leading
voice for victims of
domestic violence in
Wisconsin.
Our mission is to promote
social change that
transforms societal
attitudes, practices and
policies to prevent and
eliminate domestic abuse.
By Sara Engle
I remember coming to Madison over two
years ago to testify on domestic violence
legislation at the Capitol. This was shortly
after my “ex” had been sentenced to life in
prison plus 80 more years for shooting
and killing my mom and shooting and attempting to kill me. I remember still feeling
a little scared because of the horrible
event. I was still shook up and injured. I
was also not sure what to expect. But after
my first time speaking at the state house, I
went home and thought about it. I thought,
“Can I do this again? ? Am I supposed to
do this?” I think it was a few months before I was asked to come and speak
again, and during that time, I came to believe that I survived for a purpose. I knew
my “ex” was never getting out of prison. I
was safe, and with that in mind, I jumped
in all the way to help. I also believe that
coming to Madison to help WCADV
helped me to heal, to stand up and put a
hand out to others going through horrible
situations. I now speak out at school and
community activities; I am a voice for all
survivors. I also got the Courage Award
last year from The Governor's Council on
Domestic Abuse. I started my own group
HEDA (Help End Domestic Abuse) for fun
activities to raise money for local and state
domestic abuse programs.
The Governor's
Council on
Domestic Abuse
Courage Award
Presented to
Sara Engle
Pictured Left to
Right: State
Senator Tim
Cullen, Andrea
Jean (Timeout
Family Abuse
Shelter), Sara
Engle, State
Senator Julie
Lassa, Becky
Steinbach
(Timeout Family
Abuse Shelter).
Page 2
From the Director
Wisconsin
Coalition Against
The best way to help the world is to
help someone! – Anonymous
Domestic Violence
Board of Directors
Chair
Cecilia Gillhouse
Chair Elect
Kara Schurman
Recorder
Mary Fontanazza
Treasurer
Sue Sippel
Rose Barber Minano
Cindy Buchko
Deb Bracklin-Butler
Patti Seger
Executive Director
The end of year, couched amongst holidays of reflection, thankfulness and
celebration, reminds me of the immense
gratitude that I feel for those who willingly help others. It seems that especially during this time of year, nearly
every week, one is asked to help. Requests may come in the form of a letter
requesting a gift of money or a person
ringing a bell outside a grocery store or
a needy person on the street who directly asks for help.
girls and women are denied the fundamental freedoms of life, liberty, safety and
respect. One in four women is abused,
beaten or raped in her lifetime. Chances
are that you know her, but you may not
know what is happening to her behind the
walls of her own home and yet you still
choose to help.
By choosing to support the work to prevent and eliminate domestic violence, you
provide assistance and hope that someday this tragedy will end – and you
strengthen the message that violence in
one’s own home is not acceptable, nor
will it be tolerated.
I know and respect that you have a
choice as to how you gift your own resources. I thank you – and the girls and
women in your own neighborhood thank
you – for choosing to help in a way that
supports their right to be treated with respect and to be safe in their own homes.
You give us hope that together, we can
end domestic violence.
In Peace,
It is also at this time of year that I am
reminded of the reality that every single
day right here in our own backyards,
May Tong Chang
Antonia Drew Vann
Cheryl O’Neil
Do You Know Someone Who Is Being Abused?
Kim Wojcik
Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence · (608) 255-0539
National Domestic Violence Hotline · (800) 799-SAFE (7233)
Page 3
Meet Our Staff
Sara Krall
Community Response Coordinator & Homicide
Prevention Coordinator
Hometown
Auburndale, Wisconsin
Best Office Decoration
Poster Signed by all Four Golden Girls
Sara Krall is one of the newer members of
the WCADV team. She started at the coalition in spring of 2012 as the Community
Response Coordinator and Homicide Prevention Project Coordinator. This means
Sara is the go-to person in Wisconsin for
local communities who are working to
develop comprehensive approaches to
reducing domestic violence.
WCADV brought Sara back to Wisconsin
after she spent several years providing
direct services to victims of domestic violence at the Salvation Army in Seattle,
Washington. Prior to working in Seattle,
she worked at DAIS Domestic Abuse Intervention Services in Madison. She
has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in
social work from UW-Madison.
Sara’s extensive experience in the field
has allowed her to provide expert direction and support to Community Coordinated Response Teams or “CCRs”
throughout the state. CCRs are multidisciplinary teams compromised of advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors and
human service agencies. Many CCRs
also include members from schools, mental health and other health care providers , neighborhood centers, faith communities, housing providers and other
groups. The community coordinated approach is premised on the notion that
Continued on page 7
THANK YOU
WCADV
DONORS!
Your donations
provide the resources
that are necessary
for WCADV to
continue educating
the public about
how to end domestic
violence in every
county and Tribal
Land in Wisconsin.
Thank you for
making it possible
for us to educate
your community.
Please make
WCADV
a top priority as you
consider your future
charitable contributions.
Page 4
Together We Can End Domestic Violence
7th Annual Luncheon
SAVE THE
DATE!
The 7th Annual Together We Can End
Domestic Violence Luncheon was held
on September 14, 2012 at the Monona
Mark your calendar
and join us
for WCADV’s
8th Annual
Together We Can
End Domestic
Violence Luncheon
Terrace. Keynote speaker Olga Trujillo
shared her personal story of growing up
in violent home.
In her early years
Olga witnessed her father’s brutal and
terrifying attacks on her mother and
how she herself suffered constant
physical and emotional abuse from her
father, her brothers and as she grew
older many others outside of her family.
With astounding clarity borne from
years of intensive work, Olga unraveled
Thursday
October 3
2013
the impact of violence in her life.
Olga shared a compassionate message
At the event WCADV also honored four
with luncheon guests about trauma and
outstanding allies in the movement to
trauma informed care when dealing
end domestic violence. The Legislative
with victims of domestic violence.
Leader Awards were presented to the
Traumatic experiences can be dehu-
four honorees for taking a stand against
Are you interested in
manizing, shocking or terrifying events
domestic violence and supporting survi-
becoming a
over time, and often include betrayal of
vors. The awards were presented to
a trusted person or institution and a
Representative André Jacque for his
loss of safety.
work on crime victim rights legislation,
Table Captain
Representative Amy Loudenbeck for
for the event?
Contact
Trauma-informed care is an approach
legislation to protect victims of domestic
to engaging people with histories of
violence and human trafficking, Repre-
Mary Jo Elert
trauma that recognizes the presence of
sentative Donna Seidel for her legisla-
for more information.
trauma symptoms and acknowledges
tive career and being a voice for survi-
the role that trauma has played in their
vors and to Senator Van Wanggaard for
lives. Olga’s message stressed that our
several bills that advanced victims’
society needs to change the paradigm
rights and protections.
maryjo@wcadv.org
from one that asks, "What's wrong with
you?" to one that asks, "What has happened to you?"
Page 5
RISE
LAW
CENTER
is a project of the
Wisconsin Coalition
Against Domestic
Violence that
provides direct legal
representation for
immigrant and
refugee victims of
domestic violence
and/or sexual assault.
RISE LAW
CENTER
Luncheon Keynote Speaker Olga Trujillo is
an attorney, speaker, author and survivor.
Gene Red Hail from the Oneida Nation
Domestic Abuse Program opens the
luncheon with a Native American Blessing.
Thank You to Our
2012 Luncheon Sponsors
Additional support from:
Gibbs Graphic Design,
J.H. Findorff and
Melissa Matula-Destiny’s Child Inc.
is committed to
providing culturally
relevant legal
services to meet the
needs of victims of
domestic and sexual
violence from
Wisconsin’s
immigrant, refugee
and traditionally
underserved
communities.
Page 6
WCADV Staff
Patti Seger Executive
Director • Linda Baaske
Accountant • Vicki
Berenson Technology
Coordinator • Bonnie
Brandl Director, National
Clearinghouse On Abuse
in Later Life (NCALL) •
Ann Brickson Children &
Youth Program
Coordinator • Marie
Carter Program
Assistant • Colleen Cox
Training Coordinator/
Grants Writer • Robin
Dalton RISE
Immigration/Family Law
Attorney • Linda Dawson
NCALL Elder Justice
Coordinator • C.J.
Doxtater WI Aging &
Disability Specialist •
Mary Jo Elert
Development
Coordinator • Julie Fisher
Resources Manager •
Tony Gibart Policy
Development
Coordinator • Matt
Gillhouse RISE
Immigration Attorney •
Rose Hennessy
Prevention Coordinator •
Maddie Kasper Abuse in
Later Life Program
Assistant •Sara Krall
Community Response &
Homicide Prevention
Coordinator •Sara Mayer
Abuse in Later Life Grant
& Technical Coordinator •
Tess Meuer Program
Director • Ruth Nichols
Administrative Assistant •
Gricel Santiago-Rivera
RISE Law Managing
Attorney • Ann Turner
NCALL Technical
Specialist •Teresa
Weinland-Schmidt
Director, Finance &
Administration • Diane
Wolff Program Director •
Morgan Young
Immigration/Poverty Law
Attorney
WCADV Engages With the Media to Raise Awareness
About Domestic Violence
As the leading voice for survivors of domestic violence in Wisconsin, WCADV
engages with the media to raise awareness and to mobilize Wisconsin to end
domestic violence.
In the last two
months, the editorial boards of the state’s
largest papers have echoed WCADV’s
call for increased attention to violence in
families. A October 1 editorial in the Wisconsin State Journal, “Let’s Stop Domestic Violence” and a October 23 piece on
the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial
page, “Brookfield Tragedy Casts Light on
Domestic Violence” both featured perspective from WCADV policy coordinator
Tony Gibart. Readers of the Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel also heard extensively
from WCADV throughout the paper’s
continued investigative coverage of the
Brown Deer Police Department’s troubling interactions with perpetrator of the
Azana Salon domestic violence shooting. Spokespeople from the Coalition
educated the public on the state’s mandatory arrest law and addressed misleading and victim blaming statements
from the police department. WCADV
will continue to be an active voice for
victims throughout this and other news
stories.
A Dose of Prevention
By Rose Hennessy,
WCADV Prevention Coordinator
WCADV recognizes that primary prevention against domestic violence means targeting
risk factors that contribute to men and women becoming victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. One such risk factor in Wisconsin (WI) is gender inequality; women in
WI have among the lowest wage ratios compared to men in the country; they earn only
71 cents to men’s dollar for full-time, full-year work, and rank 45th among all states on
this indicator. (IWPR) However, gender inequality particularly impacts communities of
color: Compared to a dollar earned by White men, in WI African American women earn
63 cents, Native American women earn 60 cents, Asian American women earn 60 cents,
and Hispanic women earn 59 cents. This wage impact has tangible realities; while only
seven percent of White women live in poverty in WI, poverty impacts 16% of Asian
American women, 20% of Native American women, 21% of Hispanic women, and 30%
of African American. These rate impacts the entire economic state of WI and put women,
and specifically women of color, at higher risk of victimization. To combat these rates it
is necessary to target the intersection of gender and race, and to increase access to
affordable education, housing, and jobs with livable wages. WCADV recently submitted
a grant to the CDC for funding to assist in tackling these and other risk factors in WI.
Page 7
Continued from page 3
domestic violence is a community-wide
problem that, therefore, requires community-wide engagement and solutions. Sara
says she enjoys learning about the different
projects and challenges of CCRs and then
providing outside support, consulting and
resources to help CCRs meet their goals.
The ultimate objective is that all Wisconsin
communities have created and invested in
systems that prioritize victim safety and
offender accountability.
Sara’s position as Wisconsin’s CCR guru
makes her the ideal person to head up
a new initiative at WCADV, the Homicide
Prevention Project. The project builds off of
WCADV’s eleven years of domestic violence homicide research and reporting.
Select CCRs are using the homicide data
and reports to implement targeted strategies to save the lives of victims’ who are at
increased risk. Sara is providing intensive
support to these CCRs as they implement
the prevention strategies.
Sara says the Homicide Prevention Project
is a great example of the positive impact
the Coalition has on the lives of survivors
across Wisconsin. “The CCRs that are part
of the Homicide Prevention Project have
great intentions, ideas and commitment,
but capacity and staffing are often huge
hurdles. Through partnerships with
WCADV under Homicide Prevention Project, these CCRs are able to harness
quality data, follow through with promising practices and ultimately translate their
collective energy into real results that
keep victims. I get great satisfaction out
of being able to lighten the load of the
people working on the frontlines and partnering with them to make their work more
effective.”
The
National
Clearinghouse on
Abuse In Later
Life
(NCALL) is a
When she is not making Wisconsin a
better place for women, children and men
affected by domestic violence, Sara enjoys spending time with her partner,
Courtney, their two dogs
Through advocacy
and education,
NCALL works
everyday to
improve victim
safety, increase
abuser
accountability,
expand coordinated
community
response, and
ultimately, put
an end to abuse in
later life.
(Elbe and Cash) and two cats
Buddha and Rico). Sara says she
practices the important task of selfcare through reading, knitting, cooking
and recreational sports. The signed
poster of Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue
McClanahan and Estelle Getty
(better known as the Golden Girls) hanging next to her desk reveals a bit about
her personality and is—like Sara—a very
welcomed addition to the WCADV office!
BE THE CHANGE
Support Our Work, Support Safe Families
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Donate to WCADV: visit our secure website wcadv.org
Follow us on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wisconsin-CoalitionAgainst-Domestic-Violence/34302252032?ref=hl
Help make changes in policy: Contact your legislators about issues that affect survivors of domestic violence. Learn more about current legislation Subscribe to receive action alerts by e-mail. http://lists.wcadvlists.org/listinfo.cgi/policy-wcadvlists.org
Support your local DV program: Volunteer with hotlines, fundraising, public awareness; donate items and money; attend events and fundraisers. http://www.wcadv.org/
gethelp
Be the change: Help prevent violence before it begins! Learn how individuals and
groups can promote social change from the source. http://www.wcadv.org/ourwork/
prevention
project of the
Wisconsin Coalition
Against Domestic
Violence.
WISCONSIN COALITION
AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
307 S PATERSON ST
MADISON WI 53703
Name
Address
Address
DONATIONS
The generosity of our individual and corporate donors allows WCADV to provide necessary services to
victims and survivors across Wisconsin. To make a tax-deductible donation to WCADV complete the
form below, make an online donation on our secure website www.wcadv.org, or call 608-255-0539.
WISCONSIN
COALITION AGAINST
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
307 S. Paterson Street
Madison, WI 53703
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Name ____________________________________________________________________________
Phone: (608) 255-0539
Address: __________________________________ City: _________________State:____Zip_______
Email:
wcadv@wcadv.org
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Fax/TTY: (608) 255-3560