Research

Essential Question: What is domestic violence and how is my mentorship in the Solicitor’s Office incorporated into combating this issue?

When I first began conducting research for this project, I originally wanted to focus more on court processes that happened at the Solicitor’s Office. In fact, my original E.Q. was what steps does a domestic violence case take when going through the court system and how is my mentorship in the Solicitor’s Office incorporated into this process? To begin my final project, I looked for the answer to this question in depth.

The first thing I had to have in order to answer this question was a rudimentary understanding of the court system. The criminal cases in an inferior court all follow the same basic pathway: first, the defendant must make an initial appearance in court. During this the defendant is advised of the charges and the judge appoints an attorney if the defendant cannot afford one. Then arraignment is held, which is when the defendant appears in court to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. After that, if the defendant pleads not guilty, a trial is held. The judge, or at the defendant’s request, a jury, can hear evidence on the charges and find the defendant guilty or not guilty. Finally if the defendant is found guilty, the court imposes the appropriate sentence.

With new understanding, I was able to clearly see where many of the services I conduct at the Solicitor’s Office fall into this process. For example, one of the services I conduct most frequently is post-arraignment calls. I make contact with the victim and witnesses, confirm their information, and update them on the status of their case. This simple action is important to the court system because it is vital that the victims and witnesses be informed of all that has happened in their case. Without this simple call many headaches could be induced in many people.

As I began to see how my actions contributed to the successful prosecution of a case, the answer to my essential question emerged simply and rather quickly. After just a little bit of research I had my answers and was left sitting with an inadequate amount of information. I felt that my project was too short and too incomplete with just the answer to this question. So, I decided to broaden my horizons and expand my research. Since my mentor is a victim advocate, meaning that she supports victims of crime, she deals frequently with domestic violence cases. After mentoring under her I found myself angered and disturbed by all of the domestic violence that happens right in Hall County. I wanted to help these victims and stop domestic violence it its tracks. It was then that I decided to include domestic violence research in my final project. I figured that one of the best ways to combat domestic violence (DV for short) was to educate myself and others about it. I expanded my essential question to what it currently is now- what is domestic violence and how is my mentorship in the Solicitor’s Office incorporated into combating this issue?

First of all, domestic violence is defined as violent or aggressive behavior within the home, typically involving the violent abuse of a spouse of partner. As I began my research on this I came across many shocking statistics, like the fact that one in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime and an estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year. The effects of this are wide and unanticipated. Victims of domestic violence may develop post-traumatic stress disorder or become depressed. They may also develop physical issues, like chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle tension, sexual dysfunction, or a host of other ailments. Children who are victims of DV are especially vulnerable to harmful aftereffects. Infants may be fussy, have trouble eating or sleeping, and have decreased responsiveness. As these children grow older these effects are compounded as the children develop more complex issues as they are continually abused. By the time they reach school age they may have social and behavioral issues as well as feelings of fear and anxiety. By adolescence these children have an increased risk for teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, and delinquency as well as mental issues such as depression. These effects are only generalized here, as the way anyone responds to domestic violence varies depending on the person. Another effect domestic violence has is on something no one really considers- our economy. Over $5.8 billion each year is spent on health-related costs of domestic violence, and nearly 8 million days of paid work each year is lost due to domestic violence issues. Although these figures take a backseat to the effects DV has on the victims, all of these facts illustrate the disruptive effects domestic violence has on lives everywhere.

One of the ways domestic violence is being combated, however, is found right where I mentor. The Hall County Solicitor’s Office provides domestic violence victims with not only services related to their court case, but also information and resources, like the numbers for domestic violence shelters and therapy centers. Victim advocates like my mentor provide moral support as well as information on their case. The Solicitor’s Office also partners frequently with organizations like the Domestic Violence Task Force to educate and raise awareness for domestic violence.

Stopping domestic violence is not an easy problem to solve, but there are a few warning signs that could indicate if a person is in danger of being abused. We call these "high risk" cases at the Solicitor's Office, and there is a good chance there will be violence in the future if any of the following are present in the suspected abuser:

History of DV against the victim
Monitoring and controlling activities
Threats to kill victim
Violent criminal history
Alcohol and drug abuse
Firearm ownership

In conclusion, I have answered both of my essential questions. I now see how the various activities I do at the Solicitor's Office fit into the court process, and I also discovered ways to combat domestic violence and hopefully raised awareness with this project. This mentorship has been a great learning experience and I hope that I accomplished the goals I had for this project.

Interview with Joanne Wallace, volunteer counselor for victims of domestic violence

Q: To start off, how would you define domestic violence?

A: “I’d say domestic violence is what happens when someone close to you- a spouse, a parent, a partner- abuses you physically, mentally, or emotionally.”

Q: What would you say the most common misconception is about DV?

A: “One of the most common misconceptions I see is that people think that being a victim of domestic violence attaches a sort of social stigma to you. Many people are often afraid of reporting any incidences of domestic violence not because of the retribution they could face from their abuser, but because of the shame they associate it with. Another common one I hear is that men can’t or shouldn’t be victims of DV. That’s simply not true. Men can be victims just as much as women can.”

Q: What kinds of resources are available to victims of DV?

A: “There are many types of different resources available. Everything from counseling to free places to stay, you don’t have to look far to find something that can help you. The problem is getting the word out to the victims. I can’t say we have the best advertising agency. (laughs)”

Q: Do you interact much with the legal system in your line of work?

A: “Not much, really. I typically only work with the victims and help them through their own personal issues. Unfortunately, I do not have much experience with the court system so I cannot offer much legal advice.”

Q: Describe a typical victim of DV.

A: “There is no real ‘typical victim,’ but if I had to describe the type of person I see most often, it would be a young female, typically in their mid 20s.”

Q: Describe a normal day for you.

A: “Are you sure you want to hear this? (laughs) Well, I’ll try and keep it short and sweet. I go in on the days I’m scheduled to work, check up on what has happened in the last few days I’ve been out, and then maybe do a few sessions if they’re scheduled. Then after that I make sure to make contact with my patients, and then do paperwork. And trust me, there’s a of paperwork.”

Q: Do you encourage victims to file charges?

A: “Pretty much always, yes. Unless it’s a really, really delicate situation- but even then we typically try and help our victims find some way to overcome whatever obstacles they have and file against their abusers.”

Q: Do you follow the cases?

A: “I keep in touch with the victims during and after treatment. Although I do not follow the cases specifically, I do keep up with them through my victims.”

Q: Do you feel that the justice system is effective in these cases?

A: “I would say that it is effective in most cases, yes. There are only a few incidents I can think of where I thought that the abuser did not get the sentence they deserved.”

Q: Any final thoughts or information you’d like to share?

A: “I’m happy you’re doing this interview Emily- after all, DV sadly occurs during the teen years too. The more information and awareness we can spread about DV, the better!”

Special thanks to Mrs. Wallace for doing this interview with me!