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If You Have Issues Viewing Or Accessing This File Contact Us at NCJRS.Gov If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS.gov. -~...---'~~---- ~~--- ---~ - -- -~~ '. --~---- -------:-----.-----------:--~. ... ~ ~ -:-----:---:--"' 0 .... -".-- (I "ri u.s. Department of Justice 94777 National Institute Of Justice \\ This document has been reproduced exactly as received from the person or organization originating it Points of view or opinions stated in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily ... represent the official position or pOlicies of the National Institute of JUstice. '" Permission to reproduce this ~:ted material has been granted b¥.. (\ . Publ~c Danain/U. S. Attorney General U.s. 'Dept. of Justrce tethe National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). FUrther reproduction outside of the NCJRS system requires permis­ sion of the 8.", :igl :t owner. o !I ,.il il ;. /1 (I /1 -I! ATTORNEY GENERAL'S '-. ' I:) TASKFORCE o ON (. ,? 0 \ . c:; FAMILY VIOLENCE . \ , \ () ~ {) ; 0 " \1 .'" c o .1 o <> ,. n o " U Task Force Members ~' c: \ o J \. CHIEF WILLIAM ·L. HART ,Chairman JOHN ASHCROFT o G DR. ANN BURGESS' ., '. NEWMAN FLANAGAN Q • URSULA MEESE CJ o CATHERINE MILTON o \ • Il () \ (/ DR.CLl'DE NARRAMORE , \ \ (} .. I,' CffiEF RUBEN ORTEGA \ FRANCES SEWARD o .-.=""""--- ;;"'.- -- .] o FINAL REPORT o .Ii. __ - '. .' ~...n1 • Preface Violei'lt crime is a major problem in this country. The' Ci possibility that any of us might be injured or have our homes invaded by a stranger is frightening to con­ template. But hundreds of thousands of Americans face an even more devastating reality. They are harmed,,,not by strangers but by those they trust and love. They are victimized, not on the street or in the workplace but in' ,', .~ their own homes. The shadow of family violence has fallen across their liv~S' and they are forever changed. Violence in the h6me strikes at the heart of our so­ ciety. Children who are abused or who live in homes where parents are battered carry the terrible lessons of "Families stand at the center ofsociety; .•. building our violence with them into adulthood. A great proportion future must begin by preserving family values." of those who assault both strangers and loved'bnes were raised themselves in violent households. This is learned behavior. To tolerate family vioience is to allow the seeds President Ronald Reagan of violence to be sown into the next generation. December 3, 1983 When the President's Task Force on Victims 0f Crime studied<7the experience of crime victims in this country, it recognized that family violence is often much more . ,: complex in causes and solutions than crimes committed '".'1; .... ;~_ by unknown attackers. Because of this realization, the President'S Task "Force recommended that the present study be undertaken to give this problem the individual­ ized consideration it requires. .' To be abused by, a spouse, a\-parent, a trusted adult or by one's own child or to witness such abuse, carries c ;) With it a particular agony. Victims wrestle with feelings of fear, loyalty, love, guilt and shame. In this they often face COnflicts not experienced by those attackew. by .L' strangers. Adults will be torn between the desire to shield o and help a loved one and their responsibility toward their own safety or others in the household. Children often face 'j) alone the terrible truth that those who should protect them are, in fact, a source of harm. Anyone who lives in a violent home experiences an essential loss. The one place on earth where they. should feel safe and seClite has become instead a place of danger. These victims often are uniquely isolated. Friends who might otherwise J?e a source of support hesitate to intrude \ on the privacy of "family matters" or "choose sides." Reporting violence to authorities carries its own risks. All - too often police, prose~utQrs or jUclg~s!pinimize or igl},Qre II ----------------:-,.--____lW' b I I I !,I ' & .e I If the problem and the victim is left alone to face an attacker who may respond with anger at being reported. I1, We as a nation can no longer allow these victims to Contents suffer alone. We must understand the breadth and scope of t.he problem. We must admit that family violence is Preface .............................. ,...... HI found at every level of our social structure. We must let Statement of the Chairman. .. vi victims know that they need not hesitate to seek help. We Family Violence in America . 1 must listen with an understanding heart and we must act in ways which prevent, protect and support. This action The Justice System . 9 requires a flexible response. Recommendations for Law Enforcement. .. 16 It is to understand the particular characteristics of Recommendations for Prosecutors . .. 27 family violence and to articulate thos~ individualized solu­ Recommendations for Judges ............... 33 tions which such cases require that the Attorney General established the Task Force. On behalf of the Justice Victim Assistance ............................ 45 Department, I want to commend Chairman Hart, the Iii II Task Force members, Executiv~ Director Marise Rene Prevention and Awareness ................... " 63 U Duff, and the Task Force staff, who have worked so Ii fi~ selflessly to help us all understand the problem and to Education and Training ..................... " 73 n ! articulate the ways in which it can be addressed. Special appreciation must be eJQ:ended to the National Data Collection and Reporting. .. 81 f ! Coalition Against Domestic Violence, National Organiza­ I tion for Victim Assistance, Society's League Against Research .................................. " 89 I Molestation, National Coalition Against Sexual Assault, National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse, Federal Executive and Legislative and State , Parents Anonymous, Court Appointed Special' Ad­ Legislative Action .. '.. >..................... 95 vocates, the Junior League, YWCA, and the S,~lvation Recommendations for Federal Executive Army, whose members have truly been carrying the con­ and Legislative Action .................. 96 science and the responsibility for all of us for a long time. Recommendations for State Legislative ~:.' To all volunteers who have given of 'their time, energy, l'~ Action ................................ 102 and commitment to organize and operate crisis hotlines, to establish safe homes, to counsel and protect these vic­ Special Considerations .,.". .. 109 thns and to create programs of prevention, we all owe Recommendations on Violence in the these concerned citizens a great debt of grai:itude. Media ................................ " 110 Most especially, [want to thank those Y.1ctims who Recommendation on Pornography ......... " 112, were courageous enough to come forward and help us Recommendation for the Military ............ 113 learn from their 'experiences. The problem of family Recommendation for Grandpar8nts' Rights ... 115 violence is a very human one, and it is amenable to human solution. We as a society must undertake that solution. Conclusion. < •••••••••••••••••• "'•••••••••• , ••• 117 The time for standing idly by is past. Let us work together to understand and to move,forward toward the building Appendices .............................. ',' " 121 of secure homes and a peaceful future. Witnesses Before the Attorney General's Task Force on Family Violence .:......... 122 Lois Haight Herrington Notes ..................................... 136 Assistant Attorney General Biographies ............................... 152 , U.S. Department of Justice Task Force Staff ........................... 156 '\ Washington, D.C. Methodology. .. 156 1;', September 1984 IV , , f; > • ,« b «, + .c l' - ~-' ,"~-'-"~" ,,, .•.. , ........ , ,.'·'·, .. '"'·..... _~-·.... ."~--.._,,·=)\:":e:.t~!lO:'".m::-~.:.)'..:~·::;, __'-'--"".,, f -. ~.:..-.:..--- ~ ':.'~~.:•. ......:.:...-:. ....... <···~~>;>~:.:·::.!:·:..:::~~·:.'.~:~:",~;.~_":l.:;;:;;r~-l_' '.",~_ ~""1.._~, '"""''''-''''-:""'--=-·'''''''''''''?'''~">:,!:;;;t'<:,':;,=->t.:..~~.~':<::t:!''"'r.''''::'~':.:;::-:!.:'.-::-:::--->-:.::::::::.:-::::::::::-:..;::.:.:'".:::::=::::.::::::::.::::.:,~:"~::~.::~:. "~:::--:''''':'' ,! I * the problem of family violence in America and of mak­ Statement of ing suitable recommendations. The report which follows is not the final answer but will serve as the beginning of the Chairman a national approach to family violence. A victim offamily violence is no less a victim than one set upon by strangers. Chief William L. Hart Chairman The problem of family violence has existed for genera­ tions, yet it is only recently that this phenomenon has September 1984 begun to receive the attention it deserves. It is my hope that the findings and recommendations of this Task Force will serve as a catalyst to bring about solutions to the' many varied aspects of family violence. Family violence permeates all levels of our society. It is not unique to any particular social or economic group, nor is it restricted to anyone sex or age group. In the past, most instances of family violence, par­ I' ticularly sexual abuse, were kept secret within the f(;l,m­ j ily. Today, we are just begiijning to learn the true extent I of the problem as more and more family violence vic­ tims are It:~arning that they are not alone and are coming forward in growing numbers. During the course of our I { hearings, the Task Force heard extensive testimony which ; graphically demonstrated the terror and pain these vic­ tims continually experience. !" A victim of family violence is no less a victim
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