Notes from the 2nd World Conference on Women's Shelter, 2/27-3/1

If there could be a theme for this conference, it is the statement told to me by Pochi Tawla Matina from Cameroon: “Domestic and Sexual Violence is the same everywhere.”  Over 1600 attendees from ninety-five countries focused on the same problem. The stories were the same from every country attending the 2nd World Conference on Women’s Shelters.  The international aspect to the conference was one of intense and empowering solidarity.
THE WORKSHOPS:

1) The Economics of our Movement (all day workshop)

Talk of finances among survivors often triggers memories of abuse. There is first a need for financial abuse de-briefing. Absolutely have to have a legal separation from the batterer before beginning to get control over finances.

The presentation of the NNEDV/Allstate curriculum and it’s coverage of all aspects of financial literacy with a new emphasis in the digital age of safety issues.  I have two copies which I will bring to the meeting.  There is still no recognition of the value of the FRWC financial model.  I did present it in our small group discussions and to the whole group during the discussions.  I handed out all the fact sheets with our Madison Shelter mentoring statistics.   

A film was shown made by Gail Ferraro called “Grameen in America” about micro-credit in poor neighborhoods in New York City.

Mohammed Yunus, founder of the international micro-credit movement remarked in the film, ”there is a big hole in capitalism; there is no attention to social programs.” Many in the group agreed that the current US safety net is not a social support program. There were many suggestions that there is a need for a provision for victims of domestic violence to get unemployment.  As the most battering is among teens and early 20’s there was discussion about the need for early financial training. The proposed VAWA act has additional support for financial training.

I was struck by the fact that the weekly meetings of the micro-credit loan circles in this beautiful film were very much like the Madison Shelters meetings with the financial mentors and mentees.

2) Violence Against Women’s Act:  Lessons Learned

Every state and territory in the United States has a coalition against domestic violence.  If we were beginning today thirty years later we would also include a human rights agenda as well as focus on the criminal justice system to save more people’s lives.  The problems of structural poverty and racism influence women and their families’ safety in abusive ways.

We didn’t reach out to LGBT, male, and older victims. Structural violence all over the world affects women and men.  We need to deepen the understanding of the experience of women of color.  We are in essence social justice coalitions but that are trying to change the world through the gender biased criminal justice system.

Victims of racism, sexism, ageism, and homophobia are huge groups that do not experience safety with the criminal justice system and the child protection system.  We must continue as our primary focus to protect the victim’s voice including other languages and cultures.

The representatives at the workshop from Bangladesh brought up the idea of a law against economic violence against women as well as the one against physical violence.  There was a discussion about the isolation of immigrant communities and the need to do specialized outreach to those communities.

3) Missouri’s Project to Reduce Rules in Shelter

The Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violenc.(MCADSV) did a statewide project to examine and address an issue debated within the domestic violence movement, the assumption that certain types of rules must exist in order to operate a shelter for domestic violence victims and their children.  There were so many people who showed up we had to be moved to the ballroom.  The MCADSV published a booklet documenting the process of their study.  I will bring it to our meeting or email Laura Zahnd at laurz@mocadsv.org.

4) Maintaining Shelters and Insuring Women’s Rights in a Hostile Environment

Women for Afghan Women operates seven shelters in Afghanistan.  Over five thousand women and their families have passed through these shelters in the last five years.  The Organization has done a lot of work with the police and now there are many referrals from them. Many residents are escaping punishment from families for “honor crimes.”  Housing is a great issue.  The organization has established transition houses especially for single women.  The presenters are very nervous about what will happen to their shelters when the US military leave the country.

5) Redefining Peace (UN Resolution 1325): Developing a Popular Education Methodology to work with Women and Men

United Nations Resolution 1325 provides grants to countries who organize regional coalitions of both men and women to work on issues of domestic violence.  In Brazil each region developed an organizing methodology based on the celebrated educational curricula of Paulo Friere.  His curricula asked potential participants what a coalition of men and women should tackle in such a coalition.  The men and women focused on safety for women and children.  Some of the men talked of watching their mothers or sisters being abused and feeling helpless to do anything about it.  The coalitions in each region in Brazil elevate the problem of domestic violence to one that affects everyone in the society.

Former President Bill Clinton spoke to the conference about the impact of his mother’s abuse on him and “the insanity of denying full participation to half the population.”

6) Holding Abusers Accountable:  Two Perspectives

1. New York Court Model

Gregory White, Director of the Domestic Violence Program for Men at Catholic Charities in Buffalo, New York to stop men being abusive.  The program works in conjunction with the local Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  The program used to accept self-referrals from men for their 26 or 52 week programs.

At the advice of the Coalition they only accept court referrals. The coalition found that men would say in court that they were in a program and the courts would accept that as a sign of commitment to change their behavior.  The men would then quit immediately after the court date and the program would have no way to apply consequences. The program only accepts court referrals.  They report any absences or behavior problems to the court which could result in the lengthening of class time or even jail time.

2. Canadian Treatment Model

Katie Wiggins, Community House, Myles Ball, Changing Ways, Lisa Heslop, Police Service, London, Ontario Coordinating Committee. The court system doesn’t keep women safe because it focuses on “innocent until proven guilty” which doesn’t deal with the grave risk to women when they report or leave the batterer.  When the court system gets involved the woman has access to assistance or shelter but the batterer rarely avails himself of any services.  The batterer is more isolated than at any other time. This pilot model offered outreach treatment to the batterers.  This was outside the criminal justice system.  The results from the three month pilot project resulted in a 30 % decrease in battering and an even higher decrease of other non-battering crimes committed by the batterer compared to the control group.
 

7) Trauma Sensitive Yoga for Survivors of Domestic Violence

In the workshop, the trauma research of Bessel Van der Kolk, “The Effects of Overwhelming Experience  on Mind, Body and Society,” was referred to many times. The research focused on Yoga for victims of domestic violence. They found an almost 100% drop out rate among survivors of domestic violence as many movements in Yoga and other exercise programs trigger PTSD reactions.

They also screened a video of a woman being physically abused, her body curling up in response.  The video showed the same woman two years later after she had gotten away from her batterer looking very healthy but with her body still curled up.  She has back problems, etc.   Many of the Yoga moves to open up the body trigger a PTSD reaction i.e.  to open up your legs wide or even your arms wide or over your head.  Laura Grube, the workshop leader from Haven House in New York State led the workshop participants in a Yoga session.

Sitting in a chair, not on the floor, with knees and arms in a comfortable position, she encouraged us to begin slow movements with arms, raising legs, all only if comfortable.  The typical Yoga request to close one’s eyes is also not included as that sets off much discomfort.  Laura does many sessions with residents in shelters.  She constantly asks for feedback. Also we must be careful with trauma sensitive language…invite participants to do a certain exercise, never any direction that sounds like an order.