RES 022 Draft 02 2010-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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PART II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION A. THE PROBLEM Violent acts toward women continue to be difficult crimes to successfully prosecute and hold perpetrators accountable. Underreporting of domestic violence and sexual assaults is a persistent problem and victims suffer numerous long-term negative effects that can impact their families and the communities they live in. Hawaii County can combat crimes against women by raising professional, personal, and community awareness about this crime, making violence in any form unacceptable in all communities, being supportive of those who have been victimized, and having offenders take responsibility for their actions. Nationally, one of four women has experienced domestic violence in her lifetime. Women of all races, social, and economic status are equally vulnerable to violence by an intimate partner. Additionally, one in five female high school students reports being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner. 76 % of female homicide victims were stalked prior to their death. In Hawaii, one woman is murdered by her partner every 20-30 days. Murder is the ultimate act of violence, and Hawai'i County is not exempt from this crime. On December 30, 2009, a young mother of two was shot by her boyfriend who then shot himself. Nine days earlier, she had been granted a temporary restraining order against him. In May 2010, a mother of three was stabbed by her husband in Downtown Hilo. Dozens witnessed the brutal Memorial Day weekend attack and intervention by a few people stopped him, but not in time to save her life. Understanding the issues surrounding sexual assault and domestic violence can help to identify risk factors for lethal acts toward victims, children, third parties, and even the offenders. With the return of veterans from Iraq, there are additional questions about appropriate services and responses by the criminal justice system when domestic violence is perpetrated. Due to the state's economic situation, opportunities for training are very limited. However, the problem of violence against women is an ongoing concern. Addressing this problem by providing training on the Big Island for those who investigate, prosecute, judicially determine, or support victims and offenders will hopefully result in a collective effort to avoid not only further loss of life, but also offer safety to our community. B. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The goal is to improve the criminal justice system's response to crimes of violence against women through improving the skills and knowledge base of law enforcement, judiciary, and others, and identifying areas for improvement in the current system. The objectives are: a) to increase stakeholders' knowledge in the area of violence against women, particularly to gain an awareness of and encourage appropriate responses to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence;