Forum will focus on domestic violence and its impact on community
ALBION – Holy Family Parish in Albion will host a forum on Tuesday on domestic violence and its impact on children and the community.
Orleans County District Attorney Joseph Cardone will be among the speakers at the forum, which begins 6:30 p.m. at Holy Family’s Lyceum, 106 S. Main St. The program will be on second floor of the Lyceum. An elevator is available.
Other panelists include Doris Valentin, Buffalo Diocese Counselor; and Dan Green, Catholic Charities, Tri-County Coordinator of Domestic Violence Programs. They will share their perspectives, exploring the extent of this problem (estimated to be in as high as a quarter of all homes), what’s being done and what the community can do to help.
Bob Golden, a retired Orleans County Probation director, helped to organize the program for Tuesday, Sept. 27. He cited the example of former Baltimore Ravens football player Ray Rice, who knocked his then fiancé unconscious with a blow to the head in an elevator. Golden said the Baltimore DA gave Rice lenient punishment for the crime. Golden said Rice received an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal, which means no conviction or jail time as long as Rice doesn’t break any other laws.
The forum will explore the following:
• Impacts on Children – Witnessing your mother being beaten, even once, (and domestic terror generally continues) has a profound and measurable effect on learning, judgment and behavior for all your life. So states a 2-year study of 17,000 Americans, conducted by Kaiser Co. and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. It was reported in a 4-part series in National Catholic Reporter. About one-third can recover from the experience, given other positive adult role models and treatment, Golden said.
• Domestic Violence and Mass Murderers: Several studies show that mass murderers have abused their wives, partners and many are under “Orders of Protection” when they do commit their atrocities.
• Firm Enforcement: Experiments and studies in several cities have shown that firm enforcement, including some jail time (even a short sentence) has a major impact on future behavior of the assaulters and dramatically reduces murders rates, Golden said.
