Sexual Assault: Never The Victim’s Fault

It has been said that a society is ultimately judged by its crimes, and perhaps rape is the crime by which our society will be evaluated. The definition of sexual assault as provided by Brown University is as follows: “Sexual assault is the legal term for rape, and it also encompasses other behaviours beyond forced sexual intercourse. Sexual assault can be any unwanted sexual contact, such as unwanted touching, fondling, or groping of sexual body parts. It can be committed by the use of threats or force or when someone takes advantage of circumstances that render a person incapable of giving consent, such as intoxication.” The statistics regarding sexual assault in the United States are astounding. According to RAINN (the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network – www.rainn.org), a woman is sexually assaulted every two and a half minutes. Further, they claim that one in every six American women is a victim of sexual assault. Finally, they state that 44% of sexual assault victims are under the age of 18. This is clearly an unacceptable state of affairs.

But these numbers are not the ones I want to discuss in this article. Sexual assault is a peculiar crime in that it is a crime which victims are hesitant to prosecute. RAINN suggests that half the sexual assaults committed are never reported to police. This severely restricts the means that our justice system can take action against the perpetrator. One never hears about a convenience store clerk who decides not to prosecute a robber or a victim of a carjacking declining to press charges, but somehow sexual assault seems to be a special crime.

The question on the tips of your tongues, no doubt, is: “Why is sexual assault so underreported?” One of the primary reasons sexual assault is underreported is that victims are afraid they will not be believed. One common response to sexual assault charges is to doubt or blame the victim. Our society has a pervasive belief that women frequently lie about sexual assault. This is a myth. According to the F.B.I., only 5.5% of reported sexual assaults are determined to be unfounded (which includes cases in which the judge found that there was insufficient evidence to convict). Other reasons women give for not reporting sexual assaults include fear of reprisals, desire to avoid an intrusive and uncomfortable rape examination, and the belief that sexual activity is a personal matter.

These reasons reveal a deeper problem – mistrust and mistreatment of women in our society. It is considered valid to argue that if a woman wears a short skirt, she is inviting rape. This is a fallacy however. Do we tell jewellers that they were inviting robbery by displaying their jewels in their store windows? Do we tell victims of car-jacking that they invited a car-jacking by having nice cars? No we do not. All I am asking you is to extend to victims of sexual assault the same courtesy we extend to victims of other crimes.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (henceforth, SAAM). During SAAM I ask that you take a few moments out of your day to consider the plight of women who have been sexually assaulted. If you would like to learn more about sexual assault or are interested in living a violence-free lifestyle, I cordially invite you to join me and the rest of the Safe Space staff at our Take Back The Night Rally on May 4 at 6:00 PM on the courthouse steps. There we can let our voices be heard that violence in all forms is unacceptable and that to better our lives, we should be more peaceful.

Sexual Assault Information

A Few Statistics For Your Consideration

Key Facts
· Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.
· One in six American women are victims of sexual assault, and one in 33 men.
· In 2004-2005, there were an average annual 200,780 victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault.
· About 44% of rape victims are under age 18, and 80% are under age 30.
· Since 1993, rape/sexual assault has fallen by over 69%

What should I do if I am sexually assaulted?
· Find a safe environment - anywhere away from the attacker. Ask a trusted friend to stay with you for moral support or contact your local shelter.
· Preserve evidence of the attack - don't bathe or brush your teeth. Write down all the details you can recall about the attack & the attacker.
· Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline, operated by RAINN, for free, confidential counseling, 24 hours a day: 1-800-656-HOPE.
· Get medical attention. Even with no physical injuries, it is important to determine the risks of STDs, unknown injuries and pregnancy.
o To preserve forensic evidence, ask the hospital to conduct a rape kit exam.
o If you suspect you may have been drugged, ask that a urine sample be collected. The sample will need to be analyzed later on by a forensic lab.
o Report the rape to law enforcement authorities. A counselor can provide the information you'll need understand the process.
o Remember it wasn't your fault.
o Recognize that healing from rape takes time. Give yourself the time you need.
o Know that it's never too late to call. Even if the attack happened years ago, the National Sexual Assault Hotline can still help. Many victims do not realize they need help until months or years later.
. What can I do to reduce my risk of sexual assault?
· Don't leave your beverage unattended or accept a drink from an open container.
· When you go to a party, go with a group of friends. Arrive together, watch out for each other, and leave together.
· Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
· Don't allow yourself to be isolated with someone you don't know or trust.
· Think about the level of intimacy you want in a relationship, and clearly state your limits.
. How can I help a friend who has been sexually assaulted?
· Listen. Be there. Don't be judgmental.
· Encourage your friend to seriously consider reporting the rape to law enforcement authorities. A counselor can provide the information your friend will need to make this decision.
· Be patient. Remember, it will take your friend some time to deal with the crime.
· Let your friend know that professional help is available through the National Sexual Assault Hotline.
· Encourage him or her to call the hotline, but realize that only your friend can make the decision to get help.

A History of Take Back the Night

A History of Take Back the Night (from www.takebackthenight.org)

Take Back the Night’s roots may lie in 1877 when women protested the fear and violence they experienced in the night-time streets of London, England. Others believe that the first rally occurred in 1976 when women attending the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women lit candles and took to the moonlit streets of Belgium to denounce the continuation of violence against women. While the origins of Take Back the Night may be disputed, its impact is undeniable. Since its inception, thousands of marches and rallies bearing the name Take Back the Night have taken place worldwide. The hope of Take Back the Night made its way stateside in 1978 when protesters in San Francisco invoked the slogan following an anti-pornography conference. On that night, those who had been adversely affected by pornography openly shared their stories with those who had gathered. Today, survivor speak outs are an inseparable part of Take Back the Night. Most present-day rallies offer survivors of violence an opportunity to give voice to their experiences and publicly affirm their transition from victim to survivor.

Common components of Take Back the Night rallies include candlelight vigils, empowerment marches, and survivor testimonials. The goals and specific features of a TBTN rally are just as varied as its vast array of supporters. Throughout its history, Take Back the Night has inspired both women and men to confront a myriad of social ills, including rape, sexual violence, domestic violence, violence against children, and violence against women. The unifying theme throughout these diverse topics is the assertion that all human beings have the right to be free from violence, the right to be heard, and the right to reclaim those rights if they are violated.

Donations and Contributions

Safe Space would like to thank the following individuals, businesses and organizations who donated financially and materially to Safe Space and Suited for Success between 01/01/2007 and 04/01/2007.

4-H Club
Irene Boyle
Mary Brandl
Jody Bickford
Sally Bridges
Helen Brown
Seila Burton
Connie Everly
Alana Ferki
Tori Hafer
Carol Heim
Michelle Held-Hoffman
Bernita Hoellein
James and Denise Holman
Lori Huff
Tricia Gallagher
Geoff Gallus
Sella Galvan
Evelyn Graham
Glen Granger
Joanne Greene
JC Penny Salon
Frank Juarez
Marie Kadillak
Ann Killoy
Pamela King
Mary Larkin
Holly Martell
Margaret Martell
Tim McCarthy
Kathy Morris
Geri Mihelich
Jean Mulcahy
Jessica Munson
Brad Newman
Mary North-Abbot
Amelinda Olson
Kelly Parina
Debbie Petersen
Patti Ratfish
Linda Rogers
Kathy Schelin
Catherine Shea
Michelle Sullivan
Eloise Sunberg
Sheryl Tremis
Stephen and Trudy Tomazich
Darlene Welsh
Brian Wolter
John Young
Jan Zimmerman

Donations
Donations can be dropped off at Curves for Women at 1001 Front St. If you are unable to drop off your donations at Curves, give us a call at 782-8511 and a Safe Space Advocate will arrange a time to come pick the donations up. Please remember to include your name and address with your donations so that we can send you a receipt.

Introductions

Belinda Ballard

Since this is my first newsletter, I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Belinda Ballard and I am the new Shelter II/Volunteer Coordinator. I received my Bachelors degree in Social Sciences from University of Montana-Western and my Masters in Social Work from West Virginia University.

My husband and I moved to Butte this spring from Morgantown, West Virginia. While I’ve never lived in Butte before, Montana is my native state and I am so happy to be back. I’m finding Butte to have a great sense of community spirit. I am so impressed with the support we receive from the Butte community and surrounding areas. Despite the frigid winter temperatures, Butte is a wonderful place to be.

I look forward to continuing my work at Safe Space. I work with a wonderful, dedicated team and I am so happy to be a part of something meaningful. Women’s issues are very important to me and I feel like I can make a difference here. I look forward to continued service at Safe Space.


Jori Liva

Hello! My name is Jori Liva and I am the new Director of Suited for Success. Many of you are probably wondering who the new lady running the show on Park Street is and what she is about. Well here is a little information to answer your questions.

I am a recent graduate of Montana Tech, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies and I am thrilled to be able to utilize my education for such a great organization. I am a Butte native who has always dreamed of being able to make a difference in the lives of others and when this job came available I was thrilled because not only could I help but I could do it in my home town.

I am forever an optimist and believe that there is good in all things and all people and this job is living proof. I believe that I am able to put so much into this job and all the things I do because of the amazing support system that I have. They are not only there for me every step of the way but also there when my optimism gets a little out of control.

My husband and I have been married nearly seven years and we have three beautiful children. My immediate family and in-laws are the best that anyone could ask for and together we have achieved great things.

Although I just recently became the director of Suited for Success there are a few things that I have noticed, without these things our organization would not be able to thrive as it does. These things are the amazing amount of community support that this organization receives and the people that make our existence possible through their unbelievable generosity. I look forward to working with all of you in the future and would like to thank you for the support you have given us in the past.

New Volunteers

In early November, Safe Space held a volunteer training. We had excellent turnout, and have added some wonderful volunteers. We’d like to welcome the following volunteers on board:

Chris Conell Cinda Seys
Bev Sloan Jori Liva

Thanks for joining us as volunteers. Your time is very precious to us and we appreciate it very much.

A Brief History of the Domestic Violence Movement

There have been several times, since I have begun working at Safe Space, where women will tell me they lived through domestic violence for a number of years. Often these women are older and their abuse is twenty or more years behind them. When they tell me their stories, they tell of having nowhere to go, that it was just something that came with marriage. They tell me of those they turned to simply encouraging them to be better wives and not do anything to incur their husband’s wrath. As a result, I started thinking about how the domestic violence movement was started and how it has grown throughout the years.

The problem of domestic violence has always been deeply entrenched in social norms and social acceptance. For a long period of our history, physical force was seen as an appropriate way to discipline a wife. Of course, there were limits to how much force was appropriate. Consider the ‘rule of thumb’ law – giving a husband the right to beat his wife, so long as it was with a rod no thicker than his thumb.

The 1800’s saw some changes in laws regarding marital abuse – some of these were good, some were not. In 1874, the “finger switch” rule was disavowed by the North Carolina Supreme Court. However, the court held that as long as the injury isn’t too great, it is best to keep it behind closed doors. Maryland, in 1882 became the first state to pass a law that made wife beating a crime. However, in 1857 a Massachusetts court recognized marriage as an exemption from being charged with rape.

The early 1900’s saw the formation of family courts to deal specifically violence in the family. This, unfortunately, was more of a diversionary tactic – further pushing the problem of domestic violence from the court system. Domestic violence was seen as a private problem, not something to be talked about or dealt with publicly. At this time, theories in psychoanalysis hold that women actually derive pleasure from being beaten.

The ‘60s set the stage for a dramatic change in attitudes regarding women. The feminist movement grew out of the civil rights movement. Women who were abused began talking, coming out from behind the closed doors and bringing their situations out into the open. They found they were far from alone and groups began to form. By the early ‘70s women were breaking the silence. This early stage of the domestic violence movement was marked by conscious raising and group forming efforts.

The next stage, beginning in the mid ‘70s, saw the need for services and safe places for women and children to escape the abuse. Women’s shelters began springing up across the country. The women behind the movement began framing the problem of domestic violence as a crime, not a private, family matter. In addition to creating shelters and providing services, they started advocating for social change. Also, at this time, states began drafting legislation to provide funding for domestic violence services.

During the mid ‘80s the focus shifted to a demand for accountability on the part of social systems, such as the legal system. Advocacy became central to the movement. State coalitions were forming to pressure justice systems to be more responsive to the problem of domestic violence and to hold abusers accountable. Among their demands were stronger sentencing for convicted offenders, mandatory pro-arrest statutes in responses to domestic violence assaults, and better training for police and court personnel.

The late ‘80s and ‘90s brought public awareness campaigns on local, state and federal levels. Education played a large role and foundations and government agencies provided funding to research models of intervention. The pressure for systemic change that began in the ’80s spread to healthcare systems, welfare systems, mental health systems, housing systems and many others. In 1994 the Violence Against Women Act was passed, providing $1 billion in funding for shelters, the training of law enforcement personnel and judges and support for crime-prevention efforts regarding violence against women. When O.J. Simpson was tried for the murder of his wife in 1994, nationwide coverage once again brought focus to the issue of domestic violence.

Currently, there are 1,900 domestic violence programs and state domestic violence coalitions in this country. We’ve come a long way from seeing domestic abuse as something that is either justified or a private matter. We still have a long way to go. There is a need to reach out to rural areas, Native American populations, minority women, women with disabilities, incarcerated women and other women left out of the mainstream domestic violence movement. The movement at this time remains dedicated to educating the public, pressuring social systems to respond appropriately, improving services, and advocating. In addition the domestic violence movement must continue to attack prevailing attitudes that hold that violence against women is acceptable.

Efforts are being made to reach other sectors of society as well. Religious communities, health care providers, employers and co-workers as well as friends and family members are encouraged to reach out to abused women. In many cases, women are more comfortable talking to these people than to trained domestic violence advocates. It is clear we all have an essential role to play.

Domestic Violence continues to be a widespread problem. It must continue to be addressed and brought into public awareness. However, it is important to realize the strides that have been made regarding this serious problem.

References

Important Stages of the Battered Women’s Movement in the United States
http://www.dvmillennium.org/Story.htm

Herstory of Domestic Violence: A Timeline of the Battered Women’s Movement
Minnesota Center Against Domestic Violence
http://www.mincava.umn.edu/docutments/herstory/herstory.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/domestic-vioilence

October

October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the Staff, Volunteers and Board of Directors of Safe Space would like to take a moment to thank the Butte Community and all the individuals and organizations that contributed so much.

To the following individuals, we are deeply grateful:

Chief Executive Paul Babb for Proclaiming DV awareness month in Butte-Silver Bow County.
Sheriff John Walsh, Officer Dan Murphy and the dedicated men and women of the Butte Police Department for all their continued hard work and dedication in working with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

The Acoma Restaurant staff and Lyle and Katie Nalivka for hosting our “Officer of the Year” luncheon and donating dinner for two to the officer.

Judy Fisher for donating her time to hold her “Rebuilding After Your Relationship Ends” Workshops, free of charge, at the Butte Plaza Mall.

Alana Ferko and the Butte Plaza Mall for their continued support and for once again hosting “The Silent Witness Exhibit” and “Hands Are Not For Hurting” workshop in which area children signed a pledge to be non-violent.

Melissa Hansen and the cast and crew of The Same Difference Inclusive Theatre Company for their presentation of “The Illustrated Woman” with proceeds going to benefit Safe Space.

Lisa O’Connell - for the endless hours and creative approach you dedicated to raising community awareness. Samantha, Willow, Arissa, Katlynn, Meghan, Ceara and Molly O’Connell for all you help.

Vicki Amundson and the Silent Witness Initiative for once again providing us with their powerful exhibit to assist in raising awareness in our community.

All the volunteers who helped set up and take down the Silent Witness exhibit; Jori and Geno Liva, Kirk, Jason, Lana and Jeanie Petersen, Julie Powers and Melissa Crosby. Doug Rubick, Kate Heiken, Dan Baum, Ty Gill, Casey Shea, Ross Wilkerson, Jordan Lay, Jacob Aisenbrey, Kyle Ashley and Don Pfeifer from the AADE ( American Association of Drilling Engineers) & SPE ( Society of Petroleum Engineers).

Kathryn Hurzeler and Americorps Volunteers for holding our “Hands Are Not For Hurting” Workshop; Kirsten Howells, Daneta Michalsky, Brandie Gould and Nicole Miller.

Officer Of The Year 2006 - Dan Murphy

We here at Safe Space are deeply aware of the vital role police officers play when called to a domestic violence situation. As a result, since 1997, we have been honoring the police officer who shows the most compassion, patience and understanding towards victims of domestic violence. Once a year we select a police officer to be awarded “Officer of the Year.” Our selection is based on questionnaires we ask our residents to complete regarding their interaction with the police involved.

This October, we held our tenth annual “Officer of the Year” luncheon at the Acoma Restaurant. The officer who received the award was Officer Dan Murphy. Officer Murphy deserved this award due to his compassion and professionalism when dealing with domestic violence calls. He has consistently acted with kindness and often went above and beyond what was required of him. Officer Murphy received a plaque, a letter of commendation to be placed in his file, and his name will be added to a plaque in the Sheriff's Department. He also received a gift certificate for dinner for two at the Acoma Restaurant. Thank you, Officer Murphy for being such a valuable asset to the fight against domestic violence in our community.


Officer Murphy and his family at the “Officer of the Year” Luncheon.



Executive Director, Tonya Geraghty, presents Officer Murphy with a plaque.

Butte's Silent Witness Exhibit

This past October, Butte was honored to host the Silent Witnesses. The Silent Witnesses were on display at the Butte Plaza Mall. Montana’s Silent Witnesses are brought to us by the Montana Silent Witness Initiative Inc. an organization modeled after the National Silent Witness Initiative, Inc. (NSWI). The NSWI began promoting an end to domestic violence in 1990 to promote hope, help, and healing for the victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. Their vision is to promote successful community-based domestic violence reduction efforts in order to reach zero domestic murders by 2010. The initial program was brought to Montana in 1996 and was established as a non-profit corporation in Montana in 1999.





The Silent Witnesses are life-sized plywood cutouts of a woman’s silhouette in three different poses. Each figure is painted bright red and has a gold shield on her chest which provides information about the woman and the circumstances of her death. Currently there are 48 figures in the display representing those Montana women who were murdered by a domestic partner since 1990. A figure is not added to the display until the case has gone through the court system and/or the perpetrator has never been found or was a suicide during the incident. The display is permanently displayed in Missoula, but can be requested by any organization in Montana for projects addressing domestic violence.

Donations and Contributions - Staff and Board of Directors

Traditional holiday imagery conjures pictures of abundant giving and generosity on the part of friends, family and neighbors. This year was no exception. The Butte community was so kind to us this holiday season. The outpouring of donations, food, money and gifts was nothing short of astounding. Butte really captured the holiday spirit. It is so wonderful to serve in such a supportive community. It is our duty to help, protect and support families in crisis in this community and we couldn’t do it without the immense support given to us here. It is a wonderful relationship. We serve this community and the community in turn encourages and supports us. Thanks Butte, you really do help to make it all worthwhile.

Please know if we inadvertently missed anyone, we apologize. It is not due to a lack of appreciation. We’re deeply grateful for everyone’s consideration and thoughtfulness.

Donations & Contributions
Safe Space would like to thank the following individuals, businesses and organizations who donated financially and materially to Safe Space and Suited for Success between 9/01/06 and 12/31/06. Thanks for the support; we couldn’t do it with out you!

November Donations!

We received many boxes of generously filled women’s and children’s toiletry bags from Aldersgate United Methodist Church.
Thanks for helping our residents have a more comfortable stay!

The Classy Clovers 4-H Club provided us with all the fixings for a fabulous Thanksgiving turkey dinner. It was cooked to perfection and thoroughly enjoyed by all. Thanks Classy Clovers!

To the Holy Spirit Confirmation Group, thank you so very much for the
wonderful children’s gift bags. You are so kind.

Thank you to everyone who donated Christmas gifts to local families!

4-H Classy Clovers
Bath and Body Works
MT Tech Women
Sandy, Jan and Lori Hodges
Thank you, Nancy and Larry Hoffman for your generous donation.

To the following Vocational Clubs at Butte High School, thank you for the toiletry items:

Business Professionals of America
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America
Skills USA
And the students in Business, FACS and Industrial Classes

Thank you for the creative and adorable homemade teddy bears,
Lefever and Morris Home Economics Classes.

To Steve and his wood working class from Montana Tech. College of Technology,
thank you for the wonderful toys you made.

The Action Kiwanis donated some wonderful backpacks to us - filled with blankets, stuffed animals, blankets and t-shirts. Thank you so much.

Ken and Kathy Schelin honored their parents, Tony and Donna Jangula
with a donation for Christmas, thank you!

December Donations!

Amelinda Olsen
Barbara Orphan
Bertha O'Krusch
Bob Harris
Bonnie M. Davies
Brad G. Newman
Brian Wolter
Cassandra Chambers
Chapter G-PEO
Christian Women's Fellowship
Cinda Seys
Clive Kinlock
Colleen and Wayne Harper
Colleen Golinger
Colleen Paul
Connie Taverna
Cookie Jordan
Copper City Women's Club
Dan and Robin Kelly
Danielle Garcia
Deb Lowen
Debbie Jackquer
Dianne Kimball
Donna Raffael
Edith Davenport
Elizabeth Zobenica
Erin Marie Angove
Esther Spear
Frank Juarez
Geoff Gallus
Geri L. Wyant
Geri Mihelich
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church Women
Halvor & Carolyn Kamrud
Helen Sanderson
J. Janhunen
James Johnson
Jan Zimmerman
Jeanette Kapps
Joan Olson
Jody Bickford
Josh A. Young
Joyce Fisher
Judy Hendrickson
Junette Hedval
Kathleen Bauer
Kathy Taras
Kim Fry
L. Pesanti
Ladies Order of Ancient Hibernians
Linda Minich
Linda Rogers
Lorrie Roberts
Margaret & Henry Peterson
Marie Cashell
Mark A. Stauffer
Marvin Balback
Mary & D. M North-Abbott
Mary Ann Flammond
Mary Lou and Kevin Jaansalu
Mary Lu Wilson
Mary Markovich
Melanie Jean Watts
Melissa Grutsch
Michelle Held-Hoffman
Mike Newman
Mike Pratt
Miranda Worthington
Miriam & Courtney Young
Miriam King
Misti Dauenhauer
Mom’s Club
Ms. Joan Richards
Myrna Leipheimer
Nancy Nanbeck
Pam Kelly
Pam King
Paul & Loralee Beatty
Peter & Sally Figdor
Phil and Peg Winninghoff
Phyllis Costello
Quinn McCarthy
Rebecca Ballard
Robert C. Brown
Roger Walls
Ron Davis
Sandi Seccomb
Sandi Young
Suela Galvan
Tammy Brunell
Teri Kilmer
Theresa Kilmer
Tori Hafer
UM Law Review
Vernon & Barbara Griffiths
Vlad Babich

Safe Space Staff and Volunteers!

Tonya Geraghty — Executive Director
Carolyn Moore — Shelter I Coordinator
Betty Mealey — Shelter Supervisor
Belinda Ballard — Shelter II/Volunteer Coordinator
Jonathan Figdor— Public Relations Attaché / Webmaster
Janet Downey — Accountant
Marci Robinson— Women’s Group Facilitator/Volunteer
Krystal Johnston—Children’s Group Facilitator

Our Volunteers...The Heart and Soul of The Program!!
Francine Coombe
Marci Robinson
Stephanie Black
Erin Garlinghouse
Chris Connell
Cinda Seys
Bev Sloan
Jori Liva

Safe Space Board of Directors
Sandi Seccomb — President
Gerri Steward — Vice President
Melissa Hansen — Secretary
Paul Babb
Erin Garlinghouse
Gretchen Geller
Julie Janacaro
Brad Newman
Melissa Hansen
Ed Randall
Rev. Elton Smith
Dan Thompson
Bob Whelan

The Big Show 107.1 FM Gave Us A Big Show

This past Sunday (the 21st of January), at The Silver Dollar, The Big Show (107.1 FM) threw a benefit concert for Safe Space that was quite literally "off the proverbial hook." Metal fans heard a great band (EndEver) perform some pretty sick heavy metal. As a metal fan I can tell you this band is really going somewhere. All the proceeds from the event were donated to Safe Space. Today I was a guest of The Big Show where they interviewed me about my experience with Safe Space. I presented the hosts (Johnny and Paulie) with a community outreach certificate of appreciation. These guys are great and are even planning a second benefit for Safe Space. If you have any questions about this event, please don't hesistate to call me. My cell phone number is 914 954 3276 (I might take a little bit to call you back about the concert since the date hasn't been confirmed yet).

Editor’s Note

Editor’s Note

Summer is winding down, which means my favorite season, Fall, will be here for a few weeks, and then it, too, will fade as the Butte Winter approaches. October is ‘National Domestic Violence Awareness’ Month. We at Safe Space work very hard to increase our community outreach, education and support during this month. One of our signature events is The ‘Domestic Violence Officer of the Year’ Award Luncheon. This will be our tenth year honoring officers who go above and beyond the call of duty to serve survivors of domestic violence. Additionally, we are planning to start a new, 10-12 week support group on Thursday evenings. For more information on this “Rebuilding” group, contact our information line at 782-8511. This group is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Same Difference Inclusive Theatre Company will be performing the “Illustrated Woman” a drama about domestic violence, sexual assault and Dissociative Identity Disorder with proceeds to benefit Safe Space. Showings will be Oct. 20th and 21st @ 7:00 pm and 22nd @ 2 pm. Admission is by donation and location is the MoFAB Building (old YMCA) 400 W. Park. For more information please call: 498-3483. In closing, enjoy the last days of summer, and thank you for your continued generosity and support.

From The Director’s (Messy) Desk

Every time I sit down to write my piece for the newsletter, I am surprised anew by all of the changes and happenings that have occurred over the past few months. Our shelter has had quite a few “maintenance” problems with our roof, and the community has stepped up and helped us out when we really needed it. Our roof had quite a bit of damage which in turn caused leaking and ceiling damage throughout the top floor of the shelter. Reverend Elton Smith rallied the forces and sought financial assistance from North Western Energy, and informed other churches and civic organizations about our plight. Thank you to everyone who has helped us through financial contributions to repair our roof; St. John’s Episcopal Church, Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Sandi Seccomb and The Sunrise Kiwanis Club, The Ministerial Association, and The Butte Exchange Club. We’re hoping to have the inside and outside repaired before the snow starts flying (which could be any day now)!
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I would also like to welcome Jonathan Figdor, our new Vista Volunteer who will be with us for a year. John comes to us from Vassar College in upstate New York where he received a bachelors degree in Philosophy with Departmental Honours. He replaced Kathryn Hurzeler, who finished up her year of service with us in August and has taken a position at Montana Tech. Thank you, Kat, for all of your help throughout the year.
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I’d like to send out special congratulations to Brad Newman, Butte-Silver Bow Chief Deputy County Attorney (and Safe Space Board Member!) for his recent recognition of his efforts in support of victim’s rights. Brad was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Montana County Attorneys’ Association’s annual meeting in July. This award was given in honor of Mr. Newman’s efforts in addressing domestic and sexual violence in our state. Brad has worked as a chief prosecutor in Silver Bow County for 18 years, and represented Butte in the state legislature from 2000-2004. During his time “Up on the Hill”, he championed several victim’s rights bills in the state legislature and worked tirelessly to see them through. We appreciate you taking a stand and speaking for those whose voices often go unheard.

Date Rape

Of all women's fears, that of being raped is the darkest. Worried parents make veiled allusions to the threat of rape by cautioning their daughters, from early childhood on, never to talk to strange men. Yet in most cases the rapist is not a stranger. Up to four of five rapes in the United States are committed by people who already know their victims. Rapists may be neighbors, coworkers, casual acquaintances, dating partners, former boyfriends—even husbands.
An underreported crime, a woman is raped every six minutes in the United States. Although that figure is disturbingly high, it actually tells only part of the story, since it takes into account only those rapes reported to the authorities. Most rapes—by strangers or acquaintances—go unreported. A 1988 survey by the U.S. Justice Department found that fewer than half the victims of attempted or completed rapes reported their attacks to the police. A 1990 study for the Senate Judiciary Committee found that only one rape victim in ten reported her assault. Many rape victims feel overwhelmed by fear of reprisal by the rapist, a sense of guilt or shame, and fear of public exposure given the social stigma attached to having been raped, and are therefore unwilling to go through the further ordeal of a public trial.
These pressures against speaking out may weigh even more heavily in an acquaintance rape. Burdened by an additional popular misconception—that the rape victim must have been "asking for it" all along—some women feel so guilty that they may themselves begin to doubt whether a rape really occurred. It is widely acknowledged that the percentage of acquaintance rapes that go unreported is even higher than that for stranger rape. Hence, the social myth that only strangers commit rape persists. Especially in acquaintance rape cases, the justice system is far from a sure recourse. Even if charges are filed and the state decides to prosecute, chances are relatively good that the rapist will escape conviction. As many as 80 percent of rapes are committed by acquaintances, but roughly 80 percent of convictions are for stranger rapes. There may be many reasons for this, according to Susan Estrich, a law professor at the University of Southern California and the author of Real Rape, a book about acquaintance rape. Juries have traditionally been reluctant to convict in cases where there is no evidence that physical force was used or where the victim exhibited "contributory behavior," such as drinking or being alone with the defendant in a car or bedroom. Most crucially, says Estrich, juries tend to take any evidence of a prior relationship—especially a sexual one—between defendant and complainant to mean that the latter consented to sex at the time, and alleged rape only later. With this in mind, prosecutors are more hesitant to take acquaintance rapes to trial—which, in turn, further discourages victims from speaking out in the first place.

When a Date Goes Awry

"Date rape," in which a date ends in forced sex, was making headlines across the United States even before William Kennedy Smith, a nephew of Senator Edward Kennedy, was tried in December 1991 on charges of sexual battery in connection with an alleged rape. The charges were filed in May based on a woman's statement to police that Smith had raped her on March 30 at the Kennedy's Palm Beach, Fla., estate, where the two had gone after meeting at a bar earlier that evening. Smith, whose defense was that the woman consented to sex at the time, was acquitted of all charges (after a sensational televised trial that drew massive media coverage); jurors deliberated only briefly and cited inconsistencies in the complainant's testimony. It was a textbook example of date rape as an issue, in all its ambiguity and complexity. The past decade has seen an upsurge of reported date rapes on college campuses, from Ivy League schools to large state universities. Increasingly, female students have alleged that they were raped by fellow students, with the attacks often taking place after parties at which large amounts of alcohol were consumed. At Brown University in Providence, R.I., female students went so far as to scrawl the names of their alleged rapists on the bathroom walls as a warning to other potential victims. Members of male athletic teams and fraternities have been implicated in a high proportion of the campus rape reports. A 1984-1985 survey of undergraduates on 32 campuses, by University of Arizona psychologist Mary P. Koss, found a third of campus sexual assault cases involved athletes.

Drawing the Line

Date rape is sometimes a gray area—especially when both parties are young people who may still be in the process of defining their own values. It is vital that a woman be able to say a clear "yes" or "no" to sexual contact, but this is not always easy to achieve in a romantic encounter, where both people may be unsure of each other's, and even their own, expectations. Mystery and ambiguity are seen by many as essential elements of a successful romance, yet mixed signals run the risk of being interpreted as consent. A further problem is the perception on the part of some men that women feel obliged to resist sexual advances even when they really want sex. Peer pressure on men to "score" sexually adds an element of aggression to dating that may contribute to date rape, particularly, for men in groups such as athletic teams and fraternities. It is not surprising that many reports of campus rape cite alcohol consumption by one or both parties as a factor. Drinking only compounds the difficulty in giving and receiving sexual signals—arguably, even to the point where a woman can be refusing sex while the man believes she is consenting. If the woman later charges rape, evidence that she has been drinking will undermine her credibility with police, prosecutors, and jury alike. Campus date rape has become so controversial that it is hard even to agree on terms. Standard legal definitions of rape apply most readily to stranger rape, and the laws themselves vary greatly from state to state. Among students and campus sexual assault counselors, there is a widespread feeling that the concept of rape as forced intercourse needs to be widened so that "intercourse" encompasses other forms of unwanted sexual activity and "force" is clearly understood to include threats and other forms of intimidation. Some people claim that any undesired sexual overture, and even verbal harassment or innuendo, constitute rape. This highly politicized view sees rape as an extreme form of a generalized oppression of women by men. On the other side, arguments run from the biological—that men are programmed to be persistent and women to resist, at least at first—to the idea that an extremely broad definition of rape would minimize the impact of the most serious offenses. Some feminists feel that greatly broadening the definition would actually undermine women by implying that they cannot take full responsibility for their behavior, as though the law had to compensate for their vulnerability to manipulation. While the political battles rage, students and the colleges themselves are taking practical action. Around the United States, students have organized their own rape forums and demonstrations, both as a warning to other students and to prod college administrations to tackle the issue publicly. Rape awareness seminars for men and women are increasingly showing up on orientation programs for new students, and many institutions now require attendance at them. The University of Rochester responded to reports of rapes by athletes by having athletic coaches participate in its rape awareness programs.

Rape Laws: A Double Victimization?

Any woman who admits publicly to having been raped encounters a pervasive belief that she must somehow have brought it on herself, especially if an acquaintance was the assailant. Many people think that if a woman has been drinking or flirting, or was alone with a man in a room or car, she was "asking for it," probably wanted sex, but in any case deserved whatever she got. The 1988 film The Accused, which won actress Jodie Foster an Oscar for her portrayal of a hard-drinking, flirtatious victim of a gang rape, examined how this stereotype compounded the victim's ordeal as it followed her from the hospital examination to the courtroom. A dramatization and discussion session on date rape at Tufts University brought another rebuttal of the myth: "Drinking," a participant pointed out, "is not a rapable offense." But blaming the victim was enshrined in much of the traditional body of law covering rape. Even as recently as 1973, California's standard jury instructions for rape cases included the following quotation from the 18th-century English jurist Lord Hale: "Rape is an accusation easily to be made and hard to be proved, and harder to be defended by the party accused, tho never so innocent." The jury instructions went on to require that the "female's testimony be examined with caution". California was not atypical in this respect. The admonition to distrust the complainant could be especially crucial in an acquaintance rape trial. Whereas stranger rape cases may raise questions of identification and use of physical force, acquaintance rape cases tend to center on consent. With the jury already predisposed against the complainant, a defendant's claim that she consented initially and changed her mind later, or that she offered no resistance so he did not realize she was unwilling, would frequently suffice to secure an acquittal. It can still be extremely difficult to get a conviction for acquaintance rape, and the complainants still risk being portrayed as vengeful or promiscuous liars. Ironically, evidence of physical injury may be required to counteract this claim—even though a common response of rape victims is to submit to the crime so as to avoid additional harm.

Donations and Contributions

We would like to thank all of the individuals, businesses, and organizations that made financial contributions or donations of goods to Safe Space and Suited for Success between July 1, 2006 and August 31, 2006.

Donated to Safe Space:
Aldersgate United Methodist Church
Evaline Ball
Lyndy Ballard
Jody Bickford
Patricia Boroni
Butte Big Brothers/Sisters
Butte Celebrations
Butte Exchange Club
Butte Ministerial Assoc.
Cassandra Chambers
Computech
Jim Conroy
Copper City Wireless
Edna Cowell
Patrick & Eileen Donohue
Janet and Jim Downey
Lou Eveland
Connie and Robert Everly
Fine Fabric Care
Mary Anne Flammand
Tricia Gallagher
Joanne Green
Cookie Jordan
Sarah Kennedy
Kids Quilt for Kids
Mollie Kirk
Mary Larkin
Kim Loberg
Deb Loewen
Colleen Mandic
Rose McDermott
Montana Law Review – UM
Diane Murray
Peter and Nancy Norbeck
Leda Nugent
North Western Energy
Bertha O’Krusch
Janet Pace
Jackie Philpot
Mike Pratt
Patti Rafish
Rocky Mountain Credit Union
St. John’s Episcopal Church
Jerome Stradinger
Heather Strickland
Sarah Sullivan
Eloise Sundberg
The Tremis Family
Carol Viche
Grace Warnke
Geri L. Wyant
Chloe YoungJan Zimmerman

Donators to Suited for Success:
Jeannette Ellen Berry
Debbie Bajovich
Ellen Donohue
Michele McCarthy
Bertha O’Krusch
Helen Ouellette
Doris Quinn
Becky Rohlich
Leonard Rundle
Teresa Verlanic
Sandy Walsh

Thank you for your thoughtfulness and caring!!