According to Channel 8, Karen Jarmoc, head of the CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence stated,
“The ‘Office of Violence Against Women,’ for example, host a training four times a year. It’s free. It’s for Family Court Judges, and since 2007 only five Connecticut judges have participated,” she said.
So let's look at this, 5 judges in the last eight years bothered to show up for a judges training on domestic violence offered to them free of charge.
It's big business to label domestic violence as "high conflict" in the family courts but with devastating results to those ultimately affected. No one in the family court seems to care about those costs. It's time that changed.
ReplyDeleteI do not understand why the "Violence Against Women" Act is systematically not being adhered to and enforced in the State of Connecticut. I also don't know why we women can't mobilize the necessary aggrieved persons demonstrations to march on Hartford. First stop the Judiciary. Why in the present age of Social Media call to arms is this so impossible? I grew up in the Vietnam Demonstration era, Kent State and all. Why aren't we adult/parents so inept at doing what we grew up with and changed the course of THAT war, when we ourselves are under siege here at home in our own State? How do we DO this call-to-arms March on Hartford, March on Meriden FBI Task Force on Public Corruption? Any suggestions out there how to amass the vox populi? Anyone? That's TRULY the only way...complete with Press Releases (including outside the Ct press).
ReplyDeleteDuring the Holocost, people stood by silent afraid to speak out against the government's mistreatment of a group of its people, the Jews. Today, people are likewise afraid to come forward to speak out publicly about a group of people, victims of domestic violence, and how they are being treated by the Judicial a Branch, specifically the Family Court System. Make no mistake, this is a modern day atrocity.
DeleteA march and media attention is a very good solution, but with victims afraid to come forward publicly this may be very difficult. The other difficulty is finding a dynamic, strong and courageous leader. The civil rights movement had Martin Luther King Jr who was like David in the battle with Goliath. If a leader could be identified, likely something like this could get off the ground.
Another solution is to individually lobby both the co-chairs of the Task Force To Study The Statewide Response To Domestic Violence so the issues of how victims of domestic violence are treated in family court becomes clear to them.
I think retaliation is a major problem and keep in mind that many members of the Coalition who came forward last year have been retaliated against. We are talking peoples' children--they have lost access to their children. I have been threatened and dragged into court myself. This is a very difficult situation. Add to it the complacency of CT citizens and their corporate mentality, their lack of concern for their neighbors, you have recipe for abuse and exploitation.
DeletePerfectly said. The modern day atrocity is the circumstances that exist that make the abuse and exploitation possible, effectively silencing some of those most vulnerable in society in CT - our women and children of all races, religion, and social class.
DeleteFamily court judges were invited to the CT Coalition for Family Court Reform's summer party in June. None attended. However, family court judges frequently attend events hosted by divorce industry trade associations. Family courts in Connecticut are simply a shakedown operation forcing parents to pay money to the divorce industry.
ReplyDeleteThey ask the wrong questions according to a former prosecutor and States Victim Advocate, but don't want training? It's absurd.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ctlawtribune.com/home/id=1202732500715/Michelle-Cruz-Judge-Asked-Wrong-Questions-to-Babys-Abused-Mother?mcode=1202615194860&curindex=0&slreturn=20150617171135