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Domestic abuse comes ‘out of the shadows’

By Andrew Amelinckx

GREENE COUNTY — “Every five days a person is killed by their intimate partner [in New York state],” said Amy Barasch, executive director for New York state’s Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV).

Barasch and others are trying to get the word out this October — Domestic Violence Awareness Month — on this crime that not only effects the victim, but those around them and the community as a whole.

OPDV is a state agency that works to improve the response of state and local communities to domestic violence calls through a variety of approaches, from working with high-ranking political leaders to providing educational outreach to the public.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month evolved from the “Day of Unity” observed in October 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The event has continued to grow annually. This year marked the first time OPDV asked people and agencies across the state to shine the light on domestic violence by turning the state purple.

“Purple has come to be synonymous with the prevention of domestic violence,” Barasch explained.

Barasch said that several agencies across the state have lit their buildings, including the Alfred E. Smith building in Albany, the Mid-Hudson Bridge connecting Ulster and Dutchess counties, and Brooklyn Borough Hall.

“It helps to bring it out of the shadows,” she said of the initiative.

Gov. David A. Patterson has signed a proclamation declaring October to be Domestic Violence Awareness Month. “New Yorkers join with all Americans in supporting victims of domestic violence ... and [send] an unwavering message to abusers that domestic violence will not be tolerated in our state,” he stated in a press release.

In Columbia and Greene counties, a local agency is also helping to spread the word.

According to Barbara Palmateer, director of Columbia-Greene Domestic Violence, they have been getting the word out about the problem of domestic violence and the agency’s programs through a variety of events, including a battle of the bands in Catskill, a drawing contest, a traveling bulletin board, a community appreciation day and a sandwich sale.

The CGDV, a non-profit agency with a 18-person staff, provides emergency shelter for up to 90 days to women and children suffering abuse.

“Last year we sheltered 208 women and children,” said Palmateer.

They also staff a 24-hour hotline that responded to 879 calls last year.

The CGDV also has a non-residential office that offers support groups and counseling, among other services. “We do orders of protection and advocacy,” said Palmateer. They helped in obtaining 191 orders of protection last year and had a total of 303 non-residential clients.

Another service the agency provides is in-service public awareness lectures to area agencies and businesses.

Palmateer has served as director of the program for six years, but has served the public much longer. “I’ve worked for Community Action for 20 years,” she explained.

The third annual Battle of the Bands, held the last Sunday of September, raised both money and awareness for the program. It was held at the Historic Catskill Point,” said Palmateer, “125 community members attended.”

She said between acts the event’s emcee quizzed attendees on statistics regarding domestic violence with winners receiving small gifts for answering the questions correctly.

The drawing contest, which has received help from local school districts and Stewart’s Shops, runs through the end of this week with the winner to be announced Nov. 7. “Stewart’s Shops donated free ice cream to the contestants,” said Palmateer.

Rules and information can be picked up at local Stewart’s Shops.

A traveling billboard created by the agency has been making its way to various local agencies. The billboard provided information on CGDV programs as well as statistics. “We got the word out that way,” said Palmateer.

Nolita, a cafe on Warren Street in Hudson, and Price Chopper grocery stores donated to the sandwich sale. This Friday the sandwiches will be delivered to those agencies that placed an order. “We went around to all the agencies,” said Palmateer.

For Community Appreciation Day her staff baked cookies, which were delivered to local service agencies along with information about CGDV. “We did it to let them know we and our clients appreciate all the work they do,” Palmateer said.

In Dutchess County, the Grace Smith House in Poughkeepsie, which serves the northern part of the county, provides shelter and apartments, advocacy, counseling and education to victims of domestic violence.

Palmateer said the CGDV was celebrating a victory on the domestic violence issue front. Patterson signed a bill into law in July that provides more people access to family court orders of protection, including dating couples, teens, and those in same-sex relationships.

“We’ve been fighting for this for 20 years,” she said.

Another statewide initiative that came about this year was the implementation of a comprehensive state agency policy on domestic violence. Barasch said that her office worked with the governor, state agency heads and union officials on the policy.

The cost-neutral initiative includes training of employees on domestic violence awareness and prevention, personnel procedures that respond to the needs of domestic violence victims, creation of workplace safety plans, and measures to hold accountable those who may use state resources to commit acts of domestic violence.

Barasch said that domestic violence can affect the workplace on many levels, including employees missing work due to abuse and harassment at work by the abuser. This is the first time ever all state agencies have implemented this kind of policy.

According to Barasch and Palmateer, domestic violence continues to be a problem on both a statewide and local level.

“Review the statistics,” said Palmateer. “It’s happening in our county.”

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