|
| 29 Jun 2008 - 23:09 | Kim Plater
kimplater@aol.com
|
In November, 2007 Monica Thomas Harris was kidnapped (2 times), assaulted, raped and threatened by her estranged husband Curtis Harris. She reported this to the police and he was arrested by West Covina Police Department. Curtis was in custody awaiting trial when he was offered a plea (16 months in State Prison). He had a previous "strike" and was an Ex-felon in possession of a handgun. The DA refused to file rape charges, discounted the "strike" violation, and recommended Harris be released for 30 days to get his affairs in order. He was released on December 21, 2007 and kidnapped Monica again on January 4, 2008 and eventually murdered her. The DA conducted an investigation and determined every staff member involved in this case violated either a policy, criminal law or Monica's victim's rights. Please read this report (located on the web site at the Los Angeles County District Attorney Office, under "important documents" - the case of Curtis Bernard Harris (not easy to find). Also know that this report was issued by the DA the day AFTER he was re-elected to his position. I hope this information can be included on your web site.
|
|
| 29 Jun 2008 - 23:05 | doris
becerra@hotmail.com
|
he sido victima de violencia domestica por 3 anos
* y no he podido acusarlo por que no tengo documentos,nosotros nos casamos,y ahora que tenemos que presentarnos a la corte para la entrevista de inmigracion el diece que lo siente pero no va a ir conmigo por que el quieren que me deporten.no se que hacer,yo fui a la a yuda para la mujeres de victima y tengo los cursos hechos alli,tambien tengo el record delictivo de el me di cuenta que es muy grande,pero nunca llame a la policia por miedo.ahora no se que hacer por que inmigracion me dio arresto domiciliario hasta que valla a la corte.para darme el ajuste de estatus o la deportacion.
|
|
| 29 Jun 2008 - 10:18 | cimacnoticias
URL: www.cimacnoticias.com/site/08062708-ILE- . . .
|
Y a recomendación de CEDAW
ILE, respuesta del Estado a CIDH luego del caso Paulina: Álvarez Icaza
Por Lourdes Godínez Leal
México DF, 27 junio 08 (CIMAC).- Con la despenalización del aborto durante las primeras 12 semanas de gestación en el Distrito Federal, la Asamblea Legislativa del Distrito Federal (ALDF) dio cumplimiento a compromisos adquiridos por el Estado mexicano ante la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH), derivados del caso Paulina, la joven a quien las autoridades de Baja California negaron su derecho a un aborto legal por violación en 1999.
Así lo señaló hoy el titular de la Comisión de Derechos Humanos del Distrito Federal (CDHDF) Emilio Álvarez Icaza, durante su participación en la sexta y última audiencia pública sobre la despenalización del aborto, convocada por la Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (SCJN) que revisará el recurso de inconstitucionalidad promovido por la Procuraduría General de la República (PGR) y la Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos (CNDH) contra esta Ley.
En una argumentación apoyada en los instrumentos internacionales que México ha signado, Álvarez Icaza dijo que la ALDF cumplió los compromisos con la CIDH, ya “que mediante el oficio circular número 2192 del 4 de abril de 2006, la Secretaría de Salud federal comunica a los servicios estatales de salud el propósito de fortalecer la garantía de no repetición de violaciones al derecho de las mujeres a la interrupción legal del embarazo”.
Lo anterior formó parte de la solución amistosa entre el Estado mexicano y la CIDH en el caso de Paulina, quien en 1999, a los 13 años de edad, fue violada en Baja California y como consecuencia quedó embarazada de su agresor.
Cuando Paulina y su madre quisieron hacer uso de su derecho a un aborto legal por violación, como lo estipula la legislación en algunas entidades federativas, el Gobierno le negó este derecho y Paulina tuvo que seguir con un embarazo no deseado.
El caso fue llevado ante la CIDH, quien en marzo de 2007 publicó la solución amistosa, donde el Estado mexicano se comprometió a evitar la repetición de estos hechos y garantizar a las mujeres el derecho a realizarse un aborto legal.
Álvarez Icaza también recordó a las y los ministros de la Corte que en 2006 el Comité de Expertas de la Convención para la Eliminación de Todas las formas de Discriminación contra las Mujeres (CEDAW) pidió al Estado mexicano armonizar la legislación relativa al aborto en los niveles federal y estatal.
continua....
http://www.cimacnotici as.com/site/08062708-ILE-respuesta-del.3 3747.0.html
|
|
| 29 Jun 2008 - 10:03 | cimacnoticias
URL: www.cimacnoticias.com/site/08062709-Inve . . .
|
Política represiva a jóvenes por “combate” a drogas: experta
Investigan testimonios de abuso sexual en operativo News Divine
Por Guadalupe Cruz Jaimes
México DF, 27 junio 08 (CIMAC).- Con el operativo policíaco realizado el pasado viernes 20 de junio en la discoteca News Divine, además de la muerte de 12 personas, quedó al descubierto la incidencia de los cuerpos policíacos en el abuso sexual en contra de las mujeres jóvenes detenidas.
Según Rodolfo Feliz Cárdenas, procurador de Justicia capitalino “hay siete averiguaciones previas por presuntas vejaciones, maltratos y abusos que sufrieron mujeres menores de edad que fueron detenidas durante el operativo que se realizó en la discoteca News Divine, dos de las denuncias corresponden a abusos cometidos durante el traslado y la estancia en el sector Aragón y cinco más al sector Pradera”.
Más de 30 adolescentes denunciaron que fueron obligadas a desnudarse para ser fotografiadas después del operativo en News Divine, esto ocurrió en el área Médico Legista de la Fiscalía Desconcentrada en Gustavo A. Madero, según informó el Universal online.
Una vez que fueron sacadas del antro, las autoridades les ordenaron quitarse la ropa para ser fotografiadas, con el argumento de que tenían que observar las áreas donde recibieron los golpes. Las jóvenes fueron despojadas de sus ropas para practicarles un presunto examen médico ante el Ministerio Público.
El titular de la Comisión de Derechos Humanos del Distrito Federal (CDHDF), Emilio Álvarez Icaza, señaló hoy en conferencia de prensa que desde la noche del viernes 20 de junio se tienen registrados los testimonios de las jóvenes que denunciaron abuso sexual cometido por los policías capitalinos.
continua....
|
|
| 27 Jun 2008 - 09:03 | CLADEM
URL: www.cladem.org/espanol/regionales/cadena . . .
|
Licenciado
Marlon Brevé
Ministro
Secretaría de Educación
Su Despacho
De nuestra mayor consideración:
Reciba los saludos cordiales del Comité de América Latina y el Caribe para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos de la Mujer, CLADEM, articulación dedicada a la promoción y defensa de los derechos humanos de la mujer, que agrupa a organizaciones no gubernamentales en 17 países de la región.
Por este medio deseamos expresar nuestra preocupación y malestar debido al franco retroceso que trae como consecuencia su decisión de llegar a consensos con los grupos fundamentalistas religiosos de Tegucigalpa, en la revisión de las guías metodológicas para docentes Cuidando mi salud y mi vida. Además, para informarle que las organizaciones con las que consensuará el material educativo, a excepción de las instituciones gubernamentales, todas están vinculadas a los grupos de extrema derecha de las iglesias, católica y evangélica, tanto en Honduras como a nivel del continente.
La organización ICEF, Instituto de Colaboración y Educación Familiar es una organización que existe en Centro América (http://www.fundacionicef.org/historia.h tml) y su directora o presidenta en Honduras es la misma de CEVIFA, Centro de Educación, Vida y Familia (http://www.aci-erp.hn/html/orgs/cevifa/ html/perfil_institucional.htm, www.cevifa.org), de la AEF, Asociación Educación y Familia de donde dependen las escuelas y centro Opus Dei en Honduras (http://www.aef.hn/?articulo=1008) y fundadora del Comité Provida (http://www.providahonduras.com). Los grupos de padres de familia, UNPE, Unión Nacional de Padres Preocupados por la Educación y Padres de Familia en Acción, están vinculados a ellas y a sus escuelas, todos/as ellos con poder económico. Los padres y madres de familia de escasos recursos económicos que los siguen han sido manipulados de la misma forma como pretendieron hacer a fines del 2006 a través de medios de comunicación como Frente a Frente, 30/30, El Heraldo y otros.
En otras oportunidades, también para entorpecer procesos de construcción de políticas públicas (Políticas de Salud Sexual y Reproductiva, Normas de Atención Integral a la Mujer, Normas de Atención Integral a los y las Adolescentes, Ley de VIH, uso de Pastillas Anticonceptivas de Emergencia, etc.), han utilizado las mismas estrategias que en el caso de las guías y suelen acompañarse con otros grupos afines a ellos, tales como la Vicaría de Familia de la Iglesia Católica, la Asociación para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia Hondureña (ADIFAMH), la Alianza Latinoamericana de la Familia (ALAFA) y el Movimiento Familiar Cristiano. Todos estos grupos, de origen religioso, son los que muchas veces deciden en un Estado donde la Constitución de la República, sin lugar a dudas, establece que la educación debe ser laica.
Llegar a consenso con estos grupos implica la negación de la realidad que viven los y las adolescentes en Honduras ya que para los grupos a los que usted ha dado esta oportunidad, la sexualidad se reduce a negar información sobre la misma o sesgarla hacia la abstinencia hasta el matrimonio, cuando en la práctica y la vida real, los y las jóvenes menores de 18 años, en más de un 59%, tienen relaciones sexuales y no se cuidan de sus consecuencias, precisamente por la falta de información y la condena de quienes se erigen como sus jueces morales. No se trata de obviar la abstinencia, pero tampoco se puede obviar que se está educando para la libertad, para decidir como personas responsables, para promover el respeto hacia sí mismo/as y hacia las demás personas. Al negarle u ocultarles parte de la información, obviamente se está tutelando a personas que se cree no pueden ser libres, no pueden decidir y no son responsables.
Creemos que si usted toma decisiones democráticas, éstas no se pueden quedar solamente con la visión de pequeños grupos que además de desconocer las realidades de los pobres (porque no lo son), promueven la doble moral y pretenden tener la verdad absoluta por inspiración divina. En ese sentido, escuchar a otras voces, especialmente a técnicos/as que basan sus observaciones y sugerencias en evidencia científica y no en dogmas de fe podría servir para garantizar una mejor educación sexual para niños y niñas que en consecuencia, además, contribuye a que sus vidas sean libres de violencia, de infecciones de transmisión sexual y del VIH/SIDA .
Atentamente,
Norma Enríquez - CLADEM Coordinación Regional
Mónica De las Casas - CLADEM Oficina Regional
CLADEM Argentina
CLADEM Bolivia
CLADEM Brasil
CLADEM Chile
CLADEM Colombia
CLADEM Ecuador
CLADEM El Salvador
Asociación de Mujeres Flor de Piedra - San Salvador, El Salvador
CLADEM Guatemala
CLADEM Honduras
Centro de Derechos de Mujeres – Tegucigalpa, Honduras
CLADEM México
CLADEM Panamá
CLADEM Paraguay
CLADEM Perú
Asociación Humanidad Libre – Arequipa, Perú
Estudio para la Defensa de los Derechos de la Mujer – DEMUS, Perú
CLADEM Puerto Rico
CLADEM Rep. Dominicana
CLADEM Uruguay
|
|
| 27 Jun 2008 - 08:57 | ina Ruiz Torres
postmast@flora.org.pe
URL: www.flora.org.pe
|
Flora Informa:
Restituyen Programa Nacional contra la Violencia Familiar y Sexual
Dejan sin efecto D.S. 005-2007-MINDES.
De acuerdo a la Ley Nº 29247, publicada el día de ayer en el diario oficial El Peruano, se ha restituido el Programa Nacional contra la Violencia Familiar y Sexual (PNCVFS) como una Unidad Ejecutora del MIMDES; asimismo,
se ha facultado a este ministerio para que adopte las normas y las acciones necesarias a fin de lograr el normal funcionamiento del programa restituido.
Esta importante decisión del Congreso de la República es resultado de las numerosas demandas por parte de la sociedad civil. Entre ellas la campaña
realizada el año pasado por el Colectivo 25 de Noviembre, y de esfuerzos de diversas organizaciones de mujeres de Lima y de regiones, de espacios como Conades-Comisión Mujer, Cladem-Perú, entre otros, que pusieron en el debate la extinción del PNCVFS como un incumplimiento de las obligaciones
internacionales del Estado Peruano en la defensa del derecho de las mujeres a una vida libre de violencia. Cabe resaltar, también, el rol de algunas congresistas que se comprometieron en este proceso.
Apostamos por que las políticas de género sigan siendo una prioridad para el Estado y tengan el presupuesto adecuado. Solo así se podrá mirar con esperanza la disminución de los altos índices de maltrato y violencia contra
las mujeres, jóvenes y niñas.
La restitución del PNCVFS refleja la importancia de mantener una actitud vigilante; por ello, las organizaciones de mujeres debemos seguir atentas el
rumbo de las políticas públicas para que éstas tengan un enfoque adecuado que garantice nuestros derechos.
Lima, 26 de junio del 2008
Centro de la Mujer Peruana Flora Tristán
Parque Hernán Velarde 42, Lima
Tlf. 4332765, fax 4339500
E-mail: <mailto:postmast@flora.org.pe> postmast@flora.org.pe
www.flora.org.pe
|
|
| 27 Jun 2008 - 08:53 | ina Ruiz Torres
carolina@flora.org.pe
|
fallo favorable para mujer que abortó
Ratifican que los médicos no tienen la obligación de denunciar a pacientes
que abortan
La Justicia sostuvo que los profesionales que atienden a mujeres por complicaciones derivadas de la interrupción de un embarazo no deben dar
aviso a la Policía. El fallo argumenta que están avalados por el secreto profesional.
La Justicia ratificó que un médico que atiende a una paciente que se
autoinfligió un aborto y que, a causa de eso, corre riesgo de muerte, no
tiene obligación de denunciarla.
El fallo, dictado por la Sala Sexta de la Cámara del Crimen, exculpa a la
mujer porque afirma que "su presencia ante el médico para tratar el aborto, que si bien provocó ahora no puede controlar, en sus últimas consecuencias implica mostrar su cuerpo, descubrirse en su más íntimo secreto, confesar su
delito".
La decisión del tribunal hace referencia a un caso registrado el año pasado en la Ciudad. El 21 de noviembre, un médico del hospital Santojanni, que atendió a una mujer que llegó al centro asistencial "debido a complicaciones ocasionadas por maniobras abortivas", dio aviso a la Policía de la situación.
Los camaristas Marcelo Lucini, Gustavo Bruzzone y Luis Bunge Campos, basados en la vieja doctrina "Natividad Frías", ratificaron que "no puede instruirse sumario criminal en contra de una mujer que haya causado su propio aborto, o consentido en que otro se lo causare".
"El médico que la atendió no tenía la obligación de denunciar a la autoridad policial la existencia de las maniobras abortivas, ya que había tomado conocimiento de ellas en el ejercicio de su profesión, correspondiendo, en
consecuencia, el respeto del secreto profesional", subraya el fallo.
La decisión de los camaristas anula así la investigación que había dispuesto en primera instancia el juzgado de instrucción número 44, a cargo del magistrado Eduardo Daffis Nikilson.
"Si una mujer busca auxilio médico porque se siente herida en su organismo, a veces con verdadero peligro de muerte, lo hace desesperada, acosada por la
necesidad, forzada a ello contra su propia voluntad", concluyeron los
camaristas.
(Fuente: DyN)
|
|
| 27 Jun 2008 - 08:46 | Human Rights Education Associates
URL: www.hrea.org
|
Greetings,
The International Women's Program of the Open Society Institute is pleased to announce a 2008 call for proposals.
-FOR WIDE DISTRIBUTION-
OSI International Women's Program (IWP)
Call for Proposals 2008
~ Equality and justice under the rule of law ~
The mission of IWP is to use grant-making and programmatic efforts to promote and protect the rights of women and girls in priority areas around the globe where the principles of good governance and respect for the rule of law are absent or destroyed because of conflict. IWP seeks to promote the advancement of women's rights and gender equality in law and practice, and the empowerment of women to ensure participation in the democratic processes.
IWP invites proposals from local, national, regional or international organizations which focus on one or more of the following objectives:
1) Reducing discrimination and violence against women
IWP seeks to support initiatives that improve the status of women by:
* Strengthening legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms that focus on women's rights
* Strengthening civil society's capacity to hold governments accountable to implement laws
* Increasing women's capacity to understand and claim rights
2) Strengthening women's access to justice
IWP seeks to support initiatives that strengthen judicial response to women and reduce the obstacles to access by ensuring:
* Legal aid, counsel and assistance is available and resourced
* Judges, lawyers and prosecutors understand and apply gender justice
* Transitional justice mechanisms are equitable and inclusive of women
3) Increasing women's role as decision-makers and leaders*
IWP seeks to support initiatives that encourage and increase women's role as decision-makers in a number of arenas including the following:
* Peace and reconciliation processes
* Electoral and legislative processes
* Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR), Security Sector Reform (SSR) and reconstruction programs
Grant Support
Organizations can apply for general support grant or support for a specific project. 'General support' grants are intended for organizations which focus on one or more of the listed objectives. A general support grant supports unspecified organizational costs. Such a grant is not awarded for any particular project or purpose. The review process for this grant type will be exceptionally selective. The 'project support' grants are intended to fund targeted initiatives related to one or more of the listed objectives.
Preference is given to:
* Organizations managed and led by women
* Organizations that have a five-year plus track record and demonstrate sustainability
* Organizations that forge partnerships with other civil society groups working on similar issues
* Local/indigenous independent non-governmental organizations or initiatives that link local and international organizations
Proposals must benefit populations in one of the following countries only:
Africa:
Democratic Republic of Congo
Liberia
Sierra Leone
Uganda
Zimbabwe
Asia:
Burma
Cambodia
Nepal
Tajikistan
Middle East and North Africa:
Algeria
Iraq (including refugees in region)
Lebanon
Occupied Palestinian Territories
Latin America:
Guatemala
Europe:
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Proposals benefiting populations in other countries will NOT be considered at this time.
Grant Amount & Funding Timeframe
Organizations can apply for one to three year grants ranging from $25,000 to $200,000. Please note multi-year proposals will require an annual assessment report prior to releasing the subsequent trench of
funds.
Timeline
Proposals must be received in English by email (preferred), fax or mail on or by July 7, 2008. Incomplete proposals or proposals received July 8 or later will NOT be considered under any circumstances.
Please email completed proposals to: women@sorosny.org (please write 'proposal call 2008' in the subject line of your email)
If your organization does not have email access, please fax or mail application to:
International Women's Program / Open Society Institute
400 West 59th Street
New York, NY 10019, USA
(Fax) 1.646.557.2601
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/women
Organizations will receive notification of decision by the first week of October 2008. For those awarded grants, funding will be allocated by December 2008.
--
HREA - www.hrea.org
Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) is an international non-governmental organisation that supports human rights learning; the training of activists and professionals; the development of educational materials and programming; and community-building through on-line technologies.
|
|
| 26 Jun 2008 - 22:44 | GRISELDA
gris6327@hotmail.com
|
Yo perdia mis tres hijos en Mexico,hase 16 anos y solo me he contactado con la mayor que tiene 23 anos actualmente y hase poco con mi segunda hija y el mas chico que tiene casi 17,pienzo que no me quiere hablar, pues el papa de ellos es licenciado y trabaja para el gobierno y como yo era pobre no los pude rescatar. Ahora tengo una nueva familia, pero la perdida de mis hijos se refleja en su manera de ser pues sufrieron mucho al lado del papa pues el les dijo que yo los avandone cuando el y su familia me amenazaron de muerte para que los dejara y me vine para este pais donde he tratado de vivir por que a mis hijos los llevo en mi corazon. atte. Griselda
|
|
| 26 Jun 2008 - 18:18 | Tonya Lovelace
tl@pcadv.org
URL: pubs.pcadv.net/wocn/7-8regform.pdf
|
CALL TO ACTION IN JULY
PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY:
Women of Color Network (WOCN) will hold three Call to Action Calls in July!
See the details below:
1. CALL TO ACTION FOR WOMEN OF COLOR ADVOCATES AND ACTIVISTS
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
1:00-3:00 pm EST
AUDIENCE: This call is intended for any woman of color specifically of Asian/Pacific Islander, Arab/Middle-Eastern, Black/African, Native/Indigenous, and Hispanic/Latin descent only.
PURPOSE OF THE CALL: 1) To work on finalizing the collective Call to Action Statement for distribution; and 2) To develop future direction, including plans for a national Call to Action conference which includes three days for women of color only and a day and a half for women of color with allies.
REGISTRATION: To participate in the call, please go to the link below and complete the registration form by Monday, July 7, 2008:
Please access the registration form at the link below:
http://pubs.pcadv.net/wocn/7-8 regform.pdf
2. CALL TO ACTION FOR WOMEN OF COLOR AND ALLIES
Friday, July 11, 2008
1:00-3:00 pm EST
AUDIENCE: White/mainstream advocates, male advocates and women of color advocates and activists are invited and encouraged to participate.
PURPOSE OF THE CALL: 1) To finalize the "ally statement" providing a concrete definition for "ally" and a critical framework for ally behavior, with particular focus upon addressing the endangerment of the woman of color advocate; and 2) To develop future direction, including plans for a national
Call to Action conference which includes three days for women of color only and a day and a half for women of color with allies.
REGISTRATION: To participate in the call, please go to the link below and complete the registration form by Thursday, July 10, 2008.
Please access the registration form at the link below:
http://pubs.pcadv.net/wocn/7-1 1regform.pdf
3. CALL TO ACTION FOR YOUNG WOMEN OF COLOR AND LEADERSHIP
Monday, July 14, 2008
1:00-2:00 pm EST
AUDIENCE: This call is intended for women of color who are under the age of 35 and are specifically of Asian/Pacific Islander, Arab/Middle-Eastern, Black/African, Native/Indigenous, and Hispanic/Latin descent only.
PURPOSE OF THE CALL: 1) Continue a national dialogue to critically explore how to develop leadership capacity among young women of color advocates and activists; and 2) To identify ways to develop intergenerational mentorship relationships and programs
http://pubs.pcadv.net/wocn/7 -14regform.pdf
We look forward to your participation on the calls.
In solidarity,
Women of Color Network
|
|
| 26 Jun 2008 - 17:57 | CEPAL
URL: www.cepal.org/dds/Innovacionsocial/e/pro . . .
|
Foro virtual sobre violencia domestica
http://www.cepal.org/dds/Inno vacionsocial/e/proyectos/pe/defensorias/ EdicionForoVirtual18jun2008.pdf
|
|
| 25 Jun 2008 - 22:09 | Women's Justice Center
rdjustice@monitor.net
URL: www.justicewomen.com
|
Urgent Bulletin
please copy and distribute
SONOMA COUNTY DA FIRES VETERAN VICTIM ADVOCATE MIRIAM GAON
~ An Affront to Justice ~
~ A Wake Up Call ~
for All Who Seek to End Violence Against Women and Children
by Marie De Santis
Women's Justice Center
www.justicewomen.com
On June 13, 2008, Sonoma County District Attorney Stephen Passalacqua fired Miriam Gaon, our county's most veteran victim advocate. Miriam has worked in our DA’s office for 19 years orienting countless crime victims through the justice process. She has also fought vigorously on a daily basis for victim's rights in a DA's office that routinely attempts to trample those rights.
When prosecutors mislead victims telling them there's 'not enough evidence' to prosecute their cases, for example, Miriam tells victims the truth and presses prosecutors to do their jobs. There's no doubt, DA Passalacqua has fired Miriam Gaon because she has stood openly for the ethical pursuit of justice in an office that has shown nothing but contempt for both ethics and justice, and for the community it's sworn to serve, especially for women and children.
Miriam's firing not only exposes the mounting dangers for victims of violence against women and children in our own local DA's office. It also spotlights the impossible conflicts of interest and the inevitable repressions unleashed when advocates are paid by, or in any way contractually bound to, law enforcement, as are most victim advocates today.
Miriam's firing is an urgent wake up call for the need to re-invent independent victim advocacy as a critical step in pushing the justice system to respond properly to violence against women and children.
GONE ARE THE JUSTICE MAKERS
Miriam Gaon is only the most recent in a long string of top tier DA prosecutors and professional staff who have been driven out or dismissed by Passalacqua. By the end of his first term in 2007, 19 of the office's 43 prosecutors were gone.
Most disturbingly, among them were nearly all the veteran level 4 prosecutors most experienced and commited to dealing with violence against women. One way or another, each had confronted Passalacqua's legal misconducts, his sexism, or his incompetence, and they were out. With the firing of Miriam, we are left with a DA's office of sycophants, most of whom are willing to be complicitous in Passalacqua’s ever more flagrant abuses of power, as outlined further on.
For years Miriam endured the retaliations and harassment heaped on her by the past and current DA for her own strong voice for victims. She has been suspended, her office has been gutted and stripped bare, she has been banned by the former DA from entering superior court, and more. Each time, the women's community has had to launch a fight to get her status reinstated.
Despite the constant stress of working under these conditions, Miriam's courage to fight for victims’ rights has never buckled. Moreover, in the course of her career, she has developed extensive expertise in child sex abuse and homicide cases, and, in fact, was assigned to those cases at the time of her termination.
SUFFER THE CHILDREN
As just one example of the daily corrosive conditions under which Miriam worked, consider this incident just prior to the administrative leave that ended in her firing.
The DA child sex abuse prosecutors had been flat out refusing to meet with the child victims until the very last minute before these children were needed to testify. Sometimes the prosecutors weren't even getting the subpoenas out to the children's guardians until the night before. When Miriam protested these practices, one of the prosecutor's said to her, "I don't need to bring these children in, we can do these cases without them." (This is just one more of the hundreds of ways prosecutors have shown their disregard and distaste for dealing with crimes of violence against women and children.)
Miriam wasn't the only one disgusted by this mounting mistreatment of the child victims. An attorney who represents children who have been removed from their home by the county was also outraged that the children she represented were being jerked into the criminal courts at the last minute without adequate preparation. In fact, this attorney was so upset that she was reticent to continue delivering kids to the DA's office under these conditions.
In an attempt to correct the situation, Miriam arranged a meeting between the DA child sex abuse prosecutors, the attorney for the children, and herself. The prosecutors agreed to a date. On the day of the meeting, the attorney for the children and Miriam waited for the prosecutors: and they waited, and waited, and waited. The prosecutors had stood them up, in one more show of the malignant contempt our DA's office has for any one who would challenge their abuses.
EVER MORE FLAGRANT ABUSES
Miriam's firing is a terrible loss to the community. It poses particular danger to victims of violence against women and children who depend on Miriam's knowledge and courage to stand up to prosecutors who try to sweep the women and their cases out the door. But the loss of Miriam, along with the earlier hemorrhaging of veteran attorneys and staff, threatens safety and justice for the entire community.
Consider just these few already publicized outrages perpetrated by DA Passalacqua in just the last couple years. Consider that this is only the visible tip. And that it's only going to get worse:
** The DA systematically denies justice to rape victims. In 2005, the most recent year for which we have statistics, 177 cases of adult rape were reported to police, and that same year, DA Passalacqua obtained only 7 rape convictions.
** DA prosecutors knowingly present false state expert evidence to the court in the homicide case against Zack Rutledge and mislead the court on key evidence in the child pornography case against John Mark Karr. (Both these cases were ultimately dismissed because of these deceptions, with the judges in both cases openly expressing their shock and disgust at the prosecutorial misconduct. The DA re-filed the Rutledge case which then ended in acquittal.)
** DA prosecutors withhold exculpatory expert evidence from the court in the homicide case against Corbin Esterling. The case wasn’t dropped until 2 days after Passalacqua won election to a second term, though the exculpatory evidence had existed for months, and though Esterling was in jail.
** The DA refuses to file criminal pimping charges against Raman and Rita Patel, despite the fact that Judge Mark Tansil has ruled in the civil case (May, 2008) that the evidence rises to the criminal level of "beyond a reasonable doubt", and despite the fact that the Patels managed a mega operation of multiple pimps who police found to prostitute minors, and kidnap, traffic, and falsely imprison prostitutes. Santa Rosa police were furious the DA didn't pursue the case. And the public should be, too.
** Latina rape and domestic violence victims are routinely denied all protection and justice when their perpetrators are quickly whisked off to Mexico courtesy of our justice system before prosecution of their cases - only to have these perpetrators quickly return here to continue or escalate their crimes.
** And in a May 22, 2008 column Chris Smith reports on an ominous foreshadowing of what will become even more standard fare with Miriam out of the office. In his column and in a later conversation with us, Smith tells of a 15-year-old girl who is totally disgusted because the DA plead out her perpetrator in lieu of trial to one felony count when the perpetrator had been originally charged with 15 felony counts. The girl had been sexually molested for three years on a weekly basis by a local radio announcer, and she wanted to testify. This kind of give-away plea deal in even the most egregious cases where the victim is willing to testify is classic Stephen Passalacqua.
Furthermore, the girl found out about the completed plea deal through a newspaper article on the deal. California state law (Penal Code 679.02(a)(12)) requires that prosecutors consult with the victim PIOR to the deal being presented before a judge. Such blatant violations of victims’ long standing statutory rights is also classic Stephen Passalacqua. The mishandling of the whole case is also the classic situation in which Miriam Gaon was so successful in intervening on behalf of the victims before the injustices are finalized.
There is one other feature of Passalacqua's tenure that should be noted here. Throughout his one and a half terms in office, in the most outrageous mockery of reality, Passalacqua has put on an array of maudlin pubic bell ringing ceremonies and a sundry ‘dog and pony’ shows proclaiming his dedication to victims. The public must not be fooled!
A WAKE UP CALL FOR ALL WHO SEEK TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Miriam's firing also sheds light on deep seated problem that goes beyond the injustices of our own DA's office, and should be a wake up call for all who seek to end violence against women.
Over the last 15 years, coincident with the influx of large federal funding, the whole U.S. violence against women movement has become increasingly embedded in the systems we most need to change. Most victim advocates now work directly for, or are contractually connected to law enforcement. Caught in this profound conflict of interest, most advocates have not withstood the pressure.
The federal funding originally started out requiring rape and domestic violence advocacy centers to obtain letters of cooperation from local law enforcement, including from district attorneys, as a condition of funding. This starting point should have been warning enough, as right from the beginning it gave law enforcement veto power over the movement's funding - and, in fact, it was used in exactly that way.
The retaliatory destruction of our own county's rape center, Women Against Rape, was brought about by our local law enforcement's threats, delays, and refusals to sign the required funding letters. This was law enforcement's swift and punishing response to the center’s activist stance, in particular for exposing law enforcement's role in the domestic violence homicide of Maria Teresa Macias.
More recently, over the last decade, the funding relationships between law enforcement and the anti-violence women's movement have grown ever more contractual pulling victim advocacy into a tighter and tighter marriage with law enforcement. Not surprisingly, as with many marriages between men and women, the two became one, and the one was law enforcement. Police and prosecutors, both locally and around the country, have wasted no time in exerting their tightening control over the advocates; repressing the voices of most, and retaliating against those who wouldn't be repressed.
IT'S TIME TO RE-INVENT INDEPENDENT VICTIM ADVOCACY
The results, both here in Sonoma County and around the country, have been inevitable. Social change goals of the movement have been replaced by social service goals. Vigorous advocacy for women and children's rights leads to discipline, retaliation, and firing of the advocate. Advocacy has melted down to counseling and holding victims' hands while she is trampled and shunted out the door by the system.
Victims think they have an advocate who will fight for their rights in the system, not knowing that they are dealing with someone who is beholden to parrot for the system. The leading edges of the violence against women movement have been blunted. Efforts have been reduced to mopping up the human debris left in the patriarchy's wake. The Miriam Gaon's who can resist the pressure are few and far between.
Yes, we must protest Miriam's firing. And we must also solve the deeper problem, and re-invent a truly independent women's movement to end the violence.
PROTEST MIRIAM'S FIRING!
DEMAND DISCIPLINE FOR DA STEPHEN PASSALACQUA!
Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
575 Administration Dr., Rm 100A
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Tel (707) 565-2241
California State Bar
Attorney Complaints
1.800-843-9053
Calling from outside CA
213-765-1200
California District Attorneys Assoc.
921 11th St, Ste. 300
Sacramento, CA 95814
Tel (916) 443-2017
Office of Victims Services
California Attorney Generals Office
PO Box 944255
Sacramento, CA 94244
Tel 877-433-9069
National District Attorneys Assoc.
Violence Against Women Group
89 Canal Center Plaza, Ste 510
Alexandria, VA 22314
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Violence Against Women Section
1889 F St, N.W.
Washington, D.C., 2006
|
|
| 25 Jun 2008 - 08:39 | Battered Women's Justice Project
x@x.x
URL: www.bwjp.org/conferences/conferences.asp . . .
|
Dual Arrest Audioconference
The national research of David Hirschel and Eve Buzawa on dual arrest practices, "Explaining the Prevalence, Context and Consequences of Dual arrest in
Intimate Partner Cases" will be discussed during the July 10, 2008
audioconference. Captain Pete Helein of the Appleton Police Department and Wanda
Lucibello, Chief, Special Victims Unit of the Brooklyn DA's Office will be the practitioners reflecting on the research.
The audioconference is from 3 - 4:30 p.m. EDT.
You can register for the audioconference at the BWJP website. The link to
the conference page is:
_http://www.bwjp.org/conferences/ conferences.aspx_
(http://www.bwjp.org/conferences/confe rences.aspx)
Under Current Events, scroll down to the USM/Muskie Logo and the Batterer Intervention Audioconference Series. Click on the Register icon.
|
|
| 24 Jun 2008 - 08:12 | admin
|
'Harassed' Iran student arrested
By Frances Harrison
BBC News
A female student in the Iranian city of Zanjan who alleged she was sexually harassed by a senior male lecturer - triggering a massive demonstration by her fellow students - has herself been arrested.
The nature of the charge against the woman - who said she was molested by the vice-chancellor of the university - is unclear, but the local prosecutor is reported to have said that publicising certain crimes is worse than the crimes themselves.
Thousands of students took control of the campus after the allegation came to light, staging a sit-in and catching hold of the official and handing him to authorities.
The situation has since been calmed after the authorities promised to suspend the accused official from his post and take action.
'Both accused'
The woman alleges that the vice-chancellor of the university, in the north-west of the country, harassed her after she went to discuss a problem with him.
Her fellow students have said they have an audio recording of the lecturer sexually propositioning the girl. They have demanded that he be punished and that the university's board of directors resign.
Video of their seizing the vice-chancellor has since been posted on the YouTube website. Pictures of a sit-in to demand action have also been posted online.
But the situation calmed once the university authorities suspended the man and agreed to form a joint committee with students to look into the issue.
The Fars news agency has reported that what they call "both accused" are in custody - by which they mean the alleged victim and perpetrator.
Reporters have quoted the prosecutor saying people should be aware that if they go ahead and publicise crime there will be no more security in society.
In previous years there has been unrest in the universities spearheaded by reformist students, but so far the protests in Zanjan do not seem to have been overtly political.
This in a strictly segregated society where men and women are not supposed even to shake hands and women must hide their bodies from men they are not related to.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/ 2/hi/middle_east/7466514.stm
|
|
| 24 Jun 2008 - 07:59 | Tammy Hernandez
twinsmom92005@aol.com
|
I recently had a restraining order for domestic violence served against me. My husband has been controlloing my spending,no letting me go out without accounting for where I go, told me Id be in the street without him,told my Mom I did not have the guts to leave,physically restrained me yo the pint of hurting me when i asked him to get help, screaming at me all the time. garsping my body leaving marks on me I had to lie about. When he recently cornered me and made faces and smiles at me mean I told him I was leac=ving and getting my children out of an abusive situation. He hits them when he gets mad at me and denies it. So why would I get a restyraining order. He lied and stated I had a drug abuse problem when I have been cleran for years. Now I am scared,alone and without my kids. Hes a cop and was smart enough to file first, so they came in and took my kids away. I am devistated without them. I know he no longer loves me and thats fine but why rip my heart out like this.
I am trying to pull it all together but its so hard. My little girl used to crawl into bed with me everynight. Now I am alone and miss my kids so much. How often does this happen and why. I was only a good wife and Mom. He never even wanted me around. I miss them and cant find the strength from God to understand why. Please help me someone. I feel so alone without my children and my marraige. I am being forced to file for divortce even though thats not what i want. The police made me feel like I did something wrong because I never mentioned this before of filed charges. They told me I was bad for not filing earlier. But I just wanted my husband to get couseling as I had been for years. I had been going without letting him know. And then I stopped becuase it embarrased him when I brought up some issues he was ashamed of.I dont care what anyone says I still miss all of them and that includes him.
* twinsmom92005@aol.com
|
|
| 23 Jun 2008 - 15:53 | Tonya Lovelace
tl@pcadv.org
URL: pubs.pcadv.net/wocn/6-24regform.pdf
|
CALL TO ACTION FOR YOUNG WOMEN OF COLOR AND LEADERSHIP
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
1:00-3:00 pm EST
This call is for women of color specifically of Asian/Pacific Islander, Arab/Middle-Eastern, Black/African, Native/Indigenous, and Hispanic/Latin descent only.
PURPOSE OF THE CALL: To organize a national task force of young women of color to develop an action framework of strategies to better foster
1) outreach and a culture
of inclusion of young women of color advocates in the anti-violence movement;
2)sustainability and intergenerational approaches across disciplines; and
3) support emerging leadership and lasting effective change.
REGISTRATION: To participate, please go to the link below and complete the registration form by Monday, June 23, 2008.
http://pubs.pcadv.net/wocn/6-24 regform.pdf
Looking forward to our call.
In solidarity,
Women of Color Network
|
|
| 23 Jun 2008 - 09:24 | Alice Walker, International Women's Tribunal
URL: www.unfpa.org/employment/vacancy.html
|
JOB
Programme Specialist, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV),
ICS 11 (L-4) / UNFPA / Eastern Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo /
Closing date: July 10, 2008.
SELECTED RESPONSIBILITIES:
Under the direct supervision of the Senior Policy Adviser on
Gender/SGBV, and in close collaboration with the Deputy
Representative and Representative the incumbent will:
-- Support to the CO in the development, the production of
methodological and technical tools for the management and the
monitoring sexual and gender based violence and of financial and
administrative procedures for projects funded by UNFPA and other
partners;
-- Coordinate and monitor the implementation of the SGBV projects
in collaboration with the international coordinators in the 5
provinces covered in the East of the DRC and with the chiefs of UNFPA
sub offices in the 5 provinces with regards to all SGBV
interventions.
-- Liaise with the two international coordinators of the joint
projects on SGBV and the national coordinators and the NPO(Gender) in
monitoring and evaluation of the SGBV joint projects at national
level in order to ensure a coherent and synergic approach of the SGBV
response particularly in the Eastern DRC;
-- As the programme specialist for UNFPA (which is the
administrative Agent on the joint project on SGBV), ensure liaison
and coordination with UNICEF ,OHCHR other sister agencies in the
implementation of the joint projects in the Eastern DRC;
-- Under the guidance of the coordinator of the initiative
conjoint prepare the meetings of the technical committee of the Joint
Initiative on the SGBV (including Government, Donors, NGO and UN
agencies);
-- Regularly reports to the Representative on the SGBV projects
achievements, constraints, solutions envisaged and the mechanisms of
technical monitoring and evaluation of the projects;
-- In an advisory role provide support to joint initiatives on
SGBV through participation in UN Technical Groups and technical WG
on GBV;
-- In close collaboration with colleagues in the office, ensure
mainstreaming of GBV guidelines through the UNFPA country programme,
-- Support the organization of socio-cultural, behavioural and
medical data collection in the areas of SGBV and takes into account
the findings of existing researches and publications in the
management of the SGBV projects;
-- Under the guidance of the coordinator of the initiative
conjoint ensure coordination and development of SGBV proposals to
mobilize supplementary resources.
PLEASE SEE FULL JOB DESCRIPTION AT:
http://www.unfpa.org/employment/vac ancy.html
|
|
| 23 Jun 2008 - 09:16 | boletin e-leusis
URL: www.e-leusis.net/
|
En muchas guerras, ser mujer es peor que ser soldado
Portada
23/06/2008
El Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU se ha comprometido a intensificar la lucha contra el uso de la violencia sexual como arma de guerra en un creciente número de conflictos, en los que ser mujer es más peligroso que ser soldado.
Público
El máximo órgano de Naciones Unidas aprobó, en un debate abierto presidido por la secretaria de Estado de EEUU, Condoleezza Rice, una resolución que clasificación la violación como un arma y una táctica de guerra y que las organizaciones de derechos humanos calificaron de histórica.
El general holandés Patrick Cammaert, ex comandante de las fuerzas de la ONU en el este de la República Democrática de Congo (RDC), denunció en su intervención la impunidad con la que actúan los responsables de estas campañas de terror que se extienden incluso después de que se terminan los conflictos.
Probablemente es más peligroso ser una mujer en un conflicto armado que ser un soldado, afirmó Cammaert. La violación es un arma muy efectiva porque destruye comunidades enteras, añadió.
La resolución aprobada describe la violencia sexual como una táctica de guerra para humillar, dominar, infundir miedo y desplazar a los miembros civiles de un grupo étnico.
La comunidad internacional no puede quedarse callada e inactiva cuando se viola a mujeres y niñas, dijo Rice.
La violencia sexual, que en conflictos como el de la RDC han sufrido decenas de miles de mujeres, ha sido denunciada pero rara vez es objeto de una reunión del Consejo de Seguridad. El Consejo aprobó también hacer una investigación sobre el alcance del fenómeno. Según el secretario de la ONU Ban Ki-moon, éste ha alcanzado ya proporciones indescriptibles.
mas articulos...
http://www.e-leusis.net/
|
|
