Domestic violence in spotlight

LAKE COUNTY - Today marks the beginning of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a national effort to promote sexual assault awareness and prevention of domestic violence. Locally, DOVES (Domestic Violence Education & Services) has taken the reins to lead an effort to prevent and provide healing for victims of such crimes. And for good reason: In 2009, the Lake County Dispatch Center reported 454 calls regarding partner or family member assault, a number that dwarfs the 2008 figure of 254.

While the figure is high, DOVES executive director Jenifer Blumberg is concerned that the amount of calls doesn't necessarily equal the amount of action taken by law enforcement or the victims themselves.

"It's a community issue because it effects a lot of people," Blumberg said. "There are always a lot of calls, but the number of arrests have dropped significantly over the last two years. Domestic violence are tough calls for officers."

She said one of the reasons arrests have declined is because officers frequently ask the victim if they want to press charges, when in reality it is the state's decision.

Especially in abusive relationships, she said, intimidation can be a big factor in the victim's decision. Blumberg thinks this inaction also could be related to complacency and a culture throughout the county of "don't ask, don't tell."

"Sexual assault and domestic violence incidents take place on a regular basis, and it is vitally important to increase community awareness," she said. "It's like the saying goes, ‘If you ignore it, normalize it or laugh at it, you support it.'"

One of the efforts DOVES is undertaking to combat this problem and to raise awareness is by setting up red, life-sized silhouettes of woman and children that were killed by an act of domestic violence around the state.

From April 1-15, these silhouettes will be exhibited in banks in Polson, Pablo, Ronan and St. Ignatius, and will have a chest-plate engraved with the name of the victims who were killed in the state of Montana.

Law enforcement officials are equally concerned about the domestic violence, and hope actions by DOVES and other victim-advocacy groups will help deter abuse. Lake County Sheriff's Office Det. Steve Kendley, who specifically investigates acts of domestic violence, said repeat offenders perpetuate many problems.

"There's many people who make a mistake and are never in the system again, but there are definitely plenty of repeat offenders," Kendley said.

He added that each subsequent offense "stacks" and that the third conviction is a felony.

"There are plenty of barriers for people to leave someone, so it's important to educate the officers so they can understand better what the victims face."

Both Kendley and Mark Russell, a deputy county attorney who specializes in prosecuting domestic and sexually violent cases, have their positions paid for by a grant from the federal government, according to Russell.

"It allows us to spend more time on those cases, and help educate officers on different concerns and trends we are seeing," said Russell, who has worked under the grant for about four years. "I think we're making progress because of the focus on cases, and because officers can come talk with us about different techniques in investigation."

One way victim's advocacy groups like the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Victim Assistance Program are hoping to help educate local officers is by bringing in speaker Lt. Mark Wynn to lead a training session for area law enforcement. Blumberg said Wynn is a nationally known trainer in the field of domestic violence who will come to the area to speak and train members of different local law enforcement agencies. After a daylong training and invitation-only executive meeting on April 6, Wynn will meet with the public for a question and answer session at 1:30 p.m. on April 7 at the KwaTaqNuk.

"I think after Mark Wynn comes, there will be a lot more arrests and that cases will be handled better," Blumberg said.

Polson Police Chief Doug Chase said his office takes such crimes extremely seriously and that they plan on sending at least five officers, including himself and Asst. Chief John Stevens, to the upcoming training sessions.

"There is always room in the Lake County Jail for domestic abuse (perpetrators)," Chase said. "We take it very seriously and we'll do our level best to be there."