Fall 2007
S p e c i a l
Coalition Chronicle
Editor: Maureen McDonald
Intern: Lindsay Whitelaw
Published by the
New Hampshire Coalition
Against Domestic &
Sexual Violence
PO Box 353
Concord, NH 03302
(603) 224-8893
www.nhcadsv.org
E d i t i o n
New Hampshire Coalition Against
Domestic and Sexual Violence
celebrates 30 years of advocacy
hat a difference 30 years can make. In 1977 when the New Hampshire Coalition
Against Domestic and Sexual Violence began there was only one program in the
state working against rape and sexual assault and three programs to assist battered
women. When the Coalition was founded there were no laws in New Hampshire providing protection for victims of domestic violence, and there was still a spousal exception to the
sexual assault statute. Three decades ago services for victims of domestic abuse and sexual
assault received no funding of any kind from the state. When a woman was raped she had
to pay for the medical exam that collected evidence to prosecute her perpetrator.
In the past 30 years the number of programs to help survivors of domestic and sexual
assault in our state has substantially increased. Today the Coalition is an umbrella organization for a statewide network of fourteen independent member programs committed to ending domestic and sexual violence and stalking. Today there are laws in New Hampshire
asserting that violence against an intimate partner is a crime and victims are able to get protective orders quickly and freely. The Coalition now receives both state and federal funding,
with most of the state marriage license fees going to the Coalition and its member programs.
The state now pays for medical examinations of rape victims, and hospitals and police follow guidelines, developed with the Coalition’s help, to ensure that victims are treated appropriately and with sensitivity. Through such changes women and men are served more consistently, in a more timely fashion, with new efficiency, and more dignity and respect legally,
socially, medically and emotionally.
In June of 1977, a group of women from across New Hampshire gathered together to
address the critical issue of domestic violence, forming the New Hampshire Coalition on
Battered Women. Only a few months after its establishment, the necessity of having a
statewide grassroots organization to bring such issues into the public eye was reaffirmed
when members of the State Commission on the Status of Women under Governor
Meldrim Thomson stated that “feminism causes battering.” The Coalition countered
this false claim, distributing its first press release stating, “It is outrageous and unconscionable to suggest wife beating is permissible under any circumstance.”
The Coalition and the state of New Hampshire have both grown and
matured over the past 30 years of activism and advocacy. In the first five years
of operation dedicated staff and volunteers organized services for victims of
domestic and sexual violence in twelve New Hampshire communities.
The Coalition began its first collaborative educational and legislative
works. In 1978 it sponsored and helped organize a successful state-wide
conference on partner abuse and introduced domestic violence legislation. The Coalition allied with the Commission on the Status of Women to
form a speaker’s bureau to work on educating and informing the Granite State.
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30 Years, Cont. on page 4
Message from the Executive Director
he Coalition has much success to
celebrate as we recognize our
30th anniversary. When I began
working for the Coalition in 1981,
our annual budget was $35,000, and
that year the member programs
assisted 1,800 victims of domestic
violence. This year, our budget is $5
million and in 2006 over 15,000 victims were provided services by the
14 direct service programs thoughout
Grace Mattern
the state. As a staffed organization,
the Coalition started in a single rented room with 2 staff members. Now we own a building in
downtown Concord and have 14 staff working on a multitude of projects to improve responses to and opportunities
for victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault
and stalking. I used to keep track of the Coalition’s finances,
making pencil entries in a ledger book, writing checks by
hand. To copy a letter, we typed on letterhead with a carbon
attached. Now we have a sophisticated accounting software
program, and when I review the monthly financial reports it
takes six pages of size 6 font print to include all the funding
programs managed by the Coalition.
Working for the Coalition all these years, and watching the
organization grow and change has been a great privilege.
Although the work of addressing domestic violence, sexual
assault and stalking is never easy, it is rewarding to have witnessed how the dedication and passion of so many people
has helped transform how New Hampshire communities
view these issues. New Hampshire has among the best
domestic and sexual violence statutes in the country. There
are direct service programs throughout the state that ensure
victims have a place to turn for support and assistance,
regardless of where they live. Thousands of members of the
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criminal justice system have been trained in the use of well
crafted protocols – police, prosecutors, judges – improving
how they respond to victims. We have partnered with the
Division for Children, Youth and Families for over two
decades, helping to shift the blame from battered women
whose children are also abused, to the batterers who are
causing the violence in families. Extensive public awareness
campaigns have been launched, including a teen dating violence campaign, and a sexual assault awareness campaign
that has resulted in a 40% increase in the number of sexual assault victims contacting crisis centers for assistance. We
have an active Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program, a
hard-working Governor’s Commission on Domestic and
Sexual Violence, and last year led the effort to conduct the
first ever violence against women survey in New Hampshire.
Other activities and programs of the Coalition are outlined
in other parts of this Chronicle.
All the Coalition’s accomplishments have been made possible because of the tireless work of countless advocates –
the court advocate helping a battered woman fill out a petition for a restraining order, the shelter manager making sure
a shelter guest has enough food to cook for herself and her
children, the member program Executive Director who gets
up in the middle of the night to meet a battered woman at
the local police department, the volunteer who meets a
rape victim at the hospital to support the victim through the
forensic exam. All of these people, who work so hard every
day to make a difference in other people’s lives, should be
celebrated, because it is their work that is the foundation of
the Coalition. Victims are the center of our work, and as we
begin our next 30 years, we will continue to focus our efforts
on improving both individual and systemic responses to victims, listening to their stories of struggle and success to guide
us in designing interventions and programs that will make a
difference in their lives.
Timeline:
United States Women’s Rights Movement and the New Hampshire
Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Follow timeline throughout pages 2 through 11
1848
1st Women’s Rights convention held in Seneca Falls, New York.
1920
The 19th Amendment to the Constitution grants women the right to vote.
1848
2 • The Coalition Chronicle
1920
Grace Mattern named Chair Elect for
the National Network to End
Domestic Violence board of directors.
The Coalition says goodbye to
longtime S.A.N.E. Program Director
Jennifer Pierce Weeks
oalition Executive Director Grace Mattern is taking
on a new leadership role at the National Network to
End Domestic Violence (NNEDV.) She was named Chair
Elect of the NNEDV board which means she will become
the next chair.
Currently this national group of state coalitions is
focused on federal public policy. Work is being done on
the reauthorization of the Family Violence Prevention
and Services Act (FVSPA) which is one of the major federal family violence funding programs. There is reason for
optimism as we are seeing increased appropriations for
violence against women programs at the committee level
in Congress.
Grace has been on the NNEDV board for 6 years and
was just re-elected to a three year term.
I
C
t is with mixed emotions that the Coalition says goodbye to
Jennifer Pierce Weeks after over a decade of service. We are
thrilled that she and her family will be moving on to a great new
adventure in Colorado, but her hard work and dedication to
the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program here in this state
will be greatly missed.
It is difficult to list all of the things that Jen has accomplished
during her nursing career which spans eighteen years of clinical
practice. She is the founder of the SANE Program in New
Hampshire, first proposing the program and beginning to train
nurses in 1995. Jennifer has contributed enormously to the
development of the SANE Program in New Hampshire, as well
as in other areas of New England and on the national level. She
was instrumental in the development of training programs in
Vermont and Maine. She participated in several revisions of
New Hampshire’s Sexual Assault Medical/Forensic Protocol
and gave extensive trainings on its use and the proper roles of
various disciplines responding to sexual assault. Jen is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Association of
Forensic Nurses, and assisted in the development of the Three
Mountains Chapter of the IAFN for Maine, New Hampshire
and Vermont.
In recognition of her outstanding advocacy on behalf of sexually abused children, Jennifer was a recipient of the Roger
Fossum award in 1997 and 2001 by the Attorney General’s
Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. In 2004 she received
the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s Award for
Outstanding Advocacy & Community Work in Ending Sexual
Violence
The work Jennifer has done on behalf of sexual assault victims is immeasurable, and she will be greatly missed. Everyone
at the Coalition recognizes the groundbreaking work that
Jennifer accomplished here in New Hampshire. Colorado is
lucky to have her.
1961
President John Kennedy established the President’s Commission on the Status of Women and
appoints Eleanor Roosevelt as chairwoman.
1963
Congress passes the Equal Pay Act, making it illegal to pay women less than what a man would
earn for the same job.
1964
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act bars discrimination in employment on the basis of race and sex
and establishes the Equality Employment Opportunity Commission.
1969
California is the first state to allow divorce by mutual consent. By 1985 every state has adopted
a similar law.
1961
1963
1964
1969
Fall 2007 •
3
30 Years, Cont. from page 1
They organized the first Take Back the Night march in a
community-wide effort to raise issues of sexual and
domestic violence for public discussions and dialogue. The
year 1980 was marked with more success for the
Coalition. It joined the National Coalition Against
Domestic Violence and was awarded a federal grant which
enabled the Coalition to hire its first staff members, including Barry MacMichael who was the Coalition’s first director. That same year the NH Coalition on Battered Women
was renamed the NH Coalition Against Family Violence.
In 1982, when the Coalition started compiling statistics,
approximately 1,800 women and men were served by the
member crisis centers, with a budget of $140,000 in state
funds. Last year the Coalition and its fourteen member programs served 15,407 people, with $4.8 million in state and
federal funds provided through the Coaltion. The quality of
services has increased just as dramatically as the funding.
Member programs and the Coalition first received state
funding in 1981, through the Domestic Violence Grant
Program. Legislation passed that year increased the fee for
marriage licenses, earmarking most of the funds for use in
domestic violence programs. The Coalition helped pass legislation in 1981 to delete the spousal exemption in the rape
law. The rape shield law was drafted and enacted the same
year so a person’s sexual history became legally irrelevant
and inadmissible as evidence for the defense or prosecution of sexually violent crimes.
The mid and late 1980’s were also filled with success. In
1984 two landmark acts were signed into federal law, the
Family Violence Prevention and Services Act and the
Victims of Crime Act, with the Coalition serving as the
manager of the funds, on behalf of member programs, a
role that had begun with the Domestic Violence Grant
Program. The following year the Coalition marked its commitment to ending sexual violence by allocating half of the
Victims of Crime Act moneys received to working with sexual assault and changing its name to the New Hampshire
Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. The privilege law protecting the confidentiality of communications
between advocates and the victims they served was passed
the same year. In 1986 the Coalition joined the National
Coalition Against Sexual Assault. The next several years
saw legislation passed that required the state to pay for
forensic medical examinations for rape victims and established protocols for standardized sexual assault examinations. In the late 1980’s the Coalition helped revise the
30 Years, Cont. on page 5
1971
The first rape speak-out is held by New York Radical Feminists.
The first rape crisis centers open in Oakland, California and Washington DC.
The NH Commission on the Status of Women is established.
Women’s Information Service (WISE) is established.
1972
The first hotline for battered women is established in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Title IX of the Education Amendment bans sex discrimination in schools. As a result the enrollment of women in athletic programs and professional schools increases dramatically.
1973
Temporary Restraining Orders can now be obtained by married persons.
The U.S. Supreme Court establishes a woman’s right to safe and legal abortion in Roe v. Wade.
The first two shelters for battered women open in Pasadena, California and St. Paul Minnesota.
1974
The first case of marital rape is prosecuted.
1975
Pennsylvania passes the first Abuse Prevention Law in the U.S.
The first women of color battered women’s shelter, Casa Myrna Vasquez, opens in Boston.
The first marital rape law is enacted in Nebraska, making it illegal for a husband to rape his wife.
1971
4 • The Coalition Chronicle
1972
1973
1974
1975
30 Years, Cont. from page 4
state’s domestic violence law, RSA 173-B, to clarify police
obligations, explain the protections offered by restraining
orders, and make the law more workable for judges.
The 1990’s brought more significant changes. In
response to the highly publicized case of elderly sexual
assault survivor Florence Holway, an ad hoc legislative
committee worked to reform the state’s sexual assault
statutes, resulting in the development and implementation
of a statewide curriculum to train law enforcement and
prosecutors in dealing with sexual assault. A community
board of directors was established in 1992 to enable more
objective oversight of Coalition operations and to widen
community support. New Hampshire was one of several
states that made stalking a crime in July of 1993.
In 1994 the federal Violence Against Women Act
passed, delivering unparalleled civil rights protections to
women and creating another source of funding for prosecution, law enforcement, and victim services. The same
year, spurred in large part by the highly publicized case of
domestic violence survivor Susan Sarno, state leadership
became more responsive to the issue of domestic violence
and established the Governor’s Commission on Domestic
Violence under then-Governor Stephen Merrill. In 1996
multi-disciplinary protocols standardizing the treatment of
domestic violence by the legal system, medical personnel,
educators, and mental health professionals were released.
These protocols were the product of several years of
statewide collaborative work between the Governor’s
Commission and the Coalition. In 1998, under Governor
Jeanne Shaheen, the Commission expanded its mission to
also include sexual violence.
In 1997 the Coalition, in conjunction with the state, was
selected by the Family Violence Prevention Fund to establish a partnership to improve the health care system’s
response to domestic violence. New Hampshire was one of
only ten states in the nation to participate in this program,
the National Health Initiative, and the only state in New
England. In 1998 New Hampshire implemented the Sexual
Assault Nurse Examiner program to train registered nurses
to provide compassionate and thorough medical services
and forensic evidence collection to sexual assault survivors.
Also in 1998, the Coalition took a major step in ensuring its
stability in the years to come by purchasing a building at 4
South State Street in Concord to house its offices. Building
owner Stephen Christensen generously donated the equity
in the building to the Coalition. The next year the Coalition
30 Years, Cont. on page 12
1977
The National Coalition Against Sexual Assault is established.
EMERGE becomes the first program for batterers intervention.
The New Hampshire Coalition on Battered Women is formed in June and distributes its first press release to
counter a claim made by the New Hampshire Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women that “feminism
causes battering.”
Women’s Supportive Services, currently located in Claremont, is established.
YWCA Crisis Service located in Manchester is established.
Bridges: Domestic and Sexual Violence Support, originally the Rape and Assault Support Services and now located
in Nashua, is established.
1978
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a grassroots organization, is formed as the national voice of the
battered women’s movement.
The first major Take Back the Night march in the U.S. is held in San Francisco, California. This protest emerged in
direct response to the violence that women encountered as they walked the streets at night.
The New Hampshire Coalition on Battered Women obtains a grant from the New Hampshire Council on the
Humanities to fund a statewide conference targeting partner abuse. After the conference, the Coalition works
with New Hampshire Legal Assistance to formulate domestic violence legislation for New Hampshire.
The Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program (SHARPP), originally named the Rape Task Force and now
located in Durham, is established
The Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention, originally Women’s Crisis Services of the Monadnock Region, currently located in Keene, is established.
A Safe Place, situated in Portsmouth, is established.
RESPONSE to Sexual and Domestic Violence is established and is currently located in Berlin.
Rape and Domestic Violence Crisis Center is incorporated and today is located in Concord.
1977
1978
Fall 2007 •
5
Working Without A Pattern
From an Invisible Safety Net to a Statewide Movement to End Violence
by Deb Mozden
years ago in New Hampshire, survivors and those
who cared about them organized to help women in
violent relationships get safe. There was no template for this
work. Survivors were asked what they needed and informal
help to address those needs was given. With invisible rope,
they built a safety net for survivors.
Without a guidebook, survivors and their supporters went
on to establish crisis centers so that every survivor had a safe
place to turn. With invisible thread, they reinforced the safety net with a network of services for women, men, teens and
children, for survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence
and stalking. They buoyed the nets with education programs
to teach our youth and to build responsive communities.
Without a pattern, they created a statewide structure built
on respect, commitment, empowerment and advocacy.
The safety net was further strengthened by the statewide
Coalition coordinating public policy and legislative advocacy, and services in every corner of the state.
With help from their friends, but still no guidebook, they built
a labyrinth of vital assistance from law enforcement, the courts,
30
medical professionals and faith communities.
Over three decades, they built a structure that
cannot be seen, and a movement to end
violence that cannot be seen in its
entirety at any one time. And, it is
strong. It is held together by survivors’
voices, strong advocacy, good legislation,
critical programs, the vitality of education
and prevention programs, and of
course, tears and laughter.
Every day, every year, this
work had to be created by
thoughtful, committed individuals and each year, it has
been shored up by new
weavers -new survivors, new
advocates, new first responders
and new good friends.
Deb Mozden is the Executive Director of Women’s Supportive Services in Claremont.
1979
Every state in the U.S. has at least one rape crisis center.
With help from the Coalition New Hampshire’s first domestic violence law (RSA 173-B) is passed, allowing victims to obtain a restraining order without hiring a lawyer, filing for divorce, or paying court fees.
The Krasker Bill increases the marriage license fee from $5 to $20 and designates $13 to crisis centers.
Sexual Assault Support Services, formerly the Women’s Resource Center, is established as a nonprofit agency
and currently is situated in Portsmouth.
1980
A Federal grant for $32,000 enables the Coalition to hire its first staff members, and rename itself the NH
Coalition Against Family Violence.
The NH Coalition Against Family Violence participates in the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
1981
A Day of Unity is observed in October by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence intended to connect advocates across the country who are working to end domestic violence.
On December 10, 1981 Jessie Rouleau receives the first pardon in NH issued to a woman convicted of murdering her husband in self-defense.
The University of New Hampshire holds its first Take Back the Night march.
The New Hampshire Legislature repeals the spousal exemption to the state sexual assault statute.
The Domestic Violence Grant Program takes effect. The Coalition signs a contract with the NH Division of
Welfare to become the coordinating agency of the Domestic Violence Program, the Coalition’s first contract with the state to manage funds dispersed to the statewide member groups.
Starting Point: Services for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence, originally named Carroll County Against
Domestic Violence and Rape, is established and is currently located in Conway.
1979
6 • The Coalition Chronicle
1980
1981
Verizon Wireless and its Hopeline Program provide valuable support in 2007
n 2007 the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic
and Sexual Violence received major financial support
for our programs and services thanks to two grants from
the HopeLine® program of Verizon Wireless. The
Coalition would like to acknowledge the commitment
that Verizon Wireless and HopeLine® have made to
stopping domestic violence in New Hampshire this year.
This spring the Coalition received a $2,000 grant from
the HopeLine® program in honor of our Mother’s Day
fundraising campaign. The HopeLine® grant covered
the cost of the printing and mailing of all of the Mother’s
Day cards, which meant that every donation we received
from supporters went directly to supporting the work of
the Coalition.
This fall the HopeLine® program awarded the Coalition
a $3,000 grant in honor of our 30th anniversary. This gift
will help underwrite the cost of the anniversary celebration being held on October 11th. We truly appreciate the
commitment that Verizon Wireless and the HopeLine®
Program have made to the Coalition and our member
programs. This is a great example of how everyone in the
community can contribute to ending domestic abuse.
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About the HopeLine® Program
Funding for the program is a direct result of community members donating no-longer-used cell phones to
HopeLine®, Verizon Wireless’ national initiative which
encourages consumers to recycle wireless products. In
fact, cash grants awarded through HopeLine® are the
direct result of consumers donating their old cell phones.
Recycling through HopeLine® provides an environmentally-friendly way of disposing of no-longer-used wireless
phones while providing a valuable communications tool
for domestic violence survivors. Every Verizon Wireless
communications store throughout the United States
accepts old phones regardless of condition, manufacturer
or carrier. Batteries and chargers are also accepted. Phones
are refurbished and donated with 3,000 minutes of airtime
to domestic violence shelters, agencies and law enforcement groups to be used by women in emergency situations. Phones that are beyond repair are sold for parts.
These proceeds are turned into cash for the grant program.
For more information about the HopeLine® Program
call 781-932-1510 or email Hopeline.NewEngland@
verizonwireless.com.
1982
NH Coalition Against Family Violence begins compiling statistics. Approximately 1,800 women and
men are served by the Coalition and its member programs with $140,000.
Voices Against Violence, located in Plymouth today, is incorporated as a non-profit.
1984
The first federal domestic violence legislation, the Family Violence Prevention & Services Act, is passed
by Congress, earmarking federal funding for programs serving victims of domestic violence.
The Victims of Crime Act also passes, which establishes an allocation of federal funds to the states for
addressing the needs of crime victims.
2,038 battered women and 27 abused men seek assistance from the NH Coalition Against Family
Violence and its member programs
1985
The Surgeon General identifies domestic violence as a major health problem.
The NH Coalition Against Family Violence is renamed the NH Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual
Violence (NHCADSV) to show its commitment to victims and issues of sexual assault.
1986
All 50 states have enacted rape reform laws.
The Coalition begins participating in the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
1987
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence establishes the first national toll-free domestic violence
hotline in October, the same month that the first national Domestic Violence Awareness Month is held.
The first national conference to promote a dialogue among domestic violence researchers, practitioners, and policymakers is held at the University of New Hampshire.
1982
1984
1985
1986
1987
Fall 2007 •
7
NHCADSV receives two grants vital to improving information technology
he New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and
Sexual Violence is pleased and grateful to be the recipient
of two generous grants that will allow us to move forward
with two important projects.
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The Corporate Fund:
The Corporate Fund awarded a $7,500 grant to the
Coalition that will go towards overhauling our website
www.nhcadsv.org. We know that our website is an important
resource for not only victims, but also the community as a
whole. Already the site includes helpful information for family and friends of victims, students, researchers, people in the
medical field, and employers. This grant will help us redesign
the site so it is not only easier to use, but it will also include
more content for underserved populations, including people
with disabilities as well as non-English speakers.
Founded in 1982, the Corporate Fund is comprised of
many of the state's most generous corporations, which pool a
portion of their charitable dollars to focus entirely on improving the overall management and effectiveness of New
Hampshire's nonprofits.
The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
The Coalition also received a $25,000 grant for the development of a new database to track both victim services and
education and outreach activities of the 14 member programs of NHCADSV. Funding for the new database was provided by the Jessie Gould Fund & Madison Fund of the New
Hampshire Charitable Foundation. All member programs of
NHCADSV collect data on the number of victims served,
including type of victimization, demographics and services
provided. Member programs also track all education and outreach activities, including the type of presentation, the audience, and the numbers of participants reached. These statistics provide vital information for public policy makers, and
help us assess our progress in reaching our goals of expanding services to victims, and providing community education
and outreach to victims.
The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation has been
working to improve the quality of life in our communities
since 1962. It builds and manages a collection of funds, currently totaling more than $400 million, created by individuals, families, and corporations for charitable purposes. In
2006, the Foundation awarded more than $30 million in
grants, initiatives and scholarships. Based in Concord, the
Foundation serves communities throughout seven regionsLakes, Manchester, Monadnock, Nashua, North Country,
Piscataqua, and Upper Valley. For more information, visit
www.nhcf.org or call (603) 225-6641.
1990
The first Clothes Line Project begins on Cape Cod with a display of shirts designed by survivors
of gender-related violence.
New Beginnings Women’s Crisis Center, currently in Laconia, is established
1992
A community board of directors is established to enable more objective oversight of NHCADSV
operations, and provide more community support.
1993
The Governor’s Commission on Domestic Violence is formed in NH.
The marriage license fee in NH is increased to $45, with $38 going toward the department of
health and human services, which through the Domestic Violence Grant Program will go to
the NHCADSV and be distributed to member programs. The same amount from this fee goes
to the Coalition and crisis centers today.
The New Hampshire legislature passes a law making stalking a crime.
1994
Congress passes the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). It contains a number of provisions
designed to strengthen legal protections for victims of domestic violence and sexual violence,
and provide expanded services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their children.
1990
8 • The Coalition Chronicle
1992
1993
1994
Upcoming Coalition Projects
t is going to be a busy fall and winter season for the
Coalition staff. Later this month Coalition staff will
join the Fatality Review Committee of the Governor’s
Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence in presenting “Beyond Statistics,” a special report focusing on
the victims of intimate partner homicide in New
Hampshire over the past two years.
Staff members are busy making the final edits to the
first ever brochure on mediation. This guide is designed
to educate victims on the pro’s and cons of mediation,
and to provide information about their legal rights if
they are ordered to mediation in a divorce or parental
rights and responsibilities case. This brochure is being
funded by a grant from the New Hampshire Bar
Foundation.
For months the presidential candidates have focused
their attention on New Hampshire and many have contacted the Coalition wanting to hear our views about the
issues of domestic and sexual violence. The Coalition
recognizes that it is important to inform our advocates
and supporters about public policy issues that affect
them, which led us to conduct a survey. The Coalition
I
contacted all of the major candidates for President and
asked them to complete a questionnaire asking about
sexual and domestic violence and stalking. The answers
to the Presidential candidate questionnaires will be
compiled and released in a special report later this fall.
Also this fall the National Network to End Domestic
Violence is conducting a one day census of domestic
violence providers across the country. The census puts
the spotlight on the need for services and the amount of
work being done by crisis centers across the country on
a daily basis. Members of the Coalition will be taking
part in the census and the results are expected to be
released before the New Year.
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire will
soon begin their work on the first ever violence against
men survey conducted in the state. The same questions
used in the Violence Against Women Survey released
last March will be asked of men in the state. This report
will give us the first clear glimpse of the rate of violence
male victims experience in New Hampshire. This report
is expected to be released in the late winter.
1996
New Hampshire is one of ten states chosen by The Family Violence Prevention Fund to participate in the
Fund’s National Health Initiative on Domestic Violence to educate and train health care professionals to recognize and respond appropriately to victims of domestic violence.
The Coalition serves approximately 13,000 people with $2.5 million in 1996.
Jeanne Shaheen is the first woman elected governor of NH.
1998
The NHCADSV begins collaboration with the Division of Children, Youth and Families to have domestic
abuse advocates present in DCYF offices to address the co-occurrence of domestic violence and child
abuse and neglect.
NH implements the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program to train registered nurses to provide compassionate and thorough medical services and forensic evidence collection to sexual assault survivors.
NHCADSV purchases a building at 4 South State Street in Concord to house its offices, a major step to
ensure its continuance and stability in the future.
1999
NHCADSV plays a critical role in the revision of NH’s domestic violence statute, 173-B. These revisions
greatly strengthen, simplify, and clarify the state’s domestic violence statute.
NH is chosen as one of only six sites in the Greenbook Project, a federal demonstration project focused on the
co-occurrence of domestic violence and child abuse and neglect, and is the only one in the eastern U.S.
2000
The Violence Against Women Act II is passed by Congress.
NHCADSV receives WOKQ’s Year of Service Award and receives more than $100,000 in free air time on
WOKQ and its affiliates.
1996
1998
1999
2000
Fall 2007 •
9
Around the Statehouse
he Coalition followed over 140
bills
during
the
2007
Legislative Session. This Session
was a tremendously successful
one for victims of sexual assault,
domestic violence, and stalking.
In particular, the NH legislature
passed several bills that will help
many survivors seek the economic independence they need to
leave an abusive relationship.
Below is a list of bills that will
directly affect the lives of survivors in New Hampshire
T
HB 184, Repealing the parental notification law
• This bill repeals the law requiring parental notification prior
to abortion. The Parental Notification Law requires that
one parent be notified before a doctor or clinic performs
an abortion on a minor. Since its passage in 2003, it has
been called unconstitutional by three courts, including the
Supreme Court.
SB 194, Establishing a commission to study the trafficking
of persons across borders for sexual and labor exploitation
• This bill establishes a commission to study the trafficking of
persons across borders for sexual and labor exploitation.
The Commission will look at the ways in which New
Hampshire is addressing human trafficking situations in the
state. The first meeting of the Commission to Study
Trafficking of Persons will be held on September 25th.
SB 197, Relative to continuation of group health insurance
in the event of divorce or legal separation
• This bill extends health insurance eligibility to an individual
in an event of a divorce or legal separation. One spouse
(the “non-member spouse”) remains eligible, at no additional premium charge, for group health insurance through
the plan covering the other spouse (the “member spouse”),
as if the divorce or legal separation had not occurred.
HB 514-FN-LOCAL, Relative to the application minimum
wage for hourly employees
• This bill increases the minimum wage to $6.50 an hour on
September 1, 2007 and then to $7.25 on September
2008. After a decade of the minimum wage remaining at
$5.15 per hour, this increase will help many survivors who
seek economic independence.
Legislature, Cont. on page 11
2001
April is formally recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness month in the U.S.
The Department of Justice estimates that a woman is beaten in her home every 15 seconds.
The Family Violence Prevention Fund chooses New Hampshire to participate in a national model
program to promote screening and intervention by medical professionals. New Hampshire
is awarded a $50,000 grant and $25,000 in matching funds, to administer the program over
30 months. New Hampshire was chosen to participate in the second phase of the 1996
National Health Initiative on Domestic Violence because of its strong leadership in training
health care providers.
The NHCADSV launches a new statewide sexual assault hotline with the assistance of CTC
Communications.
2002
The NHCADSV launches a new statewide domestic violence hotline, again with the assistance of
CTC Communications.
2004
The New Hampshire legislature passes a law declaring January Stalking Awareness Month.
2005
In the United States for full-time year-round workers, women still only earn 77% of what men earn.
Senate Bill 30 the Collaborative Practice for Emergency Contraception Act is passed allowing a
pharmacist to initiate emergency contraception drug therapy to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
According to the FBI there are approximately 405 forcible rapes reported to law enforcement by
females in NH in 2005 and across the country 93,934 forcible rapes of women that same year.
2001
10 • The Coalition Chronicle
2002
2004
2005
Legislature, Cont. from page 10
SB 193, Relative to adjustments to the child support guidelines under special circumstances
• SB 193 creates specific factors for the court to consider in
cases where parents share equal, or approximately equal
residential responsibilities. These include: whether the
parents have agreed to a specific apportionment of variable expenses; whether the fixed expenses of the obligee
have decreased, and whether the income of the lower
income parent enables the child to enjoy a similar standard of living in both households. The bill also provides the
courts guidelines in making child support adjustments
when families have extraordinarily high or low incomes
and in cases of joint physical custody.
HB 707, Relative to the time frames for hearings in domestic violence cases
• This bill amends 173-B and is a legislative fix in response
to the McCarthy v. Wheeler Supreme Court and gives the
court more flexibility in hearing domestic violence cases.
• This bill permits the court to extend the hearing date for an
additional 10 days in a domestic violence case for good
cause including: recusal by the judge or any act of God or
closing of the court. A recusal or closing shall not be cause
for the dismissal of the petition. The court shall reschedule
any hearing under this section in an expeditious manner.
HB 743, Relative to the rights of crime victims while making a victim impact statement
• This bill prohibits a victim from being cross examined by
defense counsel when giving an impact statement at a sentencing, sentence review, or sentence reduction hearing.
HB 685, Prohibiting New Hampshire from participating in
a national identification card system
• This bill prohibits New Hampshire from participating in a
national identification card system and establishes additional limitations on the release of data by the department
of safety.
• The Federal REAL ID Act mandated that states use identification cards that would be a part of a national database
system. These cards would require an individual’s physical address and would prohibit the use of P.O. boxes on
the face of the card. This would have ultimately dissolved
New Hampshire’s Address Confidentially Program and significantly compromised the safety of domestic violence
and stalking victims.
2006
The Violence Against Women Act is authorized by Congress for the third time.
The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act is signed into law requiring sex offenders
to register with the state upon their release from incarceration and allows the state
attorneys general to employ the use of federal resources to apprehend sex offenders
who violate sex offender registration requirements.
NHCADSV and its member agencies serve 15,407 people with a budget of $4.8 million.
Carol Shea-Porter is elected as NH’s first congresswoman.
2007
The NHCADSV in collaboration with the University of New Hampshire, and the New
Hampshire Division of Public Health Services publishes the New Hampshire Violence
Against Women Survey, a landmark survey conducted by the UNH Survey Center
showing nearly one in four women in the state have been sexually assaulted, one in
three women have been physically assaulted by an intimate partner, and over half of
all women in NH have experienced sexual and/or physical assault over the course of
their lifetime.
2006
2007
Fall 2007 •
11
30 Years, Cont. from page 5
was awarded a federal grant from the United States
Department of Health and Human Services to establish the
New Hampshire Domestic Violence Health Initiative which
provided training for teams of health care professionals and
technical assistance for those teams. In 1999 the Coalition
played a critical role in revising the state’s domestic violence statute, RSA 173-B, greatly strengthening, simplifying,
and clarifying the law.
The start of the 21st century saw many achievements. In
2000, the Coalition was awarded WOKQ’s Year of Service
Award and received more than $100,000 in free air time
on WOKQ and its affiliates. Governor Shaheen launched
the Corporate Citizens Initiative in 2000 to help businesses recognize the signs of domestic violence and offer
meaningful support to employees who are experiencing it.
The state of New Hampshire adopted a policy on domestic violence in the workplace, and conducted numerous
trainings of state employees. The Coalition also worked
actively for the reauthorization of the Violence Against
Women Act. In 2001, the Family Violence Prevention
Fund chose New Hampshire to participate in a national
model program to promote screening and intervention by
medical professionals. New Hampshire was awarded a
$50,000 grant and $25,000 in matching funds to administer the program over 30 months. New Hampshire was
chosen to participate in the second phase of the 1996
National Health Initiative on Domestic Violence because
of its strong leadership in training health care providers.
Also in 2001, a statewide sexual assault hotline was
launched and the following year a domestic violence hotline was created. Work continued from 2002 through
2006 to address the co-occurrence of domestic violence
and child abuse and neglect, through the Greenbook
Project, a federal demonstration project focused on
improving interventions in families experiencing a cooccurrence of domestic violence and child abuse and neglect. The Greenbook Project helped to further the development of the Domestic Violence Specialist (DVS)
Program which places crisis center advocates in DCYF
District Offices to work with abused mothers and consult
on child abuse cases that involve domestic violence.
At the turn of the century the Coalition began to focus
more on the crime of stalking. New Hampshire lawmakers
voted to make January Stalking Awareness Month. It was
recognized for the first time in January of 2005. In January
2007 the Coalition launched the first awareness poster
aimed at reaching stalking victims, as well as a revised
brochure. The launch of this campaign occurred at a press
conference with Governor John Lynch and Attorney
General Kelly Ayotte.
12 • The Coalition Chronicle
In 2004, extensive effort was spent on revising the funding formula which allocates funds through the Coalition to
member programs. The following year the Coalition
improved the collection of victim services data though the
development of a comprehensive victim services database
manual and training of member agency staff in use of the
database. In 2005, with help from the Coalition, Senate
Bill 76 was passed extending protective orders for up to
five years after the first extension so that victims do not
have to go back to court year after year and face their
abusers. Senate Bill 30, the Collaborative Practice for
Emergency Contraception Act, was passed, allowing a
pharmacist to initiate emergency contraception drug therapy to prevent unwanted pregnancies. In 2006 the
Violence Against Women Act was once again reauthorized
by Congress with the help of the Coalition’s advocacy
efforts. The Coalition also supported House Bill 184 which
passed in 2007, repealing the Parental Notification Law of
2003 which required parental notification before abortions could be performed on minors and did not exempt
cases involving rape or incest. The Coalition, in collaboration with the University of New Hampshire and the New
Hampshire Division of Public Health Services, published
the New Hampshire Violence Against Women Survey, a
landmark survey conducted by the UNH Survey Center.
The results of the survey clearly demonstrated that the
Coalition’s work is not done. Nearly one in four women in
the state have been sexually assaulted, one in three
women have been physically assaulted by an intimate
partner, and over half of all women in NH have experienced sexual and/or physical assault over the course of
their lifetime.
The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and
Sexual Violence has achieved many accomplishments over
the past 30 years that have changed people’s thoughts,
ideas, lives, and the very fabric of our culture. The
Coalition supports its fourteen member programs by providing community education, coordination, training,
resource sharing, and advocacy for legislative changes that
affect victims of domestic and sexual violence and stalking.
In recognition that violence and oppression are connected, the Coalition also promotes social change by holding
societal systems accountable for their responses to these
problems and through the empowerment of victims. The
Coalition continues to work collaboratively with many
local, state, and federal organizations to further our common goal of ending domestic and sexual violence and
stalking and working towards the ultimate goal of a society free of violence for all.
Child Advocacy Activities
ver the past year the Coalition has continued to
implement its commitment to enhancing advocacy with children affected by domestic and sexual violence. In 2006, 1,050 children received services from
Coalition member programs and 305 children were
sheltered. That same year 4,488 New Hampshire children and youth were identified as having been
exposed to domestic violence in their homes. The
member programs of the Coalition also continue to
provide services to non-offending parents of children
being assisted by Child Advocacy Centers. We know
that the impact of domestic and sexual violence can be
devastating for a child, making it important that we
continue to work to improve the quality of services we
provide for all non-offending members of families.
O
Children’s Advocacy Conference
A two day Children’s Advocacy conference took
place in June. Child advocacy experts from the
Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence and
the National Resource Center presented to child advocates, direct services staff and executive directors of
the Coalition’s member programs. Some of the questions discussed included:
- What do children exposed to domestic violence
need to become healthy adults and lead violence
free lives?
- What is the role of a domestic violence program in
helping exposed children to heal and in building
their resiliency?
issue the Coalition organized a group of regional clinician trainings that are taking place in September and
October. The training titled “Clinical Intervention with
Children Affected by Domestic Violence” featured
presenters from the Child Witness to Violence Project
of Boston Medical Center. The faculty of this project is
widely known for their work with traumatized children
and has extensive experience providing evaluations
and treatment to children and families affected by
domestic violence.
The goal of the training is to help participants:
◆ develop skills for addressing the impact of domestic violence on children;
◆ understand principles for individual clinical assessment and treatment of traumatized children;
◆ Develop skills in using child-parent therapeutic
intervention with children exposed to domestic
violence;
◆ Understand assessment protocols used in treating
children exposed to violence.
This training for rural clinicians has greatly enhanced
the capacity of communities to provide needed services to rural families.
For more information contact The Coalition’s Child
and Family Advocacy Coordinator, Deb Coe, at 603224-8893 extension 315.
The conference provided information about what
advocates in other states are doing, and gave Coalition
members a chance to reflect on our own work with
children. A significant outcome was the development
of core values for working with children, which were
used to develop best practice guidelines. Local programs also developed more capacity to assist battered
women with understanding and countering the impact
that domestic violence has had on their parenting.
Fall Clinician Training
Many local advocates have expressed that it is a challenge to find therapists qualified to provide clinical
services to children exposed to domestic violence,
especially in rural New Hampshire. To address this
Fall 2007 •
13
You are invited to join us in celebrating our 30th anniversary.
Thursday October 11
5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
New Hampshire Institute of Art in Manchester
The evening will include a brief program looking back at the last
three decades and ahead to our future.A silent auction will take place
throughout the evening with the winners being announced at 7:00.
A buffet of hot and cold hors d’oeuvres and desserts will be served.
Attire is business casual.
For more information call 603-224-8893
14 • The Coalition Chronicle
This great event is being made possible thanks to the following donations:
Corporate Sponsors
Image Sensations, LLC
Lascelle and Gallant, PLLC
Northeast Delta Dental
Portsmouth Regional Hospital
Rainville Printing Enterprise (Speedy Printing)
Unitil
Silent Auction Donors
Andi Axman
Arnie’s Place
Bagel Works
Barbara Walters
Bellows House
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
Bill Mattern
Chalifours
Colonial Theatre Group
Concord Country Club
Congressman Dennis Kucinich
D. McLeod Florist
Deb Hastings
Design on the Rocks
Diane Lane
Down the Aisle in Style
Eagle Mountain House
Florentine Films (Ken Burns)
Gondwana
Hannaford’s Supermarket
Hermanos Cocina Mexicana
Holiday Inn Kansas City Steakhouse and Lounge
Jacques Flower Shop
Jeanne Concannon
Karen’s Gift Shop
Legends Golf and Family Recreation
Mark Hagopian
Massage by Trisha Fortier
McGowan Fine Art
Meadowbrook Farm
NHCADSV Board
NM Governor Bill Richardson
Patrick’s Pub and Eatery
Posh Hair Studio
Orion Seafood International, Inc.
Rath, Young, and Pignatelli
Rick Keller
Sally Rocks Jewelry Design
Sen. Barack Obama
Sen. Joseph Biden
Sharon Arts Center
Simon Pierce
Ski NH
Southwest Airlines
Terry Sturke and Tom Bell
The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel
The Body Shop
The Boston Red Sox
The Capitol Center for the Arts
The Centennial Hotel
The Elegant Ewe
The Patriots Foundation
The Stonebridge Country Club
The Timberland Company
The Yoga Center
University of New Hampshire
Yankee Publishing, Inc.
And a special thanks to HopeLine for
financial support of programs and services:
Fall 2007 •
15
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month:
Help show your support to victims of domestic violence by signing on to the Coalition’s Signature Advertisement.
In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month the Coalition will print its signature advertisement in the Concord Monitor on Sunday,
October 28, 2007. Please add your signature to the list of Granite Staters who are publicly proclaiming their desire to end domestic and sexual violence in New Hampshire.
(Note: anyone who donates to the 30th Anniversary fundraiser by either purchasing a ticket or sending in a donation will automatically be included in this advertisement.)
To participate, fill out the form below with your name as you’d like it to appear in the signature ad, along with your tax-deductible contribution to NHCADSV, PO Box 353, Concord, NH 03301 by Friday, October 19, 2007. You may pay by credit card by faxing the form below to
(603) 228-6096, or by calling (603) 224-8893 x 311 or e-mail [email protected].
Thank you for your continued support.
X___________________________________________________________________
(Please clearly print your name and/or that of your business on the above line.
“In memory of”, “In honor of”, or “Anonymous” are also options.)
Name ___________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________________________ Tel. _______________________________________________________
City ____________________________________________________________________ State ______________________________________________________________________________________ Zip _______________________________________________________
E-mail ____________________________________________________________________________
Level of Contribution:
____$1000 Underwriter ____$500 Paragon
____$250 Sponsor
____$50 Advocate
____$20 Supporter
____$35 Friend
____$100 Contributor
Method of Payment: Check enclosed:___
Credit card# ________________________________________________ Expiration date:______________ Zip:_____________