A Letter to Jennifer Kaplan of the Office on Violence Against Women
Following last month’s resounding defeat regarding gender bias within their domestic violence treatment service centers, there has been a few changes within the West Virginia Family Services web site. There’s a new, somewhat guarded mention of men and domestic violence. But noticeably missing are the names of the board members along with their phone numbers. While admittedly there has been some fallout , the board members apparently do not wish to deal with it. So, I left yet another message for Judy King Smith, their board director, whom at this point in time, has yet to return my phone calls.
In response, the National Coalition For Men (NCFM) has drafted a letter that has been addressed to Jennifer Kaplan, one of President Obama’s policy makers at the Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) within the Department of Justice. This letter has been backed by many men and women’s advocate groups across the country, including the NCFM and Men’s News Daily.
Earlier this year, Ms. Kaplan had alluded to me that “this is not what she wishes the Domestic Violence programs to be known for”, after I had approached her about multiple problems occurring within many DV programs under her jurisdiction. Instead, she incorrectly informed me that many of these programs were not receiving VAWA funding. Subsequent tracing of those monies proved that assumption to be incorrect.
Grants for funding for federally supported programs prohibit preferential treatment to, or discrimination against anyone, on the basis of race or gender. West Virginia has shown beyond the shadow of a doubt that they have already crossed that line. Yet, they continue to operate. Despite that fact, we have not yet called for an end to this funding.
What we are essentially asking for is corrective action. It would be nice to expect that to happen automatically, as it should per federal funding laws. But, I’ve seen enough from this vicious industry to know better. DV organizations are all about the money. Threaten them there and they dig in their heels. It will be status quo until a higher power steps in.
That would be Ms. Kaplan.
What truly IS needed is a serious assessment of the board of directors and their actions leading up to this decision. Sadly, funding may have to be pulled as removing this incentive may be the only way for true progress and corrective actions to occur.
Ms. Kaplan, the ball is now in your court.
You can read the entire letter here.
(editors addition) The board list is as follows:
Judy King Smith, FPSB Chair
Rape & Domestic Violence Information Center
Phone: 304-292-5100
Fax: 304-292-0204
Email: rdvic99@earthlink.net
Kathie King, FPSB Member
WV Department of Health & Human Resources
Phone: 304-558-8839
Email: Kathie.D.King@wv.gov
Judi Ball, FPSB Secretary/Treasurer
Family Crisis Intervention Center
Phone: 304-428-2333
Fax: 304-428-2398
Email: fcic@citynet.net
Lora Maynard, FPSB Member
WV Division of Criminal Justice Services
Phone: 304-558-8814 ext. 216
Fax: 304-558-0391
Email: Lora.J.Maynard@wv.gov
Barbara Hawkins, FPSB Member
Phone: 304-435-0385
Email: barblhawkins@gmail.com
John Lukas is a long time warrior against the gender biased policies of the domestic violence industry and a victim of the system as it exists today. His focus is on domestic violence practices and policies that are often in contradiction of their actual intent. He runs http://wadvpress.org . | More from John Lucas
Stumble It!
November 4th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
If anyone was able to salvage a copy of the board members and their phone numbers, it will be published here.
Good work, John and the same of NCFM.
November 4th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Thanks, Paul.
We are asking all who are interested in joining this endorsement to contact John Lukas at jlukas@wadvpress.org
November 4th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
The board may be contacted at (304) 292-5100. They no longer list the board members on their website, nor do they list their direct phone numbers.
November 4th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
That’s them as they used to appear on their old website.
November 4th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
John Lucas,
First, congratulations for prevailing in court. In our state at least five lawsuit were filed in federal or state courts. All lost either for lack of standing or other reason. In one when the county failed to respond to a motion within time limit a motion for judgment was filed. Miraculously a filing existed in court records but no response to the lawyer. Was it backdated or coincidence only the officials know.
Second, could not you file a motion for contempt of court against VW for failure to comply with the ruling?
November 4th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Congratulations will be forwarded to Ron Foster as this was a West Virginia ruling. This case is a road map for other states to use. As for the contempt ruling, I am assuming this was in WA state and is not surprising to me as I have seen that happen there and elsewhere. That is what men are up against, backdating and all.
In WA, DCS gives kickbacks to the judges for every case that they hear. Yup. You heard me right. It happens in 17 counties there and must be stopped.
That has been documented here: – http://washingtonsharedparenting.com/?p=425
November 4th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
John Lucas,
I don’t know if West Virginia has its own Equal Rights Amendment (in addition to proposed federal ERA). But while Maryland highest court ruled male-only country club tax exemption unconstitutional under its ERA in Burning Tree Club v. Bainum , the US Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
Folllowing that road map a case was filed to challenge the Commission for Women as unconstitutional. That’s when the cout bungled the case, It was appealed to Court of Special Appeals which upheld the ruling and state’s Court of Appeals cenied review. Original case.
Link.
The two primary cases involving E.R.A. and the Burning Tree Club are. Burning Tree Club v. Bainum, 305 Md. 53, 501 A.2d 817 (1985) (Burning Tree I), …
November 5th, 2009 at 6:21 am
This is wonderful work you are doing, John Lucas and others.
Awesome.
November 5th, 2009 at 9:05 am
Another tip of the hat should be given to Harry Crouch of the NCFM, whose unending support made this possible. Yes, it was my idea, but without the help of those endorsing this letter and Men’s News Daily, this idea would not have come to fruition.
I also ask that all continue to support these endeavors and I doubly ask that those organizations who wish to endorse this letter come forward and contact me at jlukas@wadvpress.org so that I can add them to this list.
John Lukas
http://wadvpress.org
November 5th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Another tip of the hat should go to Harry Crouch of the NCFM and this website, whose support made this possible.
I ask that all organizations who did not have a chance to endorse this letter to please step forward at this point and contact me at jlukas@wadvpress.org , so that I may add them to this important list of agencies who are calling for change. This will help to keep this issue front and enter as it should be, until changes are accomplished.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
The Bolton Refuge House in Eau Claire wisconsin also has a very biased taxpayer paid for “service”. One of their posters advertising the center is about men if you abuse your wife your son could be sent to prison, they do not have posters depicting abusive women. They also do not accept men of Fathers and their children. My son was abused by his mother and he was told to go to the Gospel Mission, a place that does not accept young men. What can be done to straighten up a place like this??
November 5th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Living in GB, I used to think that WI as a cut above when it came to DV shelters. My bad.
Contact the press, blog on-line and expose them. Go after their funding for being gender biased. Here’s what one gentleman did in WA State in a similar situation: – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I09I_PX2-pc
John Lukas
http://wadvpress.org
Whatever you do, get active!
November 11th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Because Glenn Sacks section comments are “closed” , Probert Franklin’s article on DV deserves more attention about DOJ.
When DOJ was headed by Attorney General Janet Reno during Bill Clinton’s presidency, she promoted mandatory arrests in DV cases. If the police were not sure who the perpetrator was, they would arrest both partners. Janet Reno promised extra money for those police departments that whould only arrest one person ( You know who went to jail). During that time VAWA had about $ 5 billion multi year budget. Link to Rober Franklin’s report.
http://mensnewsdaily.com/glennsacks/2009/11/11/mandatory-arrest-in-dv-cases-doesnt-work-but-still-promoted-by-doj/
Wikipedia link to Janet Reno:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Reno