Monday, March 22, 2021

Recent Reports of Domestic Violence Around the World: What Would You Do in Order to Prevent DV If ......... Manifested in Your Relationship??? Creating Equality Now and After.

Boy oh Boy... do we have a problem here or WHAT ?!?!?!  

  Things ain't looking too good from where I am sitting.  I mean... I got plenty to do as a person who has been a soldier in the War against Family Violence for almost three decades.  But it's not supposed to be getting worse.  It's supposed to be getting better.

  Seems every other day, some big-time Domestic Violence Story is breaking in the NEWS.  

  What is happening to us?

  One thing for sure is that there tend to be at least TWO SIDES to every story.

  But seriously, is Domestic Violence really increasing in the U.S.A.?

  What do you think.  If so, why do you think this is happening?  

Check out these Recent Headlines:  

"US Weekly: Angelina Jolie Details Ex-Husband Brad Pitt’s Alleged Domestic Violence in New Court Documents.“  "Celebrity Exes Crushing Co-parenting"

The filing, submitted on Friday, March 12, indicates that both the Maleficent alum, 45 (Jolie), and her children are willing to offer “proof and authority in support” of their claims against Pitt, 57.  Jolie has agreed to provide testimony herself, along with the “testimony of minor children,” according to the court documents.

All of Jolie and the Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood star’s children — Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, and Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12, could freely speak out in court in their divorce hearings.

“If Angelina has more documentation to prove domestic violence towards her or the children, she can submit it as a supplemental offer to prove in trial,” family law expert and Ideal Legal Group, Inc. founder Evie P. Jeang tells Us. “She can say these are the documentation in addition to what she already presented. This could mean it’s a more recent instance (of domestic violence), or further documentation related to what was presented before.”

A source close to Pitt tells US Weekly the filing is nothing more than an attempt to “hurt” the actor.

“Over the past four and a half years there have been a number of claims made by Angelina that have been reviewed and not substantiated,” the insider says. “The children have been used by Angelina to hurt Brad before and this is more of that behavior. This leaking of documents by her fourth or fifth set of lawyers has been done to hurt Brad."”

 

What reportedly happened here ---  What REALLY HAPPENED HERE?

How is This DV??? 

  - - - - - - - - - - -  NO – No – NO!!!! - - - - - - - - - - -


BBC: China court orders man to pay wife for housework in landmark case

February 24, 2021

“A Beijing divorce court has ordered a man to compensate his wife for the housework she did during their marriage, in a landmark ruling.

The woman will receive 50,000 yuan ($7,700; £5,460) for five years of unpaid labour.

The case has generated a huge debate online over the value of domestic work, with some saying the compensation amount was too little.

The ruling comes after China's introduction of a new civil code.

According to court records, the man identified by his surname Chen had filed for divorce last year from his wife, surnamed Wang, after getting married in 2015.

She was reluctant to divorce at first, but later requested financial compensation, arguing that Chen had not shouldered any housework or childcare responsibilities for their son.

Beijing's Fangshan District Court ruled in her favour, ordering him to pay her monthly alimony of 2,000 yuan, as well as the one-off payment of 50,000 yuan for the housework she has done.

The presiding judge told reporters on Monday that the division of a couple's joint property after marriage usually entails splitting tangible property. "But housework constitutes intangible property value," said the judge.

The ruling was made according to the new civil code in the country, which came into effect this year. Under the new law, a spouse is entitled to seek compensation in a divorce if he or she bears more responsibility in child raising, caring for elderly relatives, and assisting partners in their work.

Previously, divorcing spouses could only request such compensation if a prenuptial agreement had been signed - an uncommon practice in China.

On social media, the case sparked heated debate, with a related hashtag on microblogging platform Weibo viewed more than 570 million times.

Some social media users pointed out that 50,000 yuan for five years' of work was too little. "I'm a bit speechless, the work of a full-time housewife is being underestimated. In Beijing, hiring a nanny for a year costs more than 50,000 yuan," said one commenter.” 


What reportedly happened here ---  What REALLY HAPPENED HERE?

How is This DV??? 

  - - - - - - - - - - -  NO – No – NO!!!! - - - - - - - - - - -



"Indianapolis quadruple homicide started after argument over stimulus check, court docs show"

Lawrence Andrea, Indianapolis Star

“INDIANAPOLIS – The man accused of killing three adults and a 7-year-old girl in Indianapolis on Saturday night told police he began shooting everyone inside a home after an argument over a stimulus check, court records show.

Malik Halfacre, 25, was taken into custody a day after police say he shot and killed Anthony Johnson, 35; Dequan Moore, 23; Eve Moore, 7; and Tomeeka Brown, 44.

A survivor of the shooting – who family said shared a daughter with Halfacre – was shot in the back during the incident and directed police to the residence Saturday night.

Halfacre said in an interview with police that he and his daughter's mother "were arguing because he wanted some of her stimulus check," according to a probable cause affidavit.

He told investigators that, after he shot everyone inside the home, he took the money and his daughter's mother's purse and car before leaving.”

 

What reportedly happened here ---  What REALLY HAPPENED HERE???

How is This DV???  

  - - - - - - - - - - -  NO – No – NO!!!! - - - - - - - - - - -


LONDON — “She was just walking home. Now women are sharing their 'grief and distress' to force change.    (Yasmine Salam, Nathalie Emmanuel)

"She was just walking home.

The death of Sarah Everard, who was last seen walking on a busy south London street just after 9:30 p.m. March 3, has gripped the United Kingdom.

Police confirmed Friday that a body found by investigators Wednesday was that of the 33-year-old marketing executive, and that Wayne Couzens, an elite officer with London Metropolitan Police’s diplomatic protection command, had been charged with her murder.

Commenting on the arrest, Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said Wednesday that the case had sent “waves of shock and anger” through the public and the entire force. “We are utterly appalled at this dreadful news,” she said. “Our job is to patrol the streets and to protect people.”

The case has also set off calls for action on male violence against women and girls, and a change in the dialogue that surrounds it.

While the search for Everard was underway, thousands of women shared stories online about the abuse and fears they have experienced on streets in Britain, where more than 70 percent of women have been sexually harassed in public, according to a 2019 United Nations study.

Among those to speak out was the “Game of Thrones” actress Nathalie Emmanuel, who talked about “the countless times” she had faced “predatory behavior by men,” in a Twitter thread.

In an Instagram Story "Bridgerton” star RegĂ©-Jean Page said: “Who are we not mentioning in this equation? It’s us. It’s men.”

“The grief and distress from women reacting to what happened to Sarah Everard shows just how differently women experience public space compared to men,” Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women campaign group, told NBC News.

“We rarely hear about what drives perpetrators to harm women and what needs to be put in place to stop this behavior,” she added.

Women in London were nearly twice as likely as men to mention personal safety as a barrier to walking and using public transport, according to a 2019 report by the Centre for London think tank.

Everard’s disappearance has shined a light on a double standard that exists: Women are expected to adapt their behavior to reduce personal risk, which in turn fuels a “victim-blaming culture” and detracts attention from male actions, Simon said.

“The thing that is depressing about this whole discussion is, too often, I think women are told not to go out alone after dark. I just can't even imagine the outrage if men were told that, Anna Yearley, executive director of Reprieve, a legal action NGO, said. “Why should the onus be on women?”

“You realize just how normal these things have become. We've sort of been conditioned as women to always be nervous when we're on the streets,” she added.

Admitting that the city was not safe for women and girls, London Mayor Sadiq Khan told the local LBC radio station that “it was really important that people of my gender understand that.”

Jenny Jones, a member of Britain’s House of Lords, also suggested that all men should adhere to a 6 p.m. curfew.

Some men have said they were being unfairly portrayed, using the #NotAllMen hashtag on Twitter, although others have asked what they can do to reduce the anxiety women feel when walking alone at night.

That has spurred an outpouring of advice online from women, who have shared suggestions for how men can make their presence feel less uncomfortable — by doing things like crossing the street instead of staying behind a woman late at night, and speaking up if they witness bad behavior.

“Men can be amazing allies in this and can really help shift the narrative,” Yearley said.

Having earlier planned vigils in cities across the country, including the south London neighborhood where Everard disappeared, the “Reclaim These Streets” group which organized the events said in a statement Saturday, that they would hold a virtual gathering instead.

On Friday, a judge at London's High Court refused to intervene on behalf of the group in a legal challenge over the right to gather for a protest during coronavirus restrictions.

Instead, the group said it planned to raise money for women's causes.”

https://news.yahoo.com/she-vanished-london-street-now-093919622.html


What reportedly happened here ---  What REALLY HAPPENED HERE???

How is This DV???  

  - - - - - - - - - - -  NO – No – NO!!!! - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Florida man accused of murdering wife after telling police she is 'swimming with the fishes'  

Mary Stella Gomez-Mullet originally went missing on Feb. 20 

(FLORIDA  Published March 6) 

Boyton Beach Police arrested 66-year-old Roberto Colon for first-degree murder Friday in the death of his wife, Mary Stella Gomez-Mullet, who went missing on Feb. 20.

Officers originally searched Colon's property on Feb. 21 after a friend told them that she was on the phone with Gomez-Mullet just days before she went missing and it sounded like someone attacked her, WPEC reports.

As detectives were leaving Colon's home that day, he reportedly shouted at them that his wife was "swimming with the fishes" and they needed to "find the body, find the body," according to the local news station.

Roberto Colon, 66, is being held at the Palm Beach county jail on one charge of first-degree murder and two marijuana charges. He is accused of killing his wife.  

Police found human remains at Colon's property Friday.

He is facing one count of first-degree murder and two marijuana charges.

Colon told police that he married Gomez-Mullet just weeks after meeting her in exchange for citizenship and to take care of his mother, according to WPEC.

"Our heartfelt condolences are with Mary’s family and loved ones," Police Chief Michael G. Gregory said Friday. "We remain dedicated to this ongoing investigation and bringing justice to her family."

 

What reportedly happened here ---  What REALLY HAPPENED HERE???

How is This DV???  

  - - - - - - - - - - -  NO – No – NO!!!! - - - - - - - - - - -

 

“Fargo Man Convicted of Killing Girlfriend  By - AP - Saturday, March 13, 2021

FARGO, N.D. (AP) - A Cass County District Court jury has found a Fargo man guilty in the death of his girlfriend.

Sheldon Davis, 46, was convicted Friday of murder, arson and endangering by fire in the death of 52-year-old Denise Anderson. Her body was found in Davis‘ apartment after a fire on Aug 1, 2019, KFGO reports.

The jury deliberated about an hour before convicting Davis. He faces a maximum life in prison without parole.”


What reportedly happened here ---  What REALLY HAPPENED HERE???

How is This DV???  

  - - - - - - - - - - -  NO – No – NO!!!! - - - - - - - - - - -


 Conviction upheld for man who shot sister-in-law 10 times

“PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - A judge’s happenstance meeting with a priest a couple of times at church did not warrant the judge’s removal from a murder trial in which the priest was a witness, the state supreme court ruled Tuesday.

The priest got into a fight with a man hours before the man shot a woman 10 times and testified at the trial. Philip Clark was convicted and sentenced to 43 years for killing his sister-in-law, Renee Henneberry Clark.

Philip Clark’s attorneys contended Justice William Stokes should have recused himself because he had met the Rev. Anthony Cipolle years before.

“The fact that the presiding judge had met the witness years before on a few Sundays during one summer was insufficient to create even an appearance of bias,” Justice Joseph Jabar wrote in Tuesday’s ruling.

Police were called to quell the fight between Cipolle and Clark hours before Henneberry Clark was shot to death on July 11, 2018, in her apartment in Hampden. Philip Clark lived in the apartment next door.

Stokes said during Clark’s sentencing that that the priest could have “defused” the tense situation but instead “inflamed” it through his actions. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland fired Cipolle last year.

The Supreme Judicial Court also rejected the defense contention that jurors should have been given the option of convicting Clarke of manslaughter, and that his confession shouldn’t have been allowed at the trial.”

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/mar/16/conviction-upheld-for-man-who-shot-sister-in-law-1/

 

What reportedly happened here ---  What REALLY HAPPENED HERE???

How is This DV???  

  - - - - - - - - - - -  NO – No – NO!!!! - - - - - - - - - - -


"A Man Called His Ex A 'Moron' By Text While Storming The Capitol. She Turned Him In

February 25, 20211:42 PM ET 

One of the rioters accused of storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was turned in by his ex-girlfriend after sending her several videos and texts from the scene, including one calling her a "moron," court documents show.

Richard Michetti is facing charges of knowingly entering a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and obstruction of justice/Congress, according to a Feb. 17 criminal complaint. The Ridley Park, Pa., resident was arraigned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia and released on unsecured bail with electronic monitoring, reports The Morning Call.

Michetti is represented by Philadelphia-based federal public defender Kathleen Gaughan, according to The Morning Call. She did not respond to a request for comment.

A 10-page statement of facts details Michetti's texts to the unnamed woman on Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, in which he repeated conspiracy theories about the presidential election being stolen and described the chaotic scenes unfolding at the Capitol complex. She reported him to law enforcement the following day, turning over his personal information as well as texts, videos and photos.

Their text exchanges indicate she had tried to push back on his baseless claims of election fraud.

"If you can't see the election was stolen you're a moron," Michetti texted her at approximately 4:26 p.m. ET on Jan. 6. Minutes earlier, according to an NPR timeline, then-President Donald Trump had tweeted a video repeating his claims of a stolen election and downplaying the insurrection.

"I understand your point but what I'm saying is [ex-girlfriend's name] the election was rigged and everyone knows it," he wrote in a series of texts about an hour and a half later. "All's we wanted was an investigation that's it. And they couldn't investigate the biggest presidential race in history with mail in ballots who everyone knows is easy to fraud."

The day before the riots, Michetti told his ex over text that he was taking a train to Washington, D.C., which she later told law enforcement was because he believed the election had been stolen. Portions of the videos he sent the next day show him on the grounds of the Capitol, while other videos appear to have been filmed inside the building, the statement said.

Just after 2 p.m., Michetti texted the woman that "it's going down here we stormed the building they held us back with spray and teargas and paintballs." Minutes later, he wrote, "Gotta stop the vote it's fraud this is our country." In other messages, he wrote that his eyes were burning and that thousands of people were storming the building.

At around 2:44 p.m., according to the court document, Michetti sent two videos to the woman, one showing rioters inside the building and one showing rioters yelling and waving flags while walking around a large interior room.

(At that exact moment, NPR's timeline shows, rioter Ashli Babbitt was shot as she tried to gain entry to the Speaker's Lobby of the House chamber. Her death is one of five associated with the riots.)

Law enforcement used additional clues to identify Michetti and place him at the scene. For instance, it said his ex-girlfriend was able to positively identify him in a photo that had been submitted to an FBI tip line, in which he can be seen standing on the Capitol steps among a large group of rioters.

Officials were then able to spot Michetti in additional footage from inside the building based on his description and clothing — a Chicago White Sox baseball cap, blue backpack, dark hoodie and tan pants.

The FBI also obtained a printed copy of a receipt from a Washington, D.C., hotel located approximately one block from the U.S. Capitol, showing that Michetti had checked in on Jan. 5 and checked out the following day.

Michetti is one of more than 250 people facing charges in connection with the riots, according to an NPR tracker. He will reportedly appear in U.S. District Court in Washington by video on Monday."


What reportedly happened here ---  What REALLY HAPPENED HERE???

How is This DV???  

  - - - - - - - - - - -  NO – No – NO!!!! - - - - - - - - - - -


What would you do if something like this happened in your Relationship?

  Think about it:


  • What would I do if my partner and I are having difficulties and I am confused over what to do because virtually every solution I can think of seems to be abusive?  
 
  • What would I do if my partner told me that I have a tendency to bully her or him or that I am acting like a bully right now?
 
  • What would I do if I walked into my home and found my wife (or husband) in my bed with another person?

  • What would I do if I disagree with the authority or opinion of the Victim Advocate? 
 
  • What would I do if I had too much to drink and my partner started an argument about something that we typically tend to end up fighting about?
 
  • What would I do if my partner refuses to work outside of the home and yet the home is always a terrible mess?
 
  • What would I do if my partner seems to be saying things to our child that could be interpreted as verbally abusive?
 
  • What would I do if my partner and I were having an escalated argument and their family who has a history of less than honorable behavior shows up?


 >>> Check out this Video for the Duluth Model's Equality Wheel. <<<


As we work to solve such problems around the World and at Home, we should Remember, that eventually, the best thinking, feeling and behavior are probably going to come out of these types Ideas:

  • Using Equality; rather than Using Power -- Trying to NOT take or use Power.  Use respect for Equality instead.
  • Using Equality; rather than Using Control  -- Trying to NOT take or use Control other than Self-Control.
  • Using Non-Threatening Behavior -- Trying to NOT say or do anything that could be construed as a Threat to anyone.
  • Using Respect -- Avoid Disrespect at all costs.
  • Using Trust -- Remember that if you want your partner to trust you; that you need to Trust your partner.
  • Using Support -- Trying to be Supportive of your Partner, even when you disagree.
  • Using Honesty -- Being Honest is pretty much always the best policy.
  • Using Accountability -- Be Accountable.
  • Using Responsible Parenting -- Pull your weight and be a Good Parent.
  • Using Shared Responsibility -- Learn how to share Responsibility with someone.
  • Using Economic Partnership -- Share the Funds.
  • Using Fairness -- Remember, no decision is Fair unless everyone involved feels that it is Fair.
  • Using Negotiation -- Learn how to Negotiate in a Respectful and Constructive way.
  • Be Honorable -- Always act Honorably.  And always assume that your partner is acting Honorably.
  • Be Patient -- Above all, always exercise patience.


What do these things above mean to you???

How do you feel about the possibility of being able to have relationships that are more about Equality than they are about Power and Control?


***Please CLICK HERE to Complete Your Creating Equality Now and After Worksheet!***


>>> Always remember to complete your Session Feedback Form after each Session.  Thank you.  And have a nice day.

      Please click here to complete Dr. B's Session Feedback Form.


And Remember, it is never too early to work on another Treatment Plan.        

    * Please Click Here to Work on Another Treatment Plan. *


Sources:




Monday, February 8, 2021

DV Cues: Awareness Of Our Domestic Violence Cues Could Help Us Stop, Prevent and Avoid Domestic Violence Offenses And Other Regrettable Events

  What we are looking at here are two major areas that have to do with our DV Offenses.  We are going to focus on the areas of our sensations and our timing.  We are going explore the ideas around; What was I sensing -- and at which points of time was I sensing it -- before, during and after my DV Offense?

  Ask yourself the following questions regarding the time period around your Domestic Violence Offense: 

> -- What was I Seeing around the time of my DV Offense? 

> -- What was I Hearing around the time of my DV Offense? 

> -- What was I Smelling around the time of my DV Offense? 

> -- What was I Tasting around the time of my DV Offense?

> -- What was I Thinking around the time of my DV Offense?

> -- What was I Feeling around the time of my DV Offense?

> -- What was I Believing just before and at the time of my DV Offense? 

> -- What was I Afraid of around the time of my DV Offense? and

> -- What was I Doing around the time of my DV Offense?


(I was definitely Feeling, Thinking, Doing, Tasting, Hearing, Wanting, Seeing, Believing something at the time... Right?  -- Also, I was definitely trying to do something around the time of my DV Offense.)

 

Spot Your Monster, Before Your Monster Spots You:

  The Philosopher Fredrich Nietzsche once wrote: "He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster.  And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee." 

  (In Nietzshe's case, the Abyss could have been: "the regions of hell conceived of as a bottomless pit.")

  A different point of view along similar lines might be like viewing an Image that seems not to have a beginning, or an end, or even a good projection of clarity when we first view it.  And at that point, we might have a feeling like we are to look into the abyss -- one might say -- -- and if one thinks of the Abyss in terms of that mysterious place that Humans go often in their minds when they commit DV -- it becomes even more interesting --  because of the idea that it also might start looking back into us.  

  Then we can also begin to explore ways to make it stop -- to make what stop?  In this case, to make DV Stop.  But then at that point, we have to keep in mind that it might start looking back into us still.  Imagine our DV looking back at us.  

  In other words, Human Experiences are full of moment-by-moment sensations such as taste, smell, feeling, thinking, yearning, hearing, seeing, fearing etc...  The key here is to get a good look at what those sensations are/were for us before, during and after the time of our DV Offense.

That DV Offense Probably DID NOT Just Happen all by itself -- Because Many other things were happening at the same time:

  Domestic Violence Events, Offenses and the Choices that help create them involve both relatively simple and relatively complex factors and situations.  

  Some people are more aware of their Surroundings, their Senses and their Choices than are others.  However, after hearing over 1,000 first-hand stories of how DV Offenses Happen, I have never heard one where there was not at least one choice involved: Either To DO Something; OR To NOT DO something.

  However, People are typically more complex thinkers, feelers and doers than would be allowed in a system limited to just Yes-or-No, binary or discrete choices such as "To Do; or Not To Do".  

  I propose that Domestic Violence often occurs as a result of choices that we make that involve a complex array of sensations, desires, truths, facts, wants, beliefs and other psychological processes. 

  That being said, there are at least 5 different Time Periods to every event.  In terms of DV; one could say that there are the following time periods around any DV Event.

Now Ask yourself this:   

> -- What was going through my mind during the time period Leading up to My DV Offense?  (It could be seconds, moments, days, hours, months...)

> -- What was going through my mind during the time period Just Before My DV Offense?  (Right before it happened.)

> -- What was going through my mind during the time period During My DV Offense?  (When I did something or some things that the Police considered to be -- hence alleged to be -- Domestic Violence.)

> -- What was going through my mind during the time period Just After My DV Offense? (Could be a lot of things...) and

> -- What was going through my mind during the time period further Afterwards or in Retrospect of My DV Offense?  (Could be months later, or it could be that night in my jail cell, or in Court for the first time...)


Now: What are My DV CUES? 

  DV Cues are the impressions, feelings, thoughts, physical sensations, fears, desires, ideas, notions, positions of standing or sitting, inspirations, movements and other influences that tell me that it is time to do something (Like, "Here's your cue...") -- and in too many cases; it tells me to do something that could be considered Domestic Violence.  I say that because one time is too many.  This could drag out for weeks; or most likely, this could all happen in a split second.  But even one split-second of Domestic Violence behavior is too much, Right?

  When we begin to sense our DV Cues (that is if we know what they feel like), it is something to be taken seriously.   We need to learn how to listen to our senses -- how to listen to our Cues -- our turn -- and try and accept that those senses are telling us something.  Those are our CUES.  We need to know as soon as possible, when it is time to STOP and immediately do whatever it takes to prevent any more thinking, feeling or acting in a way that could lead to, or be construed as Domestic Violence.  Those cues might possibly tell us this.  We just need to listen to them.

  Now ask yourself: What are my DV Cues? (Hint: They might be a whole lot like your answers to the first 15 questions above.)

  If you are able to become familiar with your DV Cues, then you will be one step closer to being able to stop DV-type Thinking and Behaviors in the future.  This in turn, could help you prevent any further DV in your life.  

  Hence, you may be able to have even much more fulfilling Relationships.  And you can quite possibly stay out of trouble.  That's a good thing, right?

  A Really Great first Step, however, would be to try and start to figure out what are your DV Cues.


So what do I do now???  Then Comes Immediate Crisis Intervention Aimed At Prevention of DV:

  Three good methods for preventing Domestic Violence at the points around a potential DV crisis include: 

  • Once one feels at immediate Risk of DV-type Behavior, it is time for Taking a Time Out.

 

***  Click Here to Complete the "My DV Cues" Worksheet. ***


*** In addition to the Worksheet; always remember to complete your Session Feedback Form after each Session as well.  

Please click here to complete Dr. B's Session Feedback Form.


Saturday, January 30, 2021

We ALL MUST Pay to Play, Right???

  We each need to pay for the Services that we receive.  

 Therefore, every week, if you have a session, you should pay for that session either right before, or right after the session.
                +++   $$$   +++

  To Make a Payment via PayPal Right Now, Please Click RIGHT HERE.  Or go the PayPal Buttons on the top and bottom of the Right Side of this Page.

                     +++   $$$   +++
  If you have an IOU, then start paying on that IOU today.  We will definitely be settling all IOU's prior to any discharges.  The best thing to do is to stay as current as possible with paying for your DV Services.  If you need a balance, please text or email Dr. B and he will send you a balance as soon as possible.  But do not wait for a Balance to start paying.  You are responsible for paying for all sessions, unless they were covered by Vouchers.  Your Probation Officer should be able to tell you ahead of time if you have any Vouchers.  Meanwhile, if you attend a session and you do not know for sure that you in fact have a voucher, your should pay asap.

Sunday, January 3, 2021

Pay Here NOW!!! NOW, You can pay for Services Here!!!

Dr. B's BLOG Now Offers Payment Options             Right Here -- Right NOW.  Just Scroll to your Right!!! 

Remember, every session that is not covered by a Voucher, must be paid for by you.  Please make your payments today!

Just look for the Paypal/Credit/Debit Card Buttons to the Right.

  In the Paypal Payment Buttons box (Down and to the Right on this BLOG), just type in your name, the Service and/or Session date that you are paying for. Then in the box below that, enter the amount you are paying today.  Then complete your transaction by pressing the appropriate Paypal, Credit or Debit Card Button Below. Complete the form and you will be done.

  *** All Clients should keep in mind that you in order to successfully complete DV Treatment, you will need to pay for every session that you did not have a Voucher for.***

  If you have an IOU.  Please start paying on that TODAY or as soon as possible.  Remember, you cannot complete your DV Treatment until your balance is paid in full.  Thanks!!!

  NOTE:  If you have trouble seeing the Paypal Buttons on your Cell Phone Screen or a Tablet, then just Scroll down to the Bottom of your Screen and tap on "View Web Version" link.  Then you will see the Paypal Buttons to the Right.

Thursday, November 19, 2020

A Collection of Quotations About Forgiveness

“30 Quotes on Forgiveness: Ponder these words of wisdom" (2/1/2011).

 "THE BASICS: The Importance of Forgiveness (From Psychology Today):

 Remember, you don't forgive someone for his or her sake—you forgive them for your sake. (On a side note, I just read that as "sake," the drink. I think that means it's time for me to get some sushi.)

 Forgiving doesn't mean forgetting, nor does it mean that you've given the message that what someone did was OK. It just means that you've let go of the anger or guilt towards someone, or towards yourself. But that can be easier said than done. If forgiveness was easy, everyone would be doing it.

 "When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free." –Katherine Ponder


"There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love." –Bryant H. McGill

"A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers." –Robert Quillen

"Forgiveness is me giving up my right to hurt you for hurting me." –Anonymous

"Sincere forgiveness isn't colored with expectations that the other person apologize or change. Don't worry whether or not they finally understand you. Love them and release them. Life feeds back truth to people in its own way and time-just like it does for you and me." –Sara Paddison

"Once a woman has forgiven her man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast." –Marlene Dietrich

"Forgiveness is the giving, and so the receiving, of life." –George MacDonald

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." - –Louis B. Smedes

"We are all on a life long journey and the core of its meaning, the terrible demand of its centrality is forgiving and being forgiven." –Martha Kilpatrick

"To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness." –Robert Muller

"Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." –Mark Twain

"Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much." –Oscar Wilde

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." –Mahatma Gandhi

"Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting." –William Arthur Ward

"Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future." –Paul Boese

"It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend." –William Blake

"If you can't forgive and forget, pick one." –Robert Brault

"He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass." –George Herbert

"Without forgiveness life is governed by... an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation." –Roberto Assagioli

"Forgive all who have offended you, not for them, but for yourself." –Harriet Nelson

"Forgiveness is the sweetest revenge." –Isaac Friedmann

"Forgiving does not erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory. Instead, forgiving what we cannot forget creates a new way to remember. We change the memory of our past into a hope for our future." –Louis B. Smedes

"Life is an adventure in forgiveness." –Norman Cousins

"Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom." –Hannah Arendt

"Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave." –Indira Gandhi

"Genuine forgiveness does not deny anger but faces it head-on." –Alice Duer Miller

"As long as you don't forgive, who and whatever it is will occupy a rent-free space in your mind." –Isabelle Holland

"Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were." –Cherie Carter-Scott

"Forgiveness is like faith. You have to keep reviving it." –Mason Cooley

"Only the brave know how to forgive. ... A coward never forgave; it is not in his nature." –Laurence Sterne”


Sources:

  • "30 Quotes on Forgiveness" (Source).

Monday, October 19, 2020

DV In the NEWS Increases in Domestic Violence: Another One of COVID-19's Possible Impacts

  Who would think that will all the awful news and inconveniences of the COVID-19 Crisis; we would also have to be mindful that Domestic Violence / Family Violence seems to be on the rise.

How do we know this?

"Domestic Violence Hotline Calls Rise 52% In Alaska.Excerpts from this Article Include: "ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Domestic violence and sexual assault organizations in Alaska have experienced a 52% increase in hotline calls as residents remain at home amid the coronavirus pandemic, a study said. 

"In that time period, shelter capacity was reduced by 57% to comply with federal social distancing guidelines, meaning some shelters limited one person to a room instead of four, the study said.

  To curtail limited space, shelters saw a 60% increase in alternative housing options such as hotel rooms and safe houses, and a 20% increase in online tool usage, the study said."


"A Pandemic within a Pandemic: Intimate Partner Violence During Covid-19"

Excerpts from this Article Include: "Domestic-violence hotlines prepared for an increase in demand for services as states enforced these mandates, but many organizations experienced the opposite. In some regions, the number of calls dropped by more than 50%.1 Experts in the field knew that rates of IPV had not decreased, but rather that victims were unable to safely connect with services. Though restrictions on movement have been lifted in most regions, the pandemic and its effects rage on, and there is widespread agreement that areas that have seen a drop in caseloads are likely to experience a second surge. This pandemic has reinforced important truths: inequities related to social determinants of health are magnified during a crisis, and sheltering in place does not inflict equivalent hardship on all people.

 One in 4 women and one in 10 men experience IPV, and violence can take various forms: it can be physical, emotional, sexual, or psychological.2 People of all races, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, socioeconomic classes, and religions experience IPV. However, such violence has a disproportionate effect on communities of color and other marginalized groups. Economic instability, unsafe housing, neighborhood violence, and lack of safe and stable child care and social support can worsen already tenuous situations. IPV cannot be addressed without also addressing social factors, especially in the context of a pandemic that is causing substantial isolation.

 Economic independence is a critical factor in violence prevention."


"Study Finds Rise In Domestic Violence During Covid-19

Excerpts from this Article Include: "X-ray evidence points to pandemic lockdowns triggering a surge in cases of domestic violence.

 Data from a major Massachusetts hospital found a significant year-over-year jump in intimate partner violence cases among patients -- nearly all women -- who sought emergency care during the COVID-19 pandemic's first few weeks.

 "This data confirms what we suspected," said study co-author Mardi Chadwick Balcom. "Being confined to home for a period of time would increase the possibility for violence between intimate partners."

 And the new study probably exposes "only the tip of the iceberg," said co-author Dr. Bharti Khurana, as it focused only on patients who sought emergency care at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and reported being a victim of domestic abuse."

"The scans identified 26 patients with injuries consistent with either superficial wounds or serious abuse.

 That number was nearly equal to the 27 identified at the hospital during the same weeks in 2018 and 2019 combined. It also exceeded the 15 cases of physical abuse treated in 2017.

 During spring 2020, the hospital treated 28 serious domestic abuse injuries (with some patients sustaining more than one). Such "deep" injuries resulted from strangulation, stabbing, burns and/or the use of knives or guns, the study reported.

 Five victims of severe abuse were identified in 2020, compared to one in each of the three previous years."

""For many women and girls," he added, "the threat looms largest where they should be safest, in their own homes.""

"Many shelters and safe homes have had to move people into hotels to comply with COVID-19 guidelines, so space for domestic abuse victims can be limited. But help is available, Balcom said."


"Early Numbers Suggest Domestic Violence Homicides May Be On The Rise."

Excerpts from this Article Include: "In two major counties, preliminary data shows domestic violence homicides are already twice 2019 totals—with nearly all occurring since the pandemic began."  "In Memphis, Milwaukee and Jefferson Parish, a New Orleans suburb, domestic violence homicides had equaled or surpassed last year’s total by Oct.13, NBC News found. In Tarrant County, Texas — home to Fort Worth — they had more than doubled.

 In the Seattle area, there were 14 domestic violence homicides in 2020 through Oct. 8, equal to the combined total for 2018 and 2019, according to the King County District Attorney’s office. All but one of the 2020 homicides occurred after the governor issued a Covid-19 state of emergency.

 It is too soon to draw conclusions about trends, or assign any statistical significance when working with small numbers, but any increase in domestic violence homicide is worrying, said Ruth Glenn, executive director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

 “Hard national data is impossible to come by, but we know domestic violence is on the rise” during the pandemic, she said. “My bigger concern is those [victims] who aren’t reporting, particularly during this time when things are even more frightening and it’s potentially harmful, potentially lethal to call.”"

"“There is probably a vast number of victims that aren't coming forward because they don't know where to look, or the system — maybe they try it on their own and it's very confusing, and they give up.”"


"Family Violence and Covid-19: Increased Vulnerability and Reduced Options for Support."

Excerpts from this Article Include: "Family violence during pandemics is associated with a range of factors including economic stress, disaster-related instability, increased exposure to exploitative relationships, and reduced options for support (Peterman et al. 2020)."

"Social isolation exacerbates personal and collective vulnerabilities while limiting accessible and familiar support options (van Gelder et al. 2020). In many countries, including Australia, we have already seen an increase in demand for domestic violence services and reports of increased risk for children not attending schools (Duncan, 2020), a pattern similar to previous episodes of social isolation associated with epidemics and pandemics (Boddy, Young &

O’Leary 2020). In Australia, as stay-at-home orders came into force, the police in some parts of the country reported a 40% drop in crime overall, but a 5% increase in domestic abuse call-outs (Kagi 2020). At the same time in Australia, Google reported a 75% increase in Internet searches relating to support for domestic abuse (Poate 2020).

This pattern is repeated internationally. Reports of domestic abuse and family violence have increased around the world since social isolation and quarantine measures came into force. Recently, anecdotal evidence from the United States, China, Brazil, and Australia indicates increases in intimate partner, women, and children violence due to isolation and quarantine (Campbell 2020; Peterman et al. 2020; van Gelder et al. 2020). China, the first country to impose mass quarantine in the Wuhan province, saw reported domestic abuse incidents rise threefold in February 2020 compared to the previous year (Allen-Ebrahimian 2020). As Europe imposed quarantine measures in an effort to slow the tide of infection, the Italian government began commissioning hotels to provide shelter to the increasing number of people fleeing abusive situations (Davies & Batha 2020). Similarly, France reported a 32% - 36% increase in domestic abuse complaints following the implementation of self-isolation and quarantine measures (Reuters News Agency 2020).

France also began commissioning hotels as shelters for those fleeing abuse. As quarantine measures extended to the United States, individual states reported similar increases in domestic abuse incidents ranging from 21% to 35% (Wagers 2020). Back in Europe, the UK has also seen concerns about increase in family violence (Bradbury-Jones & Isham 2020). There have been reports of homicide associated with family violence in several countries (Bradbury-Jones & Isham 2020; Reuters News Agency 2020). The National Domestic Abuse Hotline in the UK saw a 25% increase in calls since stay-at-home measures were implemented (Kelly & Morgan 2020), recording at least eight family violence-related deaths (Knowles 2020)."




Does More Dependence on Technology during the Pandemic NOW Make DV Victims More Vulnerable to Spying, Tracking, Stalking and Ultimate Control via Technology?

"The number of domestic abuse cases has increased dramatically since the UK's Covid lockdown - and tech has played a role.

Smart speakers, tracking apps and key-logging software are among products that have made it easier for perpetrators to maintain control of victims and continue abuse.

Domestic-violence charity Refuge says more than 70% of those it provides support to have reported tech-related abuse within a relationship.

Two people who experienced abuse during the pandemic shared their stories with BBC Click.

They asked to remain anonymous for their own safety.

"When he left the house, that's when I started to see that he was using the Ring doorbell camera to track me," says Kate, who is using a pseudonym. She is referring to Amazon's internet-connected security device. It triggers alerts when it detects motion in front of a home and allows live footage or recordings to be watched from afar.

"I could take the battery out of it if I wanted to, but I didn't feel like I could because he would say to me, 'You're compromising our children's safety'.

"I was worried that he would go to the police and try and suggest that I'm a bad mother."

Another explained how her partner used Amazon's virtual assistant to monitor her via a function that lets users remotely connect to enabled smart speakers and listen/speak via an intercom-like facility.

"He would set up all the accounts," says Sue, who is also using an alias.

"He would set up family-sharing on things. There were various Alexa devices all over the property.

"He could drop in from outside or he could go to someone's house and ring the Alexa when we were at home."

Abuse experienced by men also increased during the pandemic.

The Respect Men's Advice Line reports receiving 5,000 more calls during the start of the UK lockdown than in the same period the year before.

But women are still more likely to experience violence and harassment. Three-quarters of domestic abuse victims recorded by the police last year were female, according to the Office for National Statistics' latest figures."


Does The Corona Virus Impact Whether or Not Someone Reports DV?

"Officials: Crime Reports Affected By Corona-Virus Response."  Excerpts from this Article Include: "Stay-at-home orders stemming from the coronavirus response likely have affected the number of burglaries, auto thefts and domestic violence incidents reported in Shelby County and Memphis, officials said."

"Home burglaries dropped by 24% countywide, compared with the first quarter of 2019.

 “This may be attributable to a significant number of citizens staying at home in March,” the report said.

 Motor vehicle thefts increased 22% countywide in the first quarter. Vehicle thefts tend to rise when schools aren’t in session, officials said.

 Reports of domestic violence in the county in March were down 9% compared with the same month last year.

 Bill Gibbons, president of the Memphis Shelby County Crime Commission, said domestic violence victims may feel it is “unsafe to call 911 with perpetrators remaining close by in the home and with no alternative places to go for safety.”

 “Even under difficult circumstances, victims should always try to safely seek help,” Gibbons said."


DV On the Streets During COVID-19: 

"Pregnant Woman, Baby Killed In Domestic Dispute, Police Say."

"Phoenix Man Kills Wife After She Reports Fight To Police."

"Man Charged With Killing Ex-Girlfriend, 3 Others."

"Police Reveal Details Regarding Shooting of Travis HS Coach Killed in Family-Related Dispute at Sports Complex in Rosenberg."

"Details Released in Shooting Death of Travis Highschool Football Coach."


Even the Helpers -- Those who work to Prevent DV, are having to do things differently:

"South Caroline Moved Domestic Violence Ceremony Online."

"Amid Pandemic, Mexico To Cut Funds To Domestic Violence Shelters."


Officials React to DV Crisis amid COVID-19 Crisis:

"UN Chief Urges End to Domestic Violence, Citing Global Surge.

  "“For many women and girls, the threat looms largest where they should be safest — in their own homes,” Gutteres said. “And so I make a new appeal today for peace at home — and in homes — around the world.”"


*** Please CLICK HERE to Complete The Preventing DV Worksheet ***


Sound: "It's the End of the World as We Know It."