TOWN OF WALLKILL – At a Police Department Community Council meeting Thursday night conducted by Wallkill Police Chief Robert Hertman, experts explored the complicated circumstances surrounding any domestic violence incident.
Participating in the discussion panel were Orange County District Attorney, David Hoovler, FEARLESS Executive Director Kelly Kostyal- Larrier, and Executive Director of the Human Rights Commission, Inaudy Esposito. About 20 attendees participated including the Wallkill Community Police Council, several local officials and other community social service representatives.
Chief Hertman described the frightening statistics that show an increase of domestic violence reports that were 46 percent higher during COVID’s lockdown than in 2019, and included between 2,000 and 3,000 reported incidents.
On top of that there were gaps in federal funding at a time when social services most needed additional beds for victims’ safety.
Kostyal-Larrier said they had thankfully been able to start a new shelter with 20 beds; however, the beds were immediately filled. During that time of funding loss, 1,921 New York cases with needs went unmet. With more and more victims, there is a need for more services, and they will need additional funding to attain more positive outcomes. But, she said, when federal funding disappeared, Orange County stepped up. None of the 500 current cases were dropped, and the two federally funded employee positions were reassigned. But the FEARLESS tendrils reach far, and even when the system failed, no one in Orange County was denied services, she said.
With many domestic violence victims being afraid to report and especially afraid to testify against the aggressor, DA Hoovler spoke at length about how in New York and Orange County there is a process known as Evidence Based Prosecution when there is “probable cause.” When police are called to a domestic incident they collect every bit of evidence as soon as possible. This can include photographic evidence of visual injury, and threats overheard by others. Those recordings of comments and claims that the victim reports but may later recant out of fear over reprisal can still be used in court traumatic situation.
There may be real fear over loss of financial support, housing, childcare and a myriad of other secondary impacts. Inaudy added that reporting the violence is further complicated by victims who are undocumented and when their partner threatens to call ICE and have them deported. Abusers often demean and belittle the abused person and claim that they participated or in some way caused the abuse.
Orange County recorded approximately 1,000 domestic abuse cases last year. Some of these victims speak little or no English. But the social service outreach teams have a tremendous variety of ways they can help, including that their extended team is multi-lingual. There is no official funding for undocumented victims. But in Orange County, Hoovler said they have never reported an undocumented victim, and they never blame a victim.
There are many different kinds of abuse, from sexual and physical to, verbal aggression, stalking and psychological aggression and threats. New York has expanded the definition of “domestic abuse” to include relatives, partners and former partners, roommates and other connections that are close but not familial. The team provided a list of sample abuse patterns for attendees to consider, either for themselves or for friends and neighbors.
“It’s always about power and control,” Hoovler said.
As for prevention, Kostyal-Larrier said they have been working with schools and church groups, hosting youth discussions over “What does a healthy relationship really look like?” Sometimes it works well, and the young look forward to the discussions. But in some schools the parents have vigorously protested, saying that these ethical considerations are not part of education. But they continue to push.
