Among the many consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is one few people know about: an increase in the number and severity of domestic violence cases.
According to a
September 2022 article on the
National Library of Medicine website, domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic was a “pandemic within a pandemic,” with some jurisdictions reporting increases of more than 10 percent in the number of reported victims, with a corresponding increase in the reported severity of abuse.
“Virus containment strategies (stay-at-home orders) meant many victims were isolated with their abusers and unable to safely access services,” the article says, “while pandemic-induced economic hardships exacerbated circumstances that contribute to violence.”
Such an increase has been seen locally. In Kent County, according to the Michigan Incident Crime Reporting annual report, 2,062 victims of domestic violence were reported in
2020. In
2021, that number was 2,165, a 5% increase. In
2022, the number of victims climbed to 2,528, a one-year increase of 16.7%.
Domestic violence has often been a silent form of abuse that many individuals have endured for years for a variety of reasons. But because of the increase in the number and severity of domestic violence cases in recent years, it has been even more difficult for survivors to have their cases heard.
West Michigan is trying to change that.
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Courtesy of Kent CountyDefendants selected to participate in the Domestic Violence Court Program are required to complete a 52-week batterers intervention program.
Creating a new court system
A new domestic violence specialty court will launch this year in Kent County. This initiative includes two dedicated courts, with
Judge Jennifer Faber presiding in the 61
st District Court in Grand Rapids and
Judge Amanda Sterkenburg overseeing cases in the 62-B District Court in Kentwood.
The goal of this new court system is to hold offenders accountable while providing comprehensive support to victims. The establishment of the domestic violence specialty court was a collaborative effort led by the
Domestic Violence Action Network (DVAN) with the input of law enforcement, domestic violence survivors, attorneys, the justice system, and support organizations.
“I think that through the education and resources we offer, we have the opportunity to stop generational violence,” Sterkenburg says. “Changing a pattern of behavior takes time, and some individuals are born into it and then have no other model to follow. The intensive programming here is designed to modify behavior in a permanent fashion.
“We know that these specialty courts work. Face time with the judge, strict accountability, and quality rehabilitative services reinforced over an extended period of time create results.”
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Courtesy of Kent CountyCharisse Mitchell, CEO of YWCA West Central Michigan, says the domestic violence specialty court is the result of work done by the Domestic Violence Action Network’s criminal justice workgroup.
Getting a case before this court is a multi-step process. After an initial screening of the case, offenders are assessed to determine if they are appropriate candidates for the court and its programs. Then, a care team consisting of the judge, representatives from assisting agencies, and attorneys from each side discuss the information to accept or reject a candidate.
Defendants selected to participate in the Domestic Violence Court Program are then required to complete a 52-week batterers intervention program. The court hopes to have a handful of candidates by the fall of 2024.
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Courtesy of Kent CountyYWCA of West Central Michigan CEO Charisse Mitchell, Safe Haven Ministries CEO Rachel Vanwys, Kent County Domestic Violence Action Network Executive Director Cheri Williams, Judge Amanda Sterkenburg & Kent Co. Board of Commissioners Chair Stan Stek.
Government, community partners join
The Kent County Board of Commissioners allocated $4 million from its
American Rescue Plan Act funds to support the formation of this court. The funding will last through 2026, Sterkenburg says.
“We’ve really got to get the ball rolling so we can measure and track the success of our participants in a time frame that will allow us to present the results as evidence for additional future grant funding,” she says.
DVAN is a team of community partners working to provide coordinated interagency response to domestic violence, to increase support for victims, and to increase accountability of those who commit and perpetuate abuse.
Charisse Mitchell, CEO of
YWCA West Central Michigan, says the domestic violence specialty court is the result of work done by DVAN’s criminal justice workgroup, which includes law enforcement, survivor leaders, prosecutors, judges and probation officers,
Friend of the Court, and victim service providers including
YWCA,
Safe Haven Ministries,
Puertas Abiertas,
Selah Empowers, and
Helping House.
YWCA is one of the abuse intervention providers to which the domestic violence specialty court can refer perpetrators as a step toward accountability and changing their abusive behavior. In addition, all programs and services from the YWCA and other advocate partners will be available to victims and their families—both to those who are involved in the specialty court proceedings and those seeking help outside of the criminal justice system.
Sterkenburg will handle cases from Kentwood and the outer jurisdictions of Kent County, while Faber will handle cases originating in Grand Rapids.
“I’ve been involved with DVAN since around the time they sought the grant funding that makes this possible, but I’ve been engaged in domestic violence prevention and intervention for over a decade,” explains Sterkenburg. “Sitting on the bench means having great responsibility – to the individuals who come in front of you, because you have deep influence over their lives, and to the community, because you are upholding the law that all members of the community rely upon.”
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Courtesy of Kent CountyA new domestic violence specialty court will launch this year in Kent County.
Emphasis on the offender
Mitchell says the domestic violence specialty court could stem the tide of violence by putting responsibility for change where it belongs: with those who harm.
“This specialty court changes the question of ‘Why doesn’t the victim just leave?’ to ‘Why doesn’t the one doing harm just stop?’” Mitchell says. “When we name the harmful behavior and have consequences for the action that address the root cause of the behavior, then we have a better chance of ending the violence that impacts so many lives in our community.
“And when focused accountability and supports for change are coupled with processes and services that are more inclusive, survivor-centered, and trauma-informed, that’s where we get transformational change. Domestic violence specialty court and other strategies DVAN is developing have the potential to reduce the incidents of domestic violence, including homicides, in Kent County.”
Mitchell and Sterkenburg say the specialty court will bring more awareness to the incidence and impact of domestic violence, not just on victims, but on the whole community, in addition to reducing the stigma that often follows victims.
Mitchell hopes to see increased investment in victims’ services and strategies such as the specialty court. Sterkenburg says the court’s success could lead to additional treatment courts around the state, allowing more communities to see similar improved outcomes.