The start of April ushered in a busy and exciting time for my final months with DVA/SAC. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and with it comes a plethora of activities. One of the most memorable for me was a workshop that I facilitated with two men from campus. The workshop was specifically geared toward men and provided men with tools on how to prevent sexual assault and also how to be supportive of a sexual assault victim. I felt it went well based on the number of attendees and their level of engagement. The results of the workshop lead me to believe that the movement is slowly gaining solidarity on campus.
With the arrival of May came a final round of presentations at Grinnell High School and I wrapped things up with the student groups and volunteers at the college. Now it is mid-June and I have officially handed the keys over to my successor and my time in Grinnell is coming to a conclusion. The following are a few reflections from my final weeks on the job.
Court Chronicles
I attempt to attend initial hearings for individuals facing charges of domestic violence and sexual assault. The purpose of my presence at the initials is to gather information for the victims involved in the cases. For example, I can relay to the victim whether the perpetrator will be released from jail and what the actual charges are. I have found this apparently straightforward task to be rather time consuming and the complexity partially stems from the way the judicial process is structured at the courthouse in Montezuma. Basically, it can be very difficult to determine when initial hearings are to be held.
Before I proceed any further, I will outline how I have previously sought to determine that an initial hearing germane to my interests will be taking place. My current plan of action consists of calling the Poweshiek County Sheriff's Office and the Grinnell Police Department (GPD) to inquire whether any arrests were made the preceding night for domestic violence or sexual assault. If an arrest was made, the alleged perpetrator must be seen before a magistrate judge within 24 hours. Many months ago I initiated a protocol with the GPD by which they would fax me the 'rap' sheet every time they made an arrest for domestic or sexual abuse. Theoretically, this procedure was quite beneficial for me, as it saved me the trouble of calling the jail each morning. However, a temperamental fax machine on my end and lags in adaptation have yet to prove the system effective or efficient. Therefore, acquiring arrest information can be somewhat of a cumbersome and ambiguous process.
Another layer of complexity is of a spatial nature: the distance between my office and the courthouse is approximately twenty miles. In other counties where DVA/SAC operates, the office and courthouse are essentially adjacent to one another. This enables staff to have a continual presence at the courthouse and stay abreast of any relevant issues that develop quickly. Additionally, initial hearings are held at a specific time on a specific day in our neighboring counties (As I am currently transitioning out of my post in Grinnell and introducing Helen Carey, we are working toward creating some office space at the courthouse for a DVA/SAC advocate. I think this goal is on the brink of fruition, which is fantastic because it will greatly augment our ability to serve victims and survivors).
Recently, a colleague informed me that one can hear all the arrests made in Poweshiek County during the KGRN 7:30 a.m. news broadcast. This offhanded piece of information was of great benefit because it means a middleman is eliminated: I can stay informed of everything I need to know just by listening to the news (Genius, I know). It's still a wise idea to communicate regularly with the Sheriff's Department and GPD for the sake of maintaining relationships, but this way when rushed I needn't rely on taking the time to make phone calls. Moreover, on a personal level, a recent news broadcast by a KGRN deejay functioned to validate some of my frustrations in navigating the judicial process. At the conclusion of his report on arrests made the night prior, he said, to paraphrase, initial hearings will be held within 24 hours of an arrest at the discretion and pleasure of the magistrate judge (my emphasis). So now, after determining that an initial hearing will be held, I just need to call the clerk of courts office in an effort to determine what the discretion and pleasure of the judge might be that day.
The Future
(Drum role please) While pondering my life after Grinnell, a friend said to me, "Matt, it's fairly simple. Interstate 80 is just down the road. All you have to decide is left or right, east or west." Thus, a choice for the immediate future is easily resolved; I'm turning right, heading west. But seriously, although I am being serious, one aspect of my position that I've truly appreciated is its multifaceted nature. I've worked with the legal system and law enforcement, organized community events, spent time working directly with victims and survivors and entered the local school systems to give presentations. Through these various charges I came to learn how I react in different settings. I've come to realize areas of work that I find to be an invigorating challenge and, therefore, energizing and, conversely, spheres that are draining. Situated in an office by myself, the development of a professional community; the meeting of individuals with whom I can bounce ideas off of and process issues with, has played a tremendous role in determining how I evaluate the success of this year. In the same manner that domestic violence and sexual assault doesn't happen in a vacuum, responses aimed at forestalling violence must be coordinated with all disciplines involved to be effective.
That said the area of work that I have found to be the most energizing and rewarding on both a personal and professional level is education. Originally, I was somewhat mortified of returning to high school and middle school, but the experience turned out to be wonderful. Moreover, if one can challenge the belief systems that operate to support violence at an age when those belief systems are still being formed, the chances for reducing the incidences of violence are greatly enhanced. Accordingly, I can see teaching in some capacity on my horizon.
