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The Polemic • Wednesday, May 1, 1996 Confronting Domestic Violence • Brown speaks out against a vile trend BY KENT ANDERSON Nf:WS EDITOR Denise Brown came to Alpena to speak to an audi- ence of approximately q_00 about domestic violence. She was the keynote speaker of the third program in Alpena General Hospital's "Look Who's Talking" series. Brown is the sister of the late Nicole Brown Simpson, whose savage murder thrust domestic violence into the faces of people all over the world. According to Brown, the tragedy sparked a grim re- alization in her, as she had been unaware, before her sister's death, that someone in her own family was being abused. "I didn't know that one human being would want to control another human being," she said. She decided to edu- cate herself. According to Brown, she talked to experts, who recommended books, which she read, she visited shelters, and now she travels the country, speaking from personal experience and new- found knowledge about domestic violence. "I'd much rather have Nicole back than be up here talking to you about domestic violence," she said. But, be- cause her sister was murdered, Brown found the drive to call upon all segments of society to rally against do- mestic violence. "We've been quiet much too long," she said, regarding the old notion, which haunts society today, that domestic violence should remain a problem to be handled 1:>y the family. Communities need to pull together, Brown stated, and refuse to look the other way when there is knowledge of a violent domestic situation. Education and awareness are the only means to end family violence. According to an informa- 0 tudents €an,, s 9qp;1plewo raphic 1\rts. occup,y Et new Alw~a 'Fiigh $cl1ool, if l ) •· · . . '• •. proved onJtine J Q. • f< a new, .u . dateq,t l1y equipp becotnet · es st.\'1.tecl. . t of the eqU:ip:t ted an~ rt~eds· to be updated." rts lbcatiQit vVi11 be,mo:,:e acces .. · I I dents. Students without vehides ·j to plan their sched~les. College ·.·1 1 b . ' ' . ,. ·.·. ·' ~. nd y, s . . nn cnd~rtt ef Alperta Public $cho"Ms, i J-iO{"ta:nr tp nave Ok Grf!lphie Arts program . and l . . fry ·. V stnderttSy, (specially ~allege students." ' l · :i to upgra<l¢ gtea. schools. i;; great, as stated . i th . a Ne~s by Alpena schbol board president ~ .trt · The-y•ear .2QOO is -~ltnost ~pon us. l;h1t .what · g,o◊ ·· en<,uJl.P to:t- us in the :>Os, -:1:0s; ani::t 50s, no longei:, ches ,ne world ourdiifdren and grandchildren. live in. 'fl live l'lpil' work in th,. . . t centµry and they need l!;,ls'for the 2bt'ceht'1.ityl . llihe ,ft.Hilre l9c,atiqn _, of the Graphic Airts p rogram i s rtmvn,ho\~etter, a de.;;ii iohwrllbe r~a.cheti by JuneT(l Sa.i¾dy s ta t¢q~ "lf'cthe fa;st bond issue is voted d0.\,xn, * · ·, .· .· ' ... :" e \ Vi II he.dnotliier pond issue hro0:ght up fo.r Vdte, II • 0 =~-·· '·:-,;,. .... ,. ~+,.-,··· ..... ' ... -,.· .... ·· ... ..,tt. -. -.. /L.,_. .- ___ ,,·"··•'""' ... .Loofontffor a few goo~printers' If !Jou are interestea in: Jut, Plwtograpli,y, Macliine Operation, Computers, Saks, Customer !l(fiations, ana-lww to use your Creati1oitg. !For Afore Information call 356-9021 e;ct. 239 tional packet endorsed by state representative Beverly Bodem, 95% of all assaults on spouses are committed by men. Brown spoke directly to the male population. "Men have to raise their voices," she said, elaborating that men need to stand against domes- tic violence, to take action against the trend. Sixty-per- cent of all men will, at some point in their lives, be batterers. Fifty-five percent of men who choose to abuse have a problem with alcohol and/or drugs. To young women, those of high school and college age, Brown said they need to love themselves before they at- tempt a relationship. Also, they need to realize that the popular athletes and the all- around popular guys are not, by reason of their semi-celeb- rity status, the perfect men to have relationships with. Young women, she con- tinued, need to understand that they must be confident about themselves and cau- tious about who they couple with. After Nicole's death, members of the Brown family were fired with a motivation to make the public, as well as themselves, aware of domes- tic violence. So, the family formed the Nicole Brown Simpson Charitable Founda- tion, whose mission, as stated in a release from the Founda- tion, is "to help fund organizations that shelter and protect families caught in the crisis of family violence." PHOTO BY DEBBIE PARKS Denise Brown sits beside an image of her sister. Furthermore, "by creat- ing programs that respond to the causes of such violence, we (the Foundation) will fa- cilitate treatment of both for abuse." Brown, who is the chairperson, s'aid, "If we didn't have a cause to fight for, I think we would all be crazy." In the Foundation's first victim and aggressor." year of existence, it granted a According to a statement total of $153,500 to 77 shelters from the Foundation, it will across 32 states, including "exhaust every means neces- Michigan. No officer or di- sary to promote this simple rector of the Foundation message: There is no excuse draws a salary or has an ex- pense account. The Foundation main- tains only one full-time, paid employee. In 1995, it received $296,676 in donations. During that same year, its operating expenses were $125,239. The members of the Foundation pledge to "continue (their) work until family violence no longer exists." •Stopping the deadliest threat to women's health· By KENT ANDERSON NEWS EDITOR Betty Mahmoody stood at the battered, brown po- dium, before a large, angelic poster of Nicole Brown Simpson. Mahmoody began the third program in the "Look Who's Talking" series. Domes- tic violence was the subject for the evening. "Tonight, we are not go- ing to be entertained," she said to the audience in Alpena High School's auditorium, on April 3. Aspects of domestic vio- lence were represented by speakers: Carolynne Wegmey- er, MSW, Counselor, of Thun- der Bay Psychiatric Associ- ates; Roger Bauer, Attorney- .at-Law; Barbara Morgan, Di- rector, Shelter Inc.; Betty Mahmoody, author of "Not without My Daughter"; Beverly Bodem, state repre- sentative; and Denise Brown, sister of Nicole Brown Simpson. The previous programs in the series, "Look Who's Talking: Women in the 90's .. .and the men who love them," were focused on how to get more out of relationships and living. This latest installment, however, was about saving lives, not just improving them. Each member of the panel had an opportunity to step up to the podium, to speak about domestic violence as it related to his or her area of experience. Though none of the presentations were the same, all of them had the same theme: domestic vio- lence is nefarious, inexcusable, and occurring with menacing regularity. "Domestic violence is at a crisis stage," said Bodem. She relayed that Michigan's shelters had to tum away over 2,000 people last year. There was not enough room to house all those seeking help. The number of domestic violence cases seems to be on the rise. But, she added, it is unclear whether this is be- cause of previously existing situations coming into the light or because of truly new incidents. Morgan said that there is a "domestic homicide" in Michigan every eight days. The evening was an ex- ample of what is the best method of confronting domes- tic violence: individuals of various professions, related to domestic violence, coming to- gether with other citizens to share information. Brown said that every- one - politicians, police, judges, citizens - needs to be made aware and educated, so domestic violence won't stay in the darkness of whispers and social pretense. Bauer stated that there are measures within existing laws that can be utilized to protect victims and potential victims. And, in case his dis- course was too dazzling for those unaccustomed to the language of law, the literature distributed at the conference brought the legal procedures into focus for the laym~n. Bauer had advice for vic- tims who seek help from the courts: "Testify, testify, testify. If you don't, he 'll beat you again, because he knows he can get away with it." ~ ARTIS Books • Antiques • Objets D'Art , Custom Framing & Galleiy Cappuccino Coffee Bar Espresso 201 N 2nd• Alpena 517-354-3401 !Ffowerfana 'lJesitfns --:Fresft--S i{/0 'Dried--'Ba{{oons--P{ants-- (jifts-- .9Lrrangenents Starting at $20.00 !Motliers llJay Sutufay, Afay12 635 West Chisholm Alpena, MI 49707 517 -356-9377 Carouse{ Cup &Saucer 'lJouq~t $27.50 1096 off When you show your student ID