A step forward in San Diego

June 5, 9:33 AMDomestic Violence ExaminerTrudy Schuett

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I'm always encouraged to hear about positive changes in the way intimate partner abuse is viewed by public officials.

In March, several groups and individuals sent letters to the San Diego District Attorney objecting to a new domestic violence police training video which the District Attorney funded. In brief, the video  minimized female abuse and stigmatized males, used false and misleading information, created a wrongful appearance that domestic violence usually involves a male perpetrator and female victim and implied that only female, or primarily female, deaths result from domestic violence.

After several phone calls and a face-to-face meeting between Harry Crouch, who is a member of the San Diego Domestic Violence Council and Assistant District Attorney Pat McGrath there is now an edited version of the video. McGrath noted that this effort changed the way DA’s now view some aspects of domestic violence, particularly within the domestic violence unit. While all failures of the video were not repairable some were, as incorrect statistical information has been deleted.

The DA will send a copy of the revised version, along with a letter of explanation to all law enforcement agencies in San Diego County as well as every government and private agency in receipt of the first version and request that the first version of the video be replaced with the second version, including on departmental intranets.

The DA will also send a letter to the San Diego Domestic Violence Council and will send a representative to a regular Domestic Violence Council meeting to explain the failings of version one.

According to Harry Crouch, Director of California Men's Centers, "It always amazes me how much can be accomplished when working as a team, and this was a team effort. This type of victory and working together in my view accelerates change within what most view as an unapproachable bureaucracy."

Among those participating in the project were Harry Crouch, Marc Angelucci of NCFM, Charles Corry of the Equal Justice Foundation, Phil Cook, author of Abused Men: the Hidden Side of Domestic Violence, Richard Davis, researcher and author; and Ed Bartlett of RADAR.