Headlines for the Week of April 14

More unsettling headlines you may have missed this week. We need to keep talking about the ways women are unsafe—because only by keeping the conversation alive can we hope to make their safety a priority

Man Accused of Trying to Burn Down Governor’s Mansion Also Abused Wife, Child

Domestic violence is often a precursor to broader types of public violence, which was made clear when Cody Blamer surrendered to police Sunday after setting fire to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence. Balmer started the fire by throwing Molotov cocktails through a window in Gov. Shapiro’s home. When questioned by police later, Balmer said he planned to beat the governor with a hammer if he had found him. The governor and his family were able to escape the fire unharmed.

In early 2023, police responded to a call at Balmer’s Harrisburg, Pa. home, where he told them he had gotten into a fight with his wife and 13-year-old son, who had stepped between them. Balmer allegedly hit his son and stepped on his leg, which had been broken recently. He punched his wife in the face and bit her hand. Balmer also attempted suicide by taking a full bottle of pills. While Balmer was charged with three counts of simple assault, his court date was not set until this past Wednesday. In the meantime, Balmer sued his wife in June 2023 over custody of their other two children, whom he did not assault. A judge declared they could share custody of the children. 

According to a report from The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and Firearms, 30 to 60 percent of children living in households where one parent is abusive toward another are victims of direct child abuse themselves. Placing children with an abusive parent predictably increases their risk for further violence, even homicide.  

Many family court judges do not have adequate training in domestic violence, says Judge Anne Hirsch, trial judge with the Thurston County Superior Court in Olympia, Wash., and survivors often aren’t equipped to navigate the complicated systems of court. In combination, this results in abusers gaining custody of shared children time and time again.

According to renowned domestic violence expert and former attorney Barry Goldstein, often times, judges will ask mental health professionals to evaluate a parent’s mental health, and, if determined they are mentally sound, courts often decide they couldn’t be abusive. But, he argues, “Since domestic violence is not caused by mental illness, that doesn’t tell us anything. When they use a psychologist as an evaluator, it’s the equivalent of using a primary care physician to make a cancer diagnosis.”

Investigators believe mental health issues contributed to Balmer’s murder attempt. The perpetrator’s mother told CBS News that her son “was mentally ill, went off his meds and this is what happened.”

Source: CNN.com

An Order of Protection Didn’t Stop Abuser from Murdering Ex-Wife at Her Workplace 

A 32-year-old woman forewarned that her ex-partner would harm her and said so in a video she posted to Facebook prior to her murder. Early Monday morning, Indiana del Socorro Guzman Mendoza was killed by her estranged husband, 61-year-old Reynaldo Sandoval, who barged into the Miami, Fla., insurance office where she worked and fatally shot her before taking his own life.

In her Facebook video, Mendoza said, “Whatever happens to me, he is responsible.” Though she had a restraining order against her husband of nine years, Mendoza’s sister told CBS News that he continued to harass her. She also mentioned she had witnessed Sandoval’s physical and verbal abuse firsthand, having lived with the couple for five months. 

Police had responded to Mendoza’s residence previous times in the last several months after Sandoval violated her order of protection and showed up at her house, assaulting and strangling her. While Sandoval had been taken into custody and charged, he was eventually released. 

While orders of protection are often recommended to survivors of domestic violence, abusive partners don’t always take them seriously, especially those intent on murder. Law enforcement’s response to violations of protection orders also vary. Some police fail to see the escalation of violence as an indicator of an impending homicide. 

In a survey on DomesticShelters.org, when survivors were asked, “What happened when you obtained an order of protection?” over half of the respondents said the protection order was violated, they reported it and nothing happened to the abuser. Only 16 percent said the protection order reduced or stopped unwanted contact. 

Mendoza had apparently requested a transfer to another insurance office for her safety but was denied. Sandoval, a former maintenance worker at the same office as his wife, still had access to the building, even despite Mendoza’s restraining order. 

“In the end, no one protected her,” Mendoza’s sister told press. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 70 percent of U.S. workplaces do not have a specific policy or program to address workplace violence. “In my experience [domestic violence in the workplace] still gets the ‘nod and wink’ reaction from execs who know it’s an issue, but unless they have personally been affected, ignore it. Most have said ‘I’ll wait until something happens,” says Stephanie Angelo, author and national domestic violence consultant who trains companies how to handle workplace violence.

There are ways companies can help prevent domestic violence from spilling over into the workplace. Read, “How Workplaces Can Protect Domestic Violence Survivors” for more info. 

Sources: CBS News, 7News

Domestic Violence Victim Dies After Trying to Escape Abuser Through Glass Door

New South Wales police in Australia believe Claire Austin, 38, was trying to escape her abusive partner last Saturday morning when she tried to force her way through a sliding glass door in her apartment. She suffered a severe laceration to her arm but passed away Tuesday at the hospital. 

Austin’s partner, 44-year-old Lee Loughlin, who was also at the apartment, was taken to the police station for questioning but was later released without charge. A neighbor reported they heard the couple “fighting constantly” but that the fight on Saturday “sounded way worse.” 

The New Zealand Herald reports that police were in the process of obtaining Australia’s version of an order of protection, called an apprehended violence order, on behalf of Austin against Loughlin. The hearing was scheduled on April 16, the day after Austin died. 

As of now, no arrests have been made but the New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Peter Thurtell said police are “determined to work out exactly what happened.”

Abusers almost always escalate their power and control. The escalation may be gradual—verbal assaults become more degrading, controlling where a partner goes or what she does become the norm or threats may take a turn toward violence, such as “I’ll punch you if you ever say that again.” But it can also escalate suddenly—an abuser may say they “lost control,” when in fact, they are notoriously calculated in their tactics. It’s important to watch out for the signs of escalation that can indicate an increased level of danger. 

There can be a safe way to intervene if you suspect someone is being abused. Read “5 Ways to Intervene When You Suspect Domestic Violence” for more information.  

Source: People.com