Legal Diversity Pipeline Programs TOPIC: Intimate Partner Violence Classroom Lesson 1: Myths, Facts, & Laws Classroom Lesson 2: Protective Orders Workshop: Appellate Hearing CLASSROOM LESSON Intimate Partner Violence: Myths, Facts, and Laws Street Law, Inc thanks the Allstate Foundation for providing funding for research and development of this lesson Time: 50 minutes Outcomes As a result of this lesson students will be able to: Define “protective order.” Identify misconceptions about intimate partner violence and explain the facts Before teaching: Write the following terms on a board or flip chart: “domestic violence,” “dating violence,” “battering,” “intimate partner violence,” “family violence.” Note: The topic of domestic and dating violence is an important but sensitive and difficult topic to teach Some of the participants in your class may have or are currently experiencing abusive relationships This lesson is intended to teach participants about how the law deals with domestic violence, not to teach about methods to deal with its emotional impact It is suggested that you focus on the law and refer any personal issues rising out of this discussion to the partner teacher or school counselors Introduction (10 minutes) Introduce the volunteers Call student attention to the list of terms on the board or flip chart (see Before Teaching above) Tell students that these terms are all related ways to refer to violence or abuse in between people in a relationship, and that different state laws use different terms For this class period, you’ll use the term “intimate partner violence” to refer to violence or © 2015 Street Law, Inc Classroom Lesson – Intimate Partner Violence: Myths, Facts, and Laws abuse in any relationship—whether the people involved are dating, living together, married, divorced, etc Remind students that there are two types of laws: criminal and civil A criminal case is brought by the government, and people who are convicted of breaking criminal laws are penalized with fines, prison, or other punishment For example, if someone assaults another person, they can be charged with the crime of assault and battery Being charged with a crime means that the state prosecutes the accused person and imposes a penalty if they are found guilty Civil laws regulate relations between individuals and groups A person who feels wronged or injured by another person can bring a civil law suit, and a court can order the person who committed the wrong to pay money or make other amends Tell students that every state has some type of laws related to intimate partner violence Some states have criminal laws that make intimate partner violence a crime All states have civil laws about it Let’s assume that someone is being abused by their spouse In a criminal case, the government would charge the abuser with a crime and try them in court In a civil case, however, the person being abused asks a court to protect them from the person committing the abuse The court is not asked to prosecute the abuser for committing a crime, but rather being asked to prevent the abuser from continuing to contact or harass the person being abused This is called a protective order Students may have also heard such orders referred to as “restraining orders” or “protection orders.” There are lots of reasons that states have laws that provide for civil remedies as well as the criminal justice system A person who is being abused may not want to report a loved one for a crime They might not want to testify in a criminal case They might want to prevent the abuser from contacting them while the abuser is awaiting trial or even after that person has served a jail sentence for the crime We are going to focus on these civil laws Myths and Facts (30 minutes) Tell students that they’re now going to explore some myths and facts about intimate partner violence Put students in groups of Distribute Handout 1: Myths and Facts to all students Instruct the groups to read each statement, and decide in their group whether it is a myth or a fact about intimate partner violence They should mark their choice next to each statement Tell them to leave the © 2015 Street Law, Inc Classroom Lesson – Intimate Partner Violence: Myths, Facts, and Laws “rewrite” section below each question blank, and that you’ll fill in that portion as your review the answers Allow 10 minutes for students to work After 10 minutes, call the class back together to review the answers For each item, poll the groups on their answers—ask for a show of hands for “myth” or “fact” for each After the vote, tell students the correct answer and provide any additional information (see the Answer Guide at the end of this lesson) After each “myth,” pause to allow the students to “rewrite” the myths so they become “facts.” An example is provided on the Answer Guide After you review all the answers, focus on the last two questions about state laws Point out to students that different states have different laws about protective orders In some states, only people who are married or have a child together can get a protective order under the state domestic violence law, while in others, anyone in an intimate relationship can qualify In some places minors (people under 18) can get protective orders, and in others, they can’t 10 Share the law in your state You can find information about your state law at http://www.womenslaw.org/laws.php and http://www.breakthecycle.org/content/teen-dating-violence-state-lawreport-cards Ask students whether they think their state law is appropriate, and if not, what they might want to see changed Finding Resources (10 minutes) 11 Ask students to imagine that one of their friends had come to them with a problem: the person they’re dating is verbally or physically abusing them Discuss the following questions with a partner: What resources you think people experiencing dating violence want and need? Who can provide those resources? 12 Allow a couple minutes for the partner discussions, and then ask some groups to share their answers Record the answers on the board or flip chart and discuss 13 Distribute Handout 2: Resources 14 Discuss any student questions and thank them for their participation © 2015 Street Law, Inc Classroom Lesson – Intimate Partner Violence: Myths, Facts, and Laws Handout 1: Myths and Facts Read each statement with your group members and decide whether you think it’s a myth or a fact Don’t rewrite any statements yet—once you go through the answers with the class, you will rewrite all the “myths” to make them “facts.” Intimate partner violence only affects a small percentage of people If myth, rewrite the statement so it’s a fact: Myth Fact Intimate partner violence pretty much only happens in poor families If myth, rewrite the statement so it’s a fact: Myth Fact Sometimes the abuser is a loving person If myth, rewrite the statement so it’s a fact: Myth Fact Intimate partner violence is usually a one-time loss of temper If myth, rewrite the statement so it’s a fact: Myth Fact Teens who experience dating violence usually don’t tell anyone If myth, rewrite the statement so it’s a fact: Myth Fact All types of people end up in abusive relationships—not just people who have low self-esteem or were abused previously If myth, rewrite the statement so it’s a fact: Myth Fact In most states, only people who are married or have a child with their partner may get a protective or restraining order If myth, rewrite the statement so it’s a fact: Myth Fact Most intimate partner violence laws—including provisions for obtaining a restraining or protective order—are state laws If myth, rewrite the statement so it’s a fact: Myth Fact © 2015 Street Law, Inc Classroom Lesson – Intimate Partner Violence: Myths, Facts, and Laws Handout Answers: Myths and Facts Intimate partner violence only affects a small percentage of people Myth A study conducted in 1995 found that 31% of women surveyed admitted to having been physically assaulted by a husband or boyfriend Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in our country Studies show that approximately one in four adolescents has experienced violence in a dating relationship Approximately in female high school students report being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner Rewrite to fact: Intimate partner violence affects lots of people Intimate partner violence pretty much only happens in poor families Myth Studies have consistently found that domestic violence occurs among all types of families, regardless of income, profession, region, ethnicity, educational level, or race However, the fact that lower-income individuals are over-represented in statistics of calls to police, domestic violence shelters, and social services may be due to a lack of access to other resources Rewrite to fact: Intimate partner violence happens in all kinds of families Sometimes the abuser is a loving person Fact Abusers are often described by their partners as playful, attentive, sensitive, exciting, and affectionate when they are not being abusive Intimate partner violence is usually a one-time loss of temper Myth Intimate partner violence is not just one physical attack It includes the repeated use of a number of tactics, including intimidation, threats, economic deprivation, isolation, and psychological and sexual abuse Physical violence is just one of the various forms of abuse utilized by one partner to help maintain power and control over another in a relationship Rewrite to fact: Intimate partner violence is a pattern of coercion and control that one person exerts over another Teens who experience dating violence usually don’t tell anyone Fact Teens experiencing dating violence usually tell no one When they tell, they usually tell another teen Only 33% of teens in an abusive relationship ever tell anyone about the abuse When female high school students were asked whom they would talk to if someone they date was attempting to control them, insult them, or physically harm them, 86% percent said they would confide in a friend, while only 7% said they would talk to police © 2015 Street Law, Inc Classroom Lesson – Intimate Partner Violence: Myths, Facts, and Laws All types of people end up in abusive relationships—not just people who have low selfesteem or were abused previously Fact There is little support for the theory that low self-esteem causes victims to become involved in abusive relationships Dating violence can occur in all types of relationships—regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity Often society thinks that only young women are experience intimate partner violence but young men can also be victims of dating violence In most states, only people who are married or have a child with their partner may get a protective or restraining order Myth Individuals in dating relationships can access protection orders in forty-one states and the District of Columbia The states that not allow victims to apply for protection orders against a dating partner include: Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, Kentucky, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and Virginia Rewrite to fact: In most states, people in dating relationships may get a protective or restraining order Most intimate partner violence laws—including provisions for obtaining a restraining or protective order—are state laws Fact Most of the laws related to domestic violence and sexual assault are state laws This includes laws about restraining orders, custody, divorce, crimes, and more Restraining and protective order laws are state laws, not federal laws Laws (also called statutes) vary by state Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011 The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/nisvs/index.html American Bar Association & National Teen Dating Violence Prevention Initiative, 2006 “Teen Dating Violence Facts” Break the Cycle, 2010 State Law Report Cards: A National Survey on Teen Dating Violence Laws http://www.clotheslineproject.org/teendatingviolencefacts.pdf © 2015 Street Law, Inc Classroom Lesson – Intimate Partner Violence: Myths, Facts, and Laws National Network to End Domestic Violence, 2010 Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Fact Sheet, http://www.nnedv.org/docs/Stats/NNEDV_DVSA_factsheet2010.pdf Clark County Prosecuting Attorney, 2010 Myths and Facts about Domestic Violence http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/domviol/myths.htm Womenslaw.org, 2010, State Laws http://www.womenslaw.org/laws.php Between Friends, 2008 Domestic Violence Myths and Facts: http://www.betweenfriendschicago.org/teentalk_factmyth.html © 2015 Street Law, Inc Classroom Lesson – Intimate Partner Violence: Myths, Facts, and Laws Handout 2: Resources This resource page highlights some of the campaigns developed to help prevent dating violence and promote healthy relationships among teens Love is Respect - loveisrespect.org 1-866-331-9474, or TTY 1-866-331-8453 Love is Respect is the National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline, a resource that is available 24 hours a day online or by phone, and is specifically designed for teens and young adults The website provides resources such as check lists and quizzes to help you assess your relationship status, information on supporting friends dealing with dating violence, and personal stories from teens who have experienced dating violence A live peer advocate chat is also available The Safe Space - thesafespace.org The Safe Space is a program of Break the Cycle, a nonprofit organization that works directly with young adults and provides training to adults working with teens The site is one of the most comprehensive resources on teen dating violence Here, you can: Ask confidential, anonymous questions about dating violence Find information about un/healthy relationships Learn ways to protect yourself or someone you know, including the legal options available Get involved in the movement to end intimate partner violence Take interactive quizzes about relationships Connect with resources in your area All of the information and resources on thesafespace.org are also available in Spanish See It and Stop It! - seeitandstopit.org See It and Stop It! is a project developed by teens as part of the Teen Action Campaign It is an interactive site that covers everything from how to recognize the warning signs of abuse, to how to something to end abuse if you are experiencing abuse or know someone who is, and how to become an activist in your school or community The site features, quizzes, stories, project ideas, and tool kits for organizing campaigns in your school or community A Thin Line - athinline.org MTV's A Thin Line campaign was created to empower teens to identify, respond to, and stop digital abuse The site contains information and resources, including many interactive features such as quizzes and videos on topics such as sexting, textual harassment, and cyberbullying © 2015 Street Law, Inc Classroom Lesson – Intimate Partner Violence: Myths, Facts, and Laws U Have the Right - uhavetheright.net U Have the Right is a campaign sponsored by Verizon Wireless which focuses on raising awareness about teen dating violence The site features an interactive quiz and spoken word tracks about teen dating violence that are written and performed by high school students © 2015 Street Law, Inc ... Myth Fact © 2 015 Street Law, Inc Classroom Lesson – Intimate Partner Violence: Myths, Facts, and Laws Handout Answers: Myths and Facts Intimate partner violence only affects a small percentage... civil laws Myths and Facts (30 minutes) Tell students that they’re now going to explore some myths and facts about intimate partner violence Put students in groups of Distribute Handout 1: Myths and. .. on Teen Dating Violence Laws http://www.clotheslineproject.org/teendatingviolencefacts.pdf © 2 015 Street Law, Inc Classroom Lesson – Intimate Partner Violence: Myths, Facts, and Laws National