WHEN: Saturday, October 3, 2009: 8am to 3pm (5pm for DVI at BMC students)
WHERE: Northeastern University School of Law
Dockser Hall Commons
65 Forsyth Street (between Huntington Ave and Ruggles Station)
Boston, MA
WHO SHOULD ATTEND: Lawyers, students, health workers and community advocates interested in learning about legal rights, remedies and resources for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Massachusetts. Various panelists, including many Northeastern University School of Alumni, will participate in the panels and workshops to share their views from the field.
8:00am: REGISTRATION: Breakfast and Welcome
8:45am: PLENARY WORKSHOPS (choose one of two)
The Defense of Battered Women (Primary Plenary)
The plenary will present Defending Our Lives, an independent film, directed by Margaret Lazarus and Renner Wunderlich. This Oscar winning documentary features four women imprisoned for killing their batterers and their personal testimonies of their abuse and subsequent criminal prosecution. Following the film, the legal challenges of defending battered women who fought back will be presented and discussed.
Civil Legal Services for Victims of Sexual Assault (Advanced Plenary)
This workshop will focus on the "forgotten victims" of sexual assault: those who are not raped by their intimate partners or strangers, but who are among the majority of victims assaulted by social acquaintances; peers or authority figures at their school of workplace; service providers; and other casual contacts. After a brief introduction considering the particular dynamics of this most prevalent form of sexual assault, the panelists will discuss the ways in which various civil remedies may be used to assist victims in restoring and protecting their physical, economic and emotional safety.
10:30am: SEMINAR SESSION ONE (choose one of three workshops)
Understanding Lethality Assessment and Safety Planning
(required for DVI at BMC students and recommended for other new advocates)
This workshop outlines issues that arise in the most critical aspect of advocacy for victims: the safety of victims and their children. The benefits and challenges of assessing lethality, safety planning, and common risk factors will be discussed as it has been practiced by experienced advocates.
209A: Basics of Abuse Protection Orders
(for non-lawyer advocates)
This panel will introduce the basics of Mass. Gen. Laws 209A: the Massachusetts abuse prevention statute that governs the substantive and procedural requirements for the issuance of civil restraining orders. Issues that arise in determining whether to obtain this particular form of relief in District or Probate Court will be discussed as well as an overview of the restraining order process.
Holding Perpetrators Accountable
(for experienced advocates)
This panel will explore sexual assault cases from a criminal justice perspective. An experienced sexual assault prosecutor and victim services coordinator will discuss their experiences working with sexual assault victims, focusing on the barriers to holding perpetrators accountable in the criminal justice system and the particular challenges victims face in prosecuting their assailants.
11:45am: SEMINAR SESSION TWO (choose one of three workshops)
209A: Basics of Abuse Protection Orders
(repeat: required for DVI at BMC students, recommended for other new advocates)
Please see panel description under Session One, above.
Probate and Family Court Challenges for Victims of Domestic Violence
(recommended for advocates not familiar with family law)
This panel will consider the particular challenges that battered women and their advocates face in Probate and Family Courts when securing family law orders such as child custody, visitation and support orders in paternity or divorce adjudications. Safety considerations, evidentiary issues and available remedies and procedures as well as the need for specialized training of lawyers, judges and other key people in the family court system will be addressed.
12:45pm: LUNCH
Networking Opportunity
During lunchtime, representatives from Boston's leading domestic violence and sexual assault service organizations will be introduced. Conference attendees will be able to exchange information with advocates and learn about possible volunteer or clinical placement opportunities. Organizations represented include the Asian Task Force, Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, Casa Myrna Vazquez, Child Witness to Violence, Greater Boston Legal Services and Victim Rights Law Center.
Introduction to DVI's Help Site: a Web-based Legal Resource and Information Site supported by the Verizon Foundation
Also at this lunch, the Domestic Violence Institute, together with representative of the Verizon Foundation, will be "launching" the DVI Help Site, a newly developed web-based resource supported by funding from the Verizon Foundation and Northeastern University School of Law. This password protected website is designed to provide domestic violence victim advocates (in both law offices and community organizations) with electronic access to a database of relevant legal and non-legal resources available in the Greater Boston area for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The DVI Help Site also includes a compendium of legal information and links that will inform the non-lawyer, law student, or beginning lawyer advocate about rights, remedies and risks when a victim of violence against women interacts with the criminal and civil justice systems.
After this introduction, representatives of community organizations will be given the opportunity to register to use the site (with appropriate documentation of organizational affiliation) or given the information to apply for access online.
2:00pm: AFTERNOON SESSION OPTIONS
For 2009-2010 DVI at BMC Students only: Final Training Workshop
Students who have enrolled as participants in the 2009-2010 BMC Interviewing and Advocacy project will be attending a three hour workshop devoted to interviewing skills and preparation for their first evening at the Boston Medical Center. All DVI at BMC students are required to attend.
DVI Help Site Training for Pre-Registered Site Users
Representatives from DVI will lead a workshop that will describe the contents of the DVI Help Site to all pre-registered users, and demonstrate how users can navigate within the site to access information and resources for their clients. DVI will make a computer library available so that pre-registered users can enter and navigate around the site with assistance from trained DVI staff and students.