Domestic Violence Unit

Suzanne Kontz. ADA and Unit Chief
(781) 897-8452

As part of the office’s Family Protection Bureau, the Domestic Violence Unit is comprised of prosecutors, advocates and caring professionals dedicated to working exclusively on cases of domestic violence and sexual assault. The Unit is committed to working with law enforcement, service providers, and the community to stem the tide of domestic violence in our cities and towns.

The Domestic Violence Unit was created by Middlesex District Attorney’s Office was created by DA Gerard T. Leone, Jr. in 2007 to establish consistency in prosecution of domestic violence cases and treatment of domestic violence victims throughout the county. The Unit is devoted to prevention, education and awareness to stop domestic violence from occurring and working to break down the barriers of disclosure. To read a press release on the creation of the Domestic Violence Unit, please click here.

Recent statistics show:

1 in every 4 women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.
1 in every 4 men or women in a same sex relationship will also experience domestic violence in his or her lifetime.
An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year.
85% of domestic violence victims are women.
Females who are 20-24 years of age are at the greatest risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence.
Most cases of domestic violence are never reported to the police.

Safety Planning Tips

If you are still in the relationship:

Think of a safe place to go if an argument occurs - avoid rooms with no exits (bathroom), or rooms with weapons (kitchen).
Think about and make a list of safe people to contact.
Keep change with you at all times.
Memorize all important numbers.
Establish a "code word" or "sign" so that family, friends, teachers or co-workers know when to call for help.
Think about what you will say to your partner if heshe becomes violent.

If you have left the relationship:

Change your phone number.
Screen calls.
Save and document all contacts, messages, injuries or other incidents involving the batterer.
Change locks, if the batterer has a key.
Avoid staying alone.
Plan how to get away if confronted by an abusive partner.
If you have to meet your partner, do it in a public place.
Vary your routine.
Notify school and work contacts.
Call a service agency for victims of abuse.

If you leave the relationship or are thinking of leaving, you should take important papers and documents with you to enable you to apply for benefits or take legal action.

Important papers you should take include social security cards and birth certificates for you and your children, your marriage license, leases or deeds in your name or both yours and your partner's names, your checkbook, your charge cards, bank statements and charge account statements, insurance policies, proof of income for you and your spouse (pay stubs or W-2's), and any documentation of past incidents of abuse (photos, police reports, medical records, etc.)

Sexual Assault

What can you do if you have been sexually assaulted?

Go to a safe place.
Call someone you trust to be with you, like a rape crisis counselor, friend or parent.
Call the local or campus police.
Don't shower, bathe, or douche after the attack.
Seek care at a hospital, even if you do not see any visible injuries.
Preserve other physical evidence, such as clothing.

Common Misconceptions

If I did not report it immediately it will be too late to “do anything” about it.

This is not true. While there is certain forensic evidence that can only be collected within a certain period of time after a sexual assault, there may be other types of evidence that can be obtained other than forensic evidence.
I do not need to go to the hospital if I am not seriously injured.

There are many reasons why you should go to the hospital any time that you are sexually assaulted. You many be injured more than you think or you many have internal injuries that need immediate attention. In going to the hospital after a sexual assault, evidence of the assault can be documented and collected, even if ejaculation did not occur.
It is not a sexual assault if it was done by my boyfriend or husband.

A sexual assault can happen between anyone, regardless of if they are strangers, acquaintances, friends, dating, married or family members. Whenever one party forces another party to engage in a sexual act by force and without that person’s consent it may be a sexual assault.

Related links on sexual assault:
http://www.janedoe.org/
http://www.aardvarc.org/rape/states/massrp.shtml

Children Witnesses to Violence

If you are in an abusive relationship and have children, you are not the only person in that household that is affected. You may be thinking to yourself that your children were not in the room, you were quiet, you covered the bruising, or they are too young to understand what is happening. That is simply not true. Being in a home where domestic violence occurs severely affects children of all ages.

Babies exposed to domestic violence may appear to be detached and unresponsive to adults. Battered women may not provide nurture and care, which can lead babies to become passive and with no expectation of needs being met, or they may cry and fuss constantly for attention or in reaction to the stress. Infants also experience sleep disturbances and eating disorders.

Toddlers and preschoolers may experience sleeping and eating disorders, stomachaches, headaches, and nightmares related to violence.

School age children may expect little success due to recurrent mood swings, erratic school attendance, and inability to concentrate. Poor social skills may also lead to conflicts with classmates and teachers.

Adolescents who have witnessed domestic violence may experience eating disorders, drop out of school, run away from home, become delinquent, act out sexually, commit suicide, or abuse drugs and alcohol.

Moreover, children who witness domestic violence have a higher risk of having serious health problems as adults, such as tobacco use, substance abuse, obesity, cancer, heart disease, depression, and unintended pregnancy.

A child may acquire a sense of worthlessness due to verbal abuse such as shaming, blaming, intimidation, and threats, which can lead a child to believe he or she is incapable of being loved and incapable of success. There may also be serious negative effects on a child’s self esteem if he or she believes they are responsible for the violence and are unable to control or stop it. Children may in fact experience chronic, elevated levels of tension and stress in an attempt to avoid or control the violence.

Experiencing domestic violence can have negative effects on a child’s relationships with others. Studies have found that children who witness domestic violence may learn to use violence themselves. Violence is seen as the norm in homes where domestic violence occurs, and child witnesses may thus view power, control, aggression, and violence as the only way to get needs met. Boys especially may approve of violence and generate attitudes justifying their own use of violence, and have generally shown more frequent and external problems including hostility and aggression. This aggressive behavior may lead them to fight with siblings and peers. Girls, however, often become passive and withdrawn, tending to suffer from depression. Girls are also more likely to become victims of domestic violence in future relationships. However, some findings have indicated that girls can actually exhibit more aggressive behaviors as they age.

Restraining Orders

To learn about the Abuse Prevention Law

Click here to learn how to obtain a restraining order.

DV Initiatives

Middlesex District Attorney's Domestic Violence Pro Bono Initiative

The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office teamed up with several Boston-area law firms to create a first-of-its kind public-private program that provides free legal assistance to victims of domestic violence during the restraining order process. The partnership, created in 2008, was designed to address a significant gap in the way that DV victims are served during the restraining order process. Specifically, because a restraining order is a civil document, Assistant District Attorneys are unable to represent domestic violence victims during that process. Many of those victims are unable to afford an attorney as, oftentimes, it is the abuser who controls the household finances. To address this problem, the Middlesex District Attorney’s office first partnered with Proskauer Rose and then Cooley Manion Jones to identify victims who need legal assistance and then assign a private attorney to provide representation free of charge. Restraining order hearings are critical, as they not only work to assure that the abuser cannot come in contact with the victim, but also frequently address other important issues such as assuring continued child support, utility payments, and healthcare payments.

To read a press release on the initiative, please click here.

Teen Dating Violence

Top Ten Things to Know about Teen Dating Violence

Each year approximately one in four adolescents reports verbal, physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
Approximately one in five adolescents reports being a victim of emotional abuse.
Approximately one in five high school girls has been physically or sexually abused by a dating partner.
Dating violence among their peers is reported by 54% of high school students.
One in three teens report knowing a friend or peer who has been physically hurt by his or her partner through violent actions which included hitting, punching, kicking, slapping, and/or choking.
Eighty percent of teens believe verbal abuse is a serious issue for their age group.
Nearly 80% of girls who have been victims of physical abuse in their dating relationships continue to date the abuser.
Nearly 20% of teen girls who have been in a relationship said that their boyfriend had threatened violence or self-harm in the event of a break-up.
Nearly 70% of young women who have been raped knew their rapist; the perpetrator was or had been a boyfriend, friend, or casual acquaintance.
The majority of teen dating abuse occurs in the home of one of the partners.

Domestic Violence PSA Project

In 2009, The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office in conjunction with the Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc. hosted a contest to produce a public service announcement for teen dating violence. This one of a kind contest was designed to get students involved in raising awareness with their peers about teen dating violence. To read a press release on the finalists, please click here. To watch the 2009 winner PSA, by students at Somerville High School, please click here.

Releated links on teen dating violence:
www.reachma.org/pavenet
http://www.loveisnotabuse.com
http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/topics/dateviolence.asp
http://www.abanet.org/unmet/teendating/facts.pdf
http://www.ncjrs.gov/teendatingviolence/

Cut It Out National Domestic Violence Prevention Program

The Cut It Out program was conceived and first implemented in 2002 in Alabama and has become the national program of the Salons Against Domestic Abuse Fund, which is dedicated to mobilizing salon professionals and others to recognize signs of abuse and to fight the epidemic of domestic violence in communities across the United States.

To read a press release on the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office involvement in the national program, please click here.

Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse Training Initiative

In recent years, a strong connection has been documented linking domestic violence abuse and animal abuse. Animal abuse can often signal a lethal domestic situation and is one of the risk factors authorities use to determine whether a domestic violence situation is high risk. Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone launched a new initiative aimed at training law enforcement and first responders about the correlation between domestic abuse and animal abuse. To read a press release on the initiative, please click here.

ShareThis