The final installment in a three-part series on sexual assault in the territory, in conjunction with April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month
Sexual Assault: The Territory's Arsenal
April 29, 2008 — At age 16 when she gave birth to her first child, Sharon George of St. Croix prayed it wouldn't be a girl. And with each of the four children who followed, the same thing.
"I don't worry when a baby boy comes out, but when a girl comes out, I break down, because I think the worst things are going to happen to her in the world," George said. "The nurses had to comfort me. They said, 'It's going to be OK.' But I said, 'It's a girl. It's a girl!'"
From age 8 until she left home to live with her boyfriend at 16, Sharon George was molested by her father, she said. She was also physically and emotionally abused by her then-boyfriend and the father of her children.
New efforts to shine a light on the problem of sexual assault in the territory leave people like George hopeful that the next generation of offenders will experience less tolerance and greater reporting of a crime that thrives off of shame and secrecy.
At the encouragement of agencies such as the V.I. Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council (DVSAC), the governor joined in the national effort and declared April Sexual Assault Awareness Month in the territory. Additionally in April, top government officials met for the first time ever with DVSAC to discuss issues related to sexual assault. DVSAC, formed in 1987, is an umbrella organization for provider agencies across the territory. It sponsors education programs and promotes policy and legislation on behalf of victims.
Anecdotal accounts from local service providers suggest that sexual assault is at least as chronic a problem here as it is nationally, where advocate groups report that it occurs every two minutes — meaning someone is raped, almost raped, molested or experiences unwanted sexual contact or threats. When it comes to child abuse in the territory, including sexual assault against children, there was a 28-percent increase in the most recent reporting year over the previous one, according to the U.S. Virgin Islands Kids Count Data Book 2006.
Addressing the Needs
While sexual assault crosses gender, age, economic, social and ethnic boundaries, its effects tend to be predictable. According to RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, the country's largest anti-sexual assault organization, victims of sexual assault are:
— three times more likely to suffer from depression;
— six times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder;
— 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol;
— 26 times more likely to abuse drugs; and
— four times more likely to contemplate suicide.
The Virgin Islands offers sexual-assault victims a comprehensive set of services, many of which are a phone call away, day or night. Government and non-profit providers work in tandem, though some bemoan a lack of cooperation. If there's disagreement over how finely tuned the system is, there's little disagreement that more funds are needed, from the police department to the attorney general's office to the small non-profit that lurches forward from grant to grant in an effort to help victims process the trauma and reclaim their lives.
Front-Line Responders
Ninafe Giron and Leslye Webb are never more than an arm's length from their phones, which can ring at all hours of the night. They're the police department's crime-victim advocates, and they're often right behind the patrolmen in responding to the scene of a violent sexual assault.
"I'm there to provide emotional support for the (victim) or the (victim's) family," explained Giron, who works on St. Croix. "Just knowing a familiar face helps, even if that face is just five minutes, 10 minutes old.
"I can remember one case," she continued, "where I sat in the (hospital) room, and the whole time I was in there, it was dead silence, and that's what she needed. All she needed was someone to be there with her, although we did not say a peep to each other."
Crisis victims need an anchor, said Webb, the St. Thomas-St. John advocate.
"At the time a crime is committed against somebody, they're not thinking of themselves; they've lost control," Webb said. "You help explain to the victim what's going on, and you try to give them a sense of control back to their lives."
If a child is involved, the Department of Human Services gets called in. Same thing if a school, health-care worker, or social service agency comes across a suspected case of child abuse — Human Services must, according to statute, be called.
It's not just police advocates and Human Services responding 24/7. Each island has at least one non-profit agency offering round-the-clock emergency-response services to victims: the Women's Coalition of St. Croix, the Family Resource Center on St. Thomas, and the St. John Community Crisis Center. In addition to emergency services, programs offered at the various centers include shelter for victims, private and group counseling, education services and referral services. (See list below for contact information.)
Closing in on the Criminals
Dilsa Capdeville, the doyenne of child abuse service providers in the territory, shows off a room at her agency, which features a floor-to-ceiling mural of brightly caricatured sea creatures. It's a happy room with a very sad purpose. This is where children come to be debriefed by Capdeville about the abuse they've experienced. She points to a tiny hole in the mural where the hidden video camera is housed.
Capdeville is executive director of Kidscope, a St. Thomas agency that cares for victims of child abuse and their families. Her 40-plus years experience with child-abuse victims makes her the go-to person for law enforcement.
"Very helpful," said Lt. Enrique Saldana, chief of detectives on St. Thomas, and commander of the Juvenile Bureau. "They're the only entity on the island set up for that, with video. They have the people who are professional … and they put the child in a relaxed setting to start a conversation."
Evidence in sexual-assault cases is particularly challenging to the justice system. With the burden of proof being "beyond a reasonable doubt," and sexual-assault cases — especially involving young victims — often relying on he-said, she-said testimony, a good courtroom strategy becomes vital.
Charlotte Poole Davis has one. She's the deputy attorney general (AG) on St. Croix who for years specialized in child-abuse cases. Before a trial, she made a point of winning exemptions to the hearsay rule for such things as statements made to doctors, social workers or counselors, as well as permission to use leading statements and determinations.
"But you have to set them out beforehand," Davis said, "so we don't consume the trial with those issues or maybe lose on those issues if we haven't prepared in advance."
The problem for many litigators, according to Davis, is caseload. Suddenly they're thrown a sexual assault or child-abuse case, and the advance preparation may not happen.
While all of her child-abuse cases resulted in jail time for the offenders, Davis said, "a good percentage" of sexual-assault cases fall apart. Lt. Saldana blames it on victims who recant and weak evidence, among other factors.
"We make more arrests than the AG's office takes to court," Saldana said. "They have a heavy caseload and are understaffed. We are too."
Nationally, only six percent of rapists will ever spend a day in jail, according to RAINN. Both Davis and Saldana say their offices would see greater success if they had a special unit for sexual-assault crimes. But specialization require
s funding, which neither office has.
Capdeville says her needs are dire.
"I've gone to the legislature and begged, and one time I begged and left with $100,000," she recalled. She said her recent budget suffered a 50 percent cut in public funding. As for right now, "We don't have money past May."
Securing Protection and Financial Support
For victims who need protection from a perpetrator while criminal charges are pending, or in lieu of pressing charges, Legal Services of the Virgin Islands will step in to assist with the execution of a restraining order. In addition, Legal Services attorneys can try to secure restitution from perpetrators. They even help victims craft what they call a "saftey plan," which can include relocation if the situation is particularly perilous, according to Robert R. Kunkel, a domestic violence attorney. The agency's services are free.
For innocent victims of a crime, meaning they in no way contributed to the harm that was incurred, compensation is available for everything from lost wages, hospital bills, even a funeral. Documentation must be submitted within 90 days of the incident, said Alrick Brooks, the program administrator for Human Services's Criminal Victims Compensation Commission.
While compensation can reach as high as $25,000 in the most serious cases, it's not quick in coming. It can take months, Brooks said, and in the meantime a sexual-assault victim may be out on the street. That's where cooperation among agencies comes in and referrals are made.
Recovery
No matter who the individual provider or what the agency, all seem to share a commitment to seeing "victims" become "survivors." However, it's a taxing process to shepherd through, especially when victims are children.
"You want to cry," confessed the seasoned Saldana.
Clema Lewis stressed that recovery depends on coming forward.
"There ain't no getting over it, or under it, or putting it in the back file," she said. "You gotta work through it. That's critical. I want victims to hear that."
Among those standing by is victims advocate Leslye Webb: "In the story, make sure you put my cell number."
V.I. Sexual Assault Service Providers
(This list may not include all relevant providers in the territory.)
Family Resource Center (STT): 776-3966, emergency: 776-7867 (STOP)
St. Croix Women's Coalition (STX): 773-9272 (24 hours)
St. John Community Crisis Center: 693-7233 (SAFE), after hours: 690-7233 (SAFE)
Kidscope (STT): 714-1012
Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Council: 719-0144
Legal Services STT-STJ: 774-6720
Legal Services STX: 773-2626
VI Police Department Victims Advocates
Leslye Webb (STT-STJ): 774-2211, cell: 643-0295
Ninafe Giron (STX) – 778-2211, cell: 690-0700
Department of Human Services
STT: 774-0930
STX: 773-2323
STJ: 776-6334
Criminal Victims Compensation Commission:
STT- STX-STJ: 774-1166
Back Talk Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.
