Women Need Help In Fight Against Domestic Violence Letter Of The Week: From Nov. 11

I’m looking at the bloodied, broken face of a beautiful woman in the Oct. 31 Spokesman-Review and reading the story of how a judge refused to revoke a restraining order - a decision which probably saved this woman’s life. And she now knows it.

Praise for the judgment and character of this Idaho judge. I wish we had judges with as much character in this county.

Sadly, all it takes is a form letter signed by a wife or girlfriend to get restraining orders removed, domestic violence charges dropped or reduced, and these brutal men are back in the home where they can do whatever they want.

Women sign these forms every day. A woman in the cycle of domestic violence isn’t able to think clearly. If everyone understood that, they would realize it often takes a third party to intervene for their safety.

I would like to bring to the attention of judges and the public another part of the problem in prosecuting perpetrators of domestic violence: the lawyers who represent these men.

Right here in our county, lawyers talk to the victims and persuade them to sign papers to drop charges or revoke restraining orders. Some of these lawyers even keep a file of the form letters mentioned. I used to work in the legal field, and it disgusted me every day to witness this kind of legal maneuvering.

I would like to see more judges taking an aggressive stand against this kind of behavior on the part of attorneys. It could make a world of difference to some bloodied, battered woman. Lyssa J. Gooch Spokane

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