2010 Alaska Victimization Survey shows high rates of violence against women in Alaska

Stephanie McFadden, Chair of the Council
on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault,
described the research partnership between
CDVSA and the UAA Justice Center.

CDVSA Executive Director Sandy Samaniego
Sexual Assault, delivered closing remarks.

The UAA Justice Center and the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) held a joint press conference on September 30 to introduce the results of the 2010 Alaska Victimization Survey conducted by the Justice Center through a contract with CDVSA. Researchers surveyed 871 women throughout Alaska by telephone in May–June 2010.

Research was conducted by André B. Rosay, Marny Rivera, and Brad Myrstol of the UAA Justice Center; Sandy Samaniego and Lauree Morton of the CDVSA; and Darryl S. Wood of Washington State University Vancouver. The study provides the first definitive measures of the incidence and prevalence of intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women in Alaska.

Dr. André Rosay of the UAA Justice
Center presented study findings.

Study findings were presented by Dr. André B. Rosay, Director of the Justice Center. Among the findings:

• 58.6% of Alaska women experienced at least one incident of intimate partner violence or sexual violence over their lifetime.
• 11.8% experienced at least one incident of intimate partner violence or sexual violence during the last year prior to the survey.

The complete Powerpoint slideshow of study findings presented during the conference can be found on the UAA Justice Center website.

Other presenters at the press conference included Stephanie McFadden, chair of the CDVSA, who provided an overview of the partnership between CDVSA and the Justice Center in conducting the survey; a panel question and answer session with Col. Audie Holloway of the Alaska State Troopers, Nancy Haag of Standing Together Against Rape (STAR), Suzi Pearson of Abused Women's Aid in Crisis (AWAIC), and Sandy Samaniego, executive director of CDVSA.

Col. Audie Holloway of the Alaska State Troopers, Nancy Haag of STAR, Suzi Pearson
of AWAIC, and Sandy Samaniego of CDVSA addressed audience questions.

Several stories on results of the study have already appeared in the Alaska press:

• “One in four Alaska women victims of rape or attempted rape, survey says” by Alex DeMarban (Tundra Drums).
• “Survey reveals higher rate of violence against Alaska women: ALASKA: 59 percent of women in poll experienced violence, threats” by Lisa Demer (Anchorage Daily News).
• “Study paints stark portrait of Alaska domestic violence” (video) by Christine Kim (KTUU Channel 2 News).
• “Survey Shows More Alaskan Women Victims of Sexual Assault ” (video) by Alexis Fernandez (KTVA Channel 11 News) (text of story here).
• “Shockingly High Rate of Violence Against Women Found in Alaska” (audio) by Ellen Lockyer (KSKA Anchorage Public Radio and Alaska Public Radio Network).
• "AK's domestic, sexual violence: Not just bad, AWFUL" (Alaska Dispatch).
• "Alaska women report high rate of domestic violence" by the Associated Press (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner).

Alaska State Senator Hollis French, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pledged in a press release dated October 1, 2010, that there would be a full hearing on the results of this first statewide victimization survey. The survey was part of the recommendations of the Senate Judiciary Committee's 2009 report, "Reducing Sexual Assault in Alaska."

Additional photos from the UAA Justice Center of the press conference have been compiled into a slideshow:

Dr. Chamard presents Anchorage Community Survey data

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, and principal investigator for the 2009 Anchorage Community Survey, will present the findings from this biannual survey to the Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force (ACPRTF) at a Community Update meeting on Monday, October 4, at 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Fairview Community Recreation Center. This event is open to the public.

For more information on the ACPRTF or the meeting, please contact Marie Husa at 343-4338.

Statewide Victimization Survey press conference

The UAA Justice Center and the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) will hold a joint press conference to introduce the results of the Statewide Victimization Survey conducted this year by the Justice Center through a contract with CDVSA. The press conference will be Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 10:00 a.m., UAA Commons, Room 107.

This statewide victimization survey provides the first definitive measures of incidence and prevalence, which can be used to provide greater empirical support for responses to, and prevention of, violence against women.

Click here for a campus map. UAA Commons is off Elmore Road. Free parking is available in the Willow and the Spruce Lots during this event.

For more information, contact the Justice Center at 907-786-1810 or anbaa@uaa.alaska.edu.

Prof. Brandeis is faculty respondent for UAA debate team

Prof. Jason Brandeis, Justice faculty, was one of four faculty respondents for the UAA Speech and Debate Team on the topic, "The time has come to abandon race-based preferences in university admissions," on Thursday, September 16. The other faculty respondents were Dr. Robert Boeckmann, Psychology Department; Dean Cheryl Easley, College of Health and Social Welfare; and Dr. Diane Hirshberg, Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER).

Faculty respondents listen intently to debaters (left to right) Dr. Robrt Boeckmann,
Dean Cheryl Easley, Prof. Jason Brandeis, and Dr. Diane Hirshberg.

Debate team members Michaela Hernandez, Colin Haughey, Drew Cason, and Brett Frazer presented their arguments to a packed audience of students, faculty, and the public.

This free, public event is sponsored by the UAA Center for Faculty Excellence (CAFE) and the UAA/APU Ford Foundation Difficult Dialogues Program.

Listen to a podcast of the debate and the faculty discussion and public q&a.

Dr. Everett interviewed by KNBA

Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, was interviewed by Joaqlin Estus of KNBA 90.3 Radio about sentencing disparity in the Alaska justice system. The interview aired Monday, September 20, 2010.

Research by the Alaska Judicial Council and the Alaska Justice Center on sentencing disparities can be found on the Justice Center website. Research by the Alaska Judicial Council on other topics can be found on its website.

Justice Club begins Fall 2010 activities

From Kristen Doughty
Justice Club President

Hello everyone!

We are finally up and running this semester and will be having our first meeting on Friday, September 17 at 2 PM in the Library, room 207b, which is located near the Justice Center.

Thank you for your patience as our new officers have had a very busy start to the semester. We will be holding club meetings every other Friday at 2pm. Once we receive our permanent room assignment an email will be sent out to all members of the club so you will know where to go.
Our current officers are:

• President: Kristen Doughty
• Vice President: Rae Posey
• Treasurer: Sarah Peterson
• Club Council Delegate and Events Coordinator: Joelle Davis

I will be purging the Justice Club e-mail list this weekend so please make sure to get your applications and dues turned in if you would like to stay on the e-mail list. For those of you who are new to the club, applications can be found on the Justice Center website or in the Justice Center by the front desk. Our club dues are $5.00 for the semester or $8.00 for the year. The Justice Center cannot accept cash payments so if you plan to leave your dues with the application in the Justice Center, please make sure you bring a check. Otherwise payments can be accepted by any officer.

We are currently in need of a secretary for the club so if you are interested in getting involved please let us know. Anyone applying for an officers position must be enrolled in at least 9 credits with a 2.0 or better GPA and must be able to attend the meetings.

I am looking forward to a great semester with everyone and hope to see you all on Friday for our first meeting.

Thanks,
Kristen Doughty
Justice Club President

For more information about the Justice Club, see the Justice Club home page.

Prof. Brandeis is faculty respondent for UAA debate team

Prof. Jason Brandeis, Justice Center faculty, will be one of the faculty respondents for the UAA Speech and Debate Team program on the topic, “The time has come to abandon race-based preferences in university admissions," on Thursday, September 16, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Library 307, UAA/APU Consortium Library.

The program features the award-winning UAA Speech and Debate team, faculty respondents, and audience discussion. This free, public event is sponsored by the UAA Center for Faculty Excellence (CAFE) and the UAA/APU Ford Foundation Difficult Dialogues Program.

This event is part of a series of debates and discussions sponsored by the UAA Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence since 2003 to offer the Anchorage community access to university resources as a basis for discussions of policies and issues affecting their future. For information contact aner@uaa.alaska.edu or 786-4605

Dr. Myrstol attends ICPSR workshop on statistical modeling

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Justice faculty, attended a week-long workshop, August 16-20, on "Analyzing Multilevel & Mixed Models Using Stata," at the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

The focus of this workshop was using statistical models to analyze "nested" data - that is, data collected at multiple levels of analysis (for example, the criminal victimization of individuals within particular neighborhoods). Multi-level modeling techniques allow researchers to isolate the independent effects of both Level-1 (e.g., characteristics of individuals) and Level-2 (e.g., neighborhood characteristics) factors on important outcomes of interest (e.g., criminal victimization). Dr. Myrstol will be using these methods in his research on procedural justice and legal legitimacy.

ICPSR is a unit of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. Its mission is to acquire and preserve social science data, to provide open and equitable access to these data, and to promote effective data use.

Prof. Brandeis profiled in The Northern Light

Prof. Jason Brandeis, Justice faculty, is the focus of an article, " 'Bong hits 4 Jesus' lawyer joins UAA," in the student newspaper, The Northern Light, August 31, 2010 issue. Prof. Brandeis has been an adjunct faculty member teaching paralegal studies and justice courses, and was appointed a full-time faculty member beginning in the Fall 2010 semester.

Dr. Chamard completes "train the trainer" Neighborhood Watch program

Dr. Sharon Chamard, Justice faculty, recently completed a two-day "train the trainer" course for Neighborhood Watch. The course was hosted by the Anchorage Police Department and presented by the National Sheriffs' Association.

The National Sheriff's Association in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice has created Neighborhood Watch training targeted at law enforcement officers and citizen coordinators. This training emphasizes crime prevention and also includes homeland security issues.