May 9, 2012
Stop Abusive and Violent Environments (SAVE) is a victim-advocacy organization working for evidence-based solutions to the problem of domestic violence. Stop Violent and Abusive Environments supports the re authorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
SAVE advocates for all victims of domestic violence, regardless of their race, sex, or gender identity. Unfortunately, false claims of domestic violence and sexual assault have become widespread, a problem that robs true victims of desperately needed services, protections, and credibility. (http://www.saveservices.org/downloads/False-DV-Allegations-Cost-20-Billion )
During the May 8, 2012 mark-up of the House Judiciary Committee, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) made certain statements regarding Stop Abusive and Violent Environments, alleging SAVE represents a group of “apologists for abusers.” In support of this accusation, Lofgren referred to a member of the SAVE Board of Directors, Natasha Spivack.
In 2000, Nataliya Derkach Fox, who was seeking permanent US residency, accused her new husband, James M. Fox, of attempted homicide in order to bolster her petition under VAWA’s battered immigrant provisions. The allegation was found to be non-meritorious. On June 7, 2002, a Loudon County judge went so far as to issue an order that all police and court documents regarding the case be expunged from the record (Page 1: http://www.saveservices.org/wp-content/uploads/expungement-001.pdf, Page 2: http://www.saveservices.org/wp-content/uploads/expungement-002.pdf).
In addition, Nataliya Fox committed fraud, telling an immigration officer that the name on her immigration petition had been incorrectly listed as Elena Rybak (http://www.saveservices.org/wp-content/uploads/DocumentFraud01-001.pdf). But as a result of VAWA’s confidentiality provisions, Ms. Spivack was barred from informing immigration authorities about the fraudulent claim.
Instead of being recognized for her efforts to stop immigration fraud, Spivack found her company, Encounters International, accused of violating an obscure provision of VAWA that requires an international dating organization to provide an “information pamphlet” to prospective foreign clients (Section 833). A prominent Washington DC legal firm accepted the case on a pro bono basis, eventually leading to a jury award for damages against the firm owned by Natasha Spivack.
Full details about the case are available in a statement provided by Spivack at the False Allegations Summit held in Washington DC on June 2, 2011: http://www.saveservices.org/statement-by-encounters-international/ .
SAVE is not alone in raising concerns about false allegations. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has expressed similar worries about immigration fraud and provisions in VAWA that encourage it:
http://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/Article.cfm?customel_dataPageID_1502=40474
Since its passage in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act has helped many victims. But the law has also eroded long-cherished due process protections that many Americans take for granted. This erosion has contributed to a growing problem of frivolous accusations, wrongful arrests, undue prosecutions, and false convictions. These problems are documented in the following SAVE Special Reports (http://www.saveservices.org/reports ):
- The Use and Abuse of Domestic Restraining Orders
- Arrest Policies for Domestic Violence
- Unequal Justice in the Criminal Justice System
- Domestic Violence-Related Immigration Fraud
Good people can disagree over issues, but a smear campaign against a victim rights organization based on one highly disputed case is not an action a member of Congress should endorse. Representative Lofgren’s charges made during a House Judiciary Committee meeting were unfounded, scurrilous, and false. Stop Abusive and Violent Environments demands that Rep. Lofgren retract her remarks about SAVE, issue an apology to Natasha Spivack, and begin to work for ways to stop false allegations so true victims can get the help they need and deserve.
Source: http://www.saveservices.org/2012/05/save-demands-apology-from-rep-zoe-lofgren/
NCFM NOTE:
For the first time in the history of VAWA its supporters were challenged to clean up their act, to provide gender inclusive services for real, and help minimized false accusations, among other things. Instead, they defended their positions with the same continuous stream of misinformation and outright lies. The boldest of lies was introducing the findings of some obscure federal study that found there had only been one (1) false application from a an immigrant seeking legal residency as a domestic violence victim. I personally know of more cases than that. The data had to be intentionally fabricated which means one or more federal employees committed one or more crimes in so doing. It’s all about power, control, and $$$$. These people could care less about protecting anyone from anything; that is, except themselves. SAVE was instrumental in educating others about the corruption within VAWA.
Do we have to trust some alleged "studies" ? — I took a careful look at the latest data sets, 2006-2011 from BJS (Bureau of Justice Statistics) and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). They consistently show approximately 50-50% rates of female-on-male violence, and in some data sets female on male violence at a higher rate than male-on-female. If over 250 scientific studies, which showed female violence against male at 50, weren't enough, I suggest members of Congress should put on their glasses and see for themselves.
The myth of "Violence Against Women" as American men's favorite pastime is feminist nonsense fabricated to reap the Congressional pork and taxpayers' largess. When certain functionaries of the "Women's Shelters" grab personal paychecks of $165,000; $175,000 and $300,000 a year, they will go to any lengths to lie, connive and deceive the Public. The Congress, however, has the responsibility to the American people — so, stop feeding us your misinformation. We, the People, are much more intelligent than many Members of Congress.
The American People expect their elected representatives to give a serious and sober consideration to the facts, arguments and statistics presented by the grass roots bi-partisan organizations, such as S.A.V.E. Services. When a member of the U.S. Congress – especially so a member of the Committee on The Judiciary – makes a public statement, which is untrue and inflammatory on its face, alleging S.A.V.E. represents a group of “apologists for abusers,” it sets a very bad example. It reeks of intolerance to the "inconvenient" facts. It leaves a bad aftertaste.
Such a libelous ad hominem attack by the Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), revealed to the American People that she makes her decisions, based on politics, not the facts, and not in the interests of the People; that she is ready and willing to act in bad faith, in bad taste, and against independently verified, peer-reviewed facts, statistics and studies. We, the People, deserve better than that.