DV is the acronym that many guardians ad litem see as they read through a case. "The mother presented with fractured ribs, a large bruise on her forehead, and a bald spot where the hair had been pulled out. Two children, 3 and 5, witnessed this assault and previous DV by their father." Though they themselves had not been touched physically, the children suffer emotionally.

Options are out there for battered women and their children, but did you know on average the woman leaves her abuser 7 - 10 times before leaving for good? At the McGuire Conference in Billings last week, 4 CASA-CAN guardians ad litem, VISTA Amanda Nigrello, and I learned many of the aspects of the psychology of battered women, the effects on children and the law as it pertains to DV. The conference, sponsored by the Billings Area Family Violence Task Force, was a great learning experience.

Lisa Goff