WAIMEA — Waimea’s Domestic Violence Awareness Committee (DVAC) is partnering with Dara Carlin to bring Barry Goldstein to Tutu’s House as a special guest speaker July 26.
A nationally recognized domestic violence author, speaker and advocate, Goldstein will visit en route to a conference he’s attending in Australia to promote the Safe Child Act. He introduced it in Hawaii two years ago.
Also a former lawyer, Goldstein said outdated and discredited practices continue to lead courts to place children in jeopardy. Every year 58,000 children are sent for custody or visitation with dangerous abusers, and 175 children were murdered in a recent two-year period by fathers involved in contested custody.
The Safe Child Act, based on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Research from the Centers for Disease Control, would provide immediate tools in the family court system. Hawaii House Rep. John Mizuno sponsored the Safe Child Act it in the Hawaiian State House last year on the Human Services (HUS) and Judiciary (JDL) Committees as HB 697, but no hearings were ever scheduled.
“I think it got lost in the shuffle due to other legislative matters, such as the physicians assisted suicide bill that was passed into law last year,” Carlin said, a domestic violence survivor and advocate. “With the Safe Child Act it takes time to understand what it is, but with an explanation it’s awesome. We’re trying to get the community up to speed on what it is so we can have their support.”
Goldstein’s July 26 talk will begin at 1 p.m. followed by a Q&A. Tutu’s House is located at 64-1032 Mamalahoa Highway No. 305 in Waimea.
“To educate and spread awareness to increase a protective response and community support for our keiki, I was able to confirm the July 26 program with Barry Goldstein just a few days ago,” Lorraine Urbic said, Tutu’s House’s program leader.
“As a previous foster parent, recruiter/trainer and care coordinator for families, I have firsthand experience that this issue is huge and clogs up our social services system,” she continued. “Barry has come up with important solutions and science-based content to inform courts so that children’s lives will no longer be threatened by decisions that have put them at a huge risk. His talk is guaranteed to be enlightening on this important subject.”
Residents who want Safe Child Act legislation revisited can contact their State House member, or Rep. Mizuno at 586-6050 or epmizuno@Capitol.hawaii.gov.
Questions about the talk: Call 885-6777