In the first four months
of this year, two San Antonio women are dead, victims of domestic violence.
The recent case of Jessica Garcia and San Antonio Police Officer Hector Garza received much news coverage. Frank Garcia, the victim’s husband is charged with killing his wife and the police officer.
Another
murder, however, hit even closer to home. Jessica Moreno, 26, a student at Palo
Alto College was murdered at a friend’s house on March 20. Moreno was allegedly
shot by her ex-boyfriend, Armando R. Lopez, 35. He suffered from a self-inflicted
wound to the head, but he survived and is now in the Bexar County Jail.
Jessica was a
1993 graduate of Brackenridge High School. In the Spring of 1994, she made the
Palo Alto Dean’s Part-Time Honor List. She was majoring in Law Enforcement.
“She was a good
student. She was very perceptive and attentive in class. She did very
well on exams,” said Dr. Eugene Venable, adjunct History Instructor.
“I’m sorry about her fate.”
The San Antonio Police
Department averages 87 calls a day for domestic disturbances. Domestic
violence is also believed to be the most common yet least reported crime
in the country.
“Don’t ever hesitate to call 911. It is important to have a
report on file,” said Evie Lopez, Crisis Response Team for the San
Antonio Police Department.
Husbands, boyfriends, lovers and partners batter women of all cultures,
races, occupations, income levels and ages.
This may start with
verbal and physical abuse, but it may escalate to death. Victims of domestic
abuse not only live in fear of their abuser, but they also fear for their
own life.
Domestic violence flourishes in silence. Women are encouraged to tell someone that they trust about the abuse.
“It gets worse
with time, worse with secrecy,” said Patricia Castillo, Coordinator
of the Putting an End to Abuse through Community Efforts Initiative (PEACE).
There are many rewards
for getting out of an abusive relationship. You become independent, you
gain self-esteem, you make yourself a first priority and it feels good
to be free.
The PEACE Initiative offers an educational scholarship called the Anima Santa Scholarship Fund. Palo Alto student Melinda M. Candelario was awarded a $500 scholarship in Fall 2000. The initiative awarded three educational scholarships to survivors of violent and abusive relationships who are attending school and/or training to improve their lives and retain their independence.
Candelario is a single
mother of four and is participating in the 2+2 transfer program with Texas
A&M University-Kingsville System Center-Palo Alto to become a nurse.
She learned about
the scholarship through PAC’s Returning Adult Center. The award was
presented last fall at City Council Chambers during the SAPD Victims Advocacy
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month reception.
Domestic violence
is such a pernicious and pervasive problem in the area that the Greater
San Antonio Crime Prevention Commission wants the next mayor to create
a mayor’s office on domestic violence.
“We need that
badly to address domestic violence in the city,” said District Court
Judge Andy Mireles, who heads the commission. “Any woman in that
situation needs to tell somebody. There is help available.”
In fact, there is
now help on campus. The Returning Adult Center at Palo Alto College along
with the San Antonio Police Department’s Victims Advocacy Section
and the San Antonio Police Department Substation Crisis Response Team
co-sponsors a weekly Domestic Violence Support Group meeting on campus.
The group meets every
Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the General Education Building, Room
106. The meetings are open to all students and community members.
Group sessions are
led by Dr. Norma Lopez, Family/Child Therapist; Evie Lopez, caseworker;
Eloisa Cordova, Education Support Specialist with the Returning Adults
Center; and Officer Hope Ytuarte, of the San Antonio Police Department.
Individuals will learn
about relationships, gain self-esteem, express their feelings and receive
emotional support. The meetings are free and open to the public.
This is the second
semester that these meetings have been held on campus, and attendance
is growing.
“Little by little,
people are coming by and we are growing,” said Cordova, who may be
reached at 921-5382, PC 119B in the Returning Adult Center. “We are
really excited to be able to reach out to students and people in our community.”
With summer around
the corner, meetings will be continued; however, scheduled times and dates
will be announced.
If any individual
is uncomfortable with a group session, the counselors at Palo Alto are
trained professionals and are privately available if needed.
The Battered Women’s
Shelter is a place in the community that does offer help or counseling
to victims 24 hours a day.
There is also the
Victims Advocacy Section in the San Antonio Police Department. Their mission
is to advocate for zero tolerance of violent crimes by providing prevention,
consultation, and direct services to affected individuals, families and
groups and to provide psychological services to the San Antonio Police
Department.
Useful numbers: Battered Women’s Shelter, 733-8810; Family Violence Prevention Services, 930-3669; SA Police Dept. Southside Substation, 207-8964; Crisis Response Team, 207-8701; Family Service Association, 226-3391; District Attorney’s Family Justice & Victims Protection Unit, 335-2865; Victims Assistance Unit, 335-2276.