When women move forward, the whole community moves with them. The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham proves this every day, especially with its nationally recognized work to reduce the number of domestic violence assaults. The goal is to create system change that benefits everyone involved, from the judges, court staff and police officers to the abusers and their victims. .

The Women’s Fund first won national attention in 2001 for Cut it Out, a groundbreaking effort to train hairdressers to recognize the signs of domestic violence and to refer clients to a hotline for help. But that wasn’t enough for the women who make up the board of this component fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.

In 2005, The Women's Fund convened 35 domestic violence experts in Alabama who revealed reasons why the rate of domestic violence has not dropped despite 30 years of work. Challenges included the lack of effective links between multiple court systems, the need to change community perceptions and to focus on the reasons abuse happens rather than how to get women out of the situation.

In 2006, the Voices Against Violence Giving Circle of The Women’s Fund embarked on a multi-year plan to raise awareness and dollars for strategic grants that will reduce the number of domestic violence assaults in the Greater Birmingham areas by 25 percent by 2015. In 2009, that work was recognized with the Critical Impact Award from the Council on Foundations.

A video provides some insight into the Voices Against Violence initiative from the point of view of Judges Agnes Chappell and Annetta H.Verin. The Women’s Fund website also includes a detailed history of VAV fundraising and the specific grants in 2007, 2008 and 2009 – a total of just under $250,000. The grant total for 2010 will be determined by the dollars being raised right now and announced at a VAV celebration October 15.

Giving Circle members speak out
Members of VAV Giving Circle are proud to be part of raising funds and looking for the best opportunities for high-impact grants as part of this initiative..

Robin Adams Hall first learned about Voices Against Violence in her role as a member of the Women’s Fund board and currently serves as chair of the initiative.  An attorney with Maynard Cooper, she values the chance to be part of this opportunity for targeted community service. 

“My brother and I were raised in a family where we were led to believe that we could do or be anything we wanted as long as we worked hard for it,” Hall said. “There were no limitations on opportunities or interests based on our gender.  I want that for my daughter too. 

“One of my favorite things about The Women’s Fund is that it focuses on providing opportunities, tools and confidence for women and girls who do not grow up with a gender-neutral message about their potential and the possibilities to fulfill their dreams.

“I came on The Women’s Fund board because I was drawn to this organization which worked to give women and girls the tools they need to be successful.  It is so important to address basic needs and to push and empower women to do more and explore more.”

Her work with Voices Against Violence has given her the chance to learn from people representing every aspect of the system to combat domestic violence. “They have helped identify the flaws and disconnects in the system, which gives everyone the opportunity to specifically address and improve those areas," Hall said.

For example, through VAV grants, judges are able to see court records from other municipalities while an offender is standing right in front of them, awaiting a decision. Grants also support the work of the Jefferson County Family Violence Coordinated Community Response, which brings together 30 entities to align policies and establish best practices.

Madeline Haikala, a member of VAV Steering Committee appreciates the contagious energy she finds in the Giving Circle, as well as the results of their collaborative problem-solving.

“Women are naturals at networking, and they are equally adept at identifying an issue that needs attention and diving in to improve the situation,” said Haikala, an attorney with Lightfoot Franklin White. “The Women's Fund does a brilliant job of combining these two talents in the Giving Circle.

“When the members of the Giving Circle gather, the ideas fly. Though most of us are lawyers, our practices are very different, but when we come together to work on this project, our differences enhance the whole. Lawyers of all stripes generously donate funds to improve the courts that serve victims of domestic violence.”

She is also conscious of the effect that domestic violence has on violence throughout the community. In one incident, a husband who tried to shoot his wife while she was at work put all the bystanders at grave risk. While police pursued him, the woman ultimately had to leave her job and go into hiding, uprooting her family and losing the income she needed to support them.

“Thanks to the lawyers in our community, women who find themselves in this difficult situation can do more than hide,” Haikala said. “A VAV grant supports an advocate who helps victims get through the court system, so the court system is better able to arrest and prosecute perpetrators.  Every lawyer who supports Voices Against Violence makes this possible.   

Linda Friedman, attorney with Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, also appreciates the education she has received about the experience of victims and the parts of the legal system that enforce laws on domestic violence.  

Through the Giving Circle, she said, “We have been able to address and alleviate many of those needs, by supporting the judges, court system, law enforcement and ultimately the victims. We  have seen the results of better tracking of cases and perpetrators, better law enforcement, improved protection of victims and, we believe,  reduction in abuse incidents.”

The Birmingham community is fortunate to have so many dedicated professional who enforce existing laws, but Friedman emphasized the importance of funding to continue the programs that now support their efforts.

“In this day of low confidence in our local government, it is refreshing  to know that these outstanding public officials are working for our community. In the midst of Jefferson County’s fiscal woes and the overall economic downturn, I am so pleased that our legal community has continued to support these critical law enforcement  programs  that  aim to protect victims, hold perpetrators accountable and reduce domestic violence incidents.”

On October 7, members of the Giving Circle joined police officers, judges, counselors and other experts in domestic violence in the first-ever blog-a-thon against domestic violence, using social media to raise funds and awareness about domestic violence issues.  The event, hosted by NBC13 in their conference room atop Red Mountain, illustrates just one more innovative way that The Women's Fund is working to bring the whole community together around the system changes needed to reduce domestic violence assaults.

To find out more about Voices Against Violence, contact a member of The Women's Fund staff.