I am rereading an article from the Bitterroot Star dated October 21, 2015 regarding Patty Walters who received the 2015 Courage Award from SAFE. I am late in responding, but the issues that frustrate me are still taking place in our community. The article states that Patty’s abuser was arrested and charged with partner/family member abuse, but posted bail and was released after one night. He was “temporarily held” another time, but bailed out again and proceeded “to stalk her, steal her car, and keep her living in fear for 16 MONTHS,” before he was “jailed for possession of drugs.”
I worked in the field of domestic violence for seven years developing policies and training all of our law enforcement and judicial personnel to prevent this kind of blatant ignorance of an abuser’s power over his victim. How did this man slip through the loopholes? This kind of legal situation led to a woman being shot in Kalispell a decade or so ago, when her abuser was released and she was not notified. More severe injuries and homicides occur during this transition time than at any other time in a violent relationship. How did this man, Mr. Flowers, repeatedly break a Permanent Restraining Order and remain at liberty?
Patty and her family are indeed fortunate that she is able and willing to work with other survivors, in spite of traumatic head injury and a bucket load of devastating memories she did not ask for. I hope I never hear of a perpetrator in our community remaining at large while terrorizing his family again. The law is clear that this is unacceptable. Please, enforce it.
Star Jameson
Hamilton