Carey Roberts
Abuse shelter watchdogs: See no evil, speak no evil
By Carey Roberts
Domestic violence shelters are rife with mismanagement and fraud. They push a radical gender ideology on the unsuspecting, discriminate against male victims, and employ woefully unqualified staff. And they ridicule traditional religion as "oppressive" to women — all to the tune of $100 million in federal taxpayer money each year.
So how do shelters get away with this nonsense? Where's the accountability? And why are the government-mandated watchdogs giving these shelters a free pass?
According to federal rules, all organizations that receive $300,000 or more are required to undergo an annual audit. According to OMB Circular No. A-133, "the auditor shall determine whether the auditee has complied with laws, regulations, and the provisions of contracts or grant agreements that may have a direct and material effect on each of its major programs." These include well-known requirements that grantees not discriminate on the basis of race or sex.
When fiendish practices are discovered, the auditor is supposed to report them to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse, a veritable storehouse of juicy information about jillions of non-profits around the country: http://harvester.census.gov/sac/
As I reported last month, Judge James Stucky of Kanawaha County, West Virginia has handed down a ruling that declared shelters throughout the state were engaged in unlawful sex discrimination, in open violation of federal and state requirements: http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/roberts/091012
One of the rouge shelters is the Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center in Morgantown. During the course of the lawsuit, agency director Judy Smith admitted under oath, "we do not shelter men in the shelter, even if it's empty." The organization's tax returns likewise state it wants to stop "violence against women." That's fine, of course, but why doesn't it also care about violence against men?
This calls for someone to blow the whistle on unconscionable bias. But when watchdog Hilarion V. Cann sashayed into town for his annual audit, he whitewashed the problem with an "unqualified" opinion — CPA-speak for saying everything is hunky-dory.
Another shelter awash in feminist ideology is the Family Crisis Intervention Center in Parkersburg. Center director Judith Ball stated during her deposition that not a single male abuse victim had sought help at her facility in the past six years. Yes, and it's also true that not many African-Americans have contacted the KKK in recent years for help with their robe-purchasing needs.
So when auditor Randall Perry did his shelter audit, he rendered an unqualified blessing, as well. One wonders how much he was paid for that clean bill of health.
The Family Refuge Center is no doubt doing wonderful things, as well, stating on its website that its staff works at a nearby medical clinic "to identify and intervene with battered women patients." Battered men need not apply, I guess.
Again no surprise — CPA Thomas Himes passed that group with flying colors.
The annual report of Stop Abusive Family Environments in the town of Welch states, "Our mission to serve domestic violence victims, homeless women and children..." National statistics show males are twice as likely to be homeless as females. Attention men: If you suspect you may become homeless in the near future, try to hitch a ride to the next town, and fast.
Watchdog Kurt Feazell had no problems with that brazen admission of unsaintly conduct.
Last but not least is the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence that is endowed with an annual budget of $1.2 million. The Coalition's website reads like a hybrid of a Hillary Clinton stump speech and a women's manifesto of the Communist Party USA: "violence against women is a political problem, a question of power and domination."
But CPA Derek Godwin took apparent delight in that neo-Marxist rant. He not only rendered an "Unqualified opinion," he also piously declared the outfit was a "low-risk auditee."
Domestic violence shelters enjoy the best of both worlds. They claim to be doing the Lord's work in curbing domestic violence, while running an unholy game of pick-and-chose in deciding which victims are worthy of help. And taxpayer-funded shelter watchdogs have apparently decided to turn the other cheek.
© Carey Roberts
November 22, 2009
Domestic violence shelters are rife with mismanagement and fraud. They push a radical gender ideology on the unsuspecting, discriminate against male victims, and employ woefully unqualified staff. And they ridicule traditional religion as "oppressive" to women — all to the tune of $100 million in federal taxpayer money each year.
So how do shelters get away with this nonsense? Where's the accountability? And why are the government-mandated watchdogs giving these shelters a free pass?
According to federal rules, all organizations that receive $300,000 or more are required to undergo an annual audit. According to OMB Circular No. A-133, "the auditor shall determine whether the auditee has complied with laws, regulations, and the provisions of contracts or grant agreements that may have a direct and material effect on each of its major programs." These include well-known requirements that grantees not discriminate on the basis of race or sex.
When fiendish practices are discovered, the auditor is supposed to report them to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse, a veritable storehouse of juicy information about jillions of non-profits around the country: http://harvester.census.gov/sac/
As I reported last month, Judge James Stucky of Kanawaha County, West Virginia has handed down a ruling that declared shelters throughout the state were engaged in unlawful sex discrimination, in open violation of federal and state requirements: http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/roberts/091012
One of the rouge shelters is the Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center in Morgantown. During the course of the lawsuit, agency director Judy Smith admitted under oath, "we do not shelter men in the shelter, even if it's empty." The organization's tax returns likewise state it wants to stop "violence against women." That's fine, of course, but why doesn't it also care about violence against men?
This calls for someone to blow the whistle on unconscionable bias. But when watchdog Hilarion V. Cann sashayed into town for his annual audit, he whitewashed the problem with an "unqualified" opinion — CPA-speak for saying everything is hunky-dory.
Another shelter awash in feminist ideology is the Family Crisis Intervention Center in Parkersburg. Center director Judith Ball stated during her deposition that not a single male abuse victim had sought help at her facility in the past six years. Yes, and it's also true that not many African-Americans have contacted the KKK in recent years for help with their robe-purchasing needs.
So when auditor Randall Perry did his shelter audit, he rendered an unqualified blessing, as well. One wonders how much he was paid for that clean bill of health.
The Family Refuge Center is no doubt doing wonderful things, as well, stating on its website that its staff works at a nearby medical clinic "to identify and intervene with battered women patients." Battered men need not apply, I guess.
Again no surprise — CPA Thomas Himes passed that group with flying colors.
The annual report of Stop Abusive Family Environments in the town of Welch states, "Our mission to serve domestic violence victims, homeless women and children..." National statistics show males are twice as likely to be homeless as females. Attention men: If you suspect you may become homeless in the near future, try to hitch a ride to the next town, and fast.
Watchdog Kurt Feazell had no problems with that brazen admission of unsaintly conduct.
Last but not least is the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence that is endowed with an annual budget of $1.2 million. The Coalition's website reads like a hybrid of a Hillary Clinton stump speech and a women's manifesto of the Communist Party USA: "violence against women is a political problem, a question of power and domination."
But CPA Derek Godwin took apparent delight in that neo-Marxist rant. He not only rendered an "Unqualified opinion," he also piously declared the outfit was a "low-risk auditee."
Domestic violence shelters enjoy the best of both worlds. They claim to be doing the Lord's work in curbing domestic violence, while running an unholy game of pick-and-chose in deciding which victims are worthy of help. And taxpayer-funded shelter watchdogs have apparently decided to turn the other cheek.
© Carey Roberts
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