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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017

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magicvalley.com

TRYING TO DISAPPEAR Dobbs

leaves behind legacy Native Wesley Dobbs left his mark on Twin Falls police and CSI JULIE WOOTTON-GREENER

jwootton@magicvalley.com

LAURIE WELCH, TIMES-NEWS

Amy Allred, of Buhl, cleans her kitchen Sept. 27 at her Filer home.

In Idaho, the number of domestic violence cases reported in 2016 increased 3.8 percent from the year prior. But once those victims are relocated, social media and GPS tracking makes keeping them away from their abusers a more difficult task than ever.

See the story on E1.

Student loan forgiveness on block Sources: DeVos may only partly forgive some student loans MARIA DANILOVA

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Education Department is considering only partially forgiving federal loans for students defrauded by for-profit colleges, according to department officials, abandoning the Obama administration’s policy of erasing that debt.

Under President Barack Obama, tens of thousands of students deceived by now-defunct for-profit schools had over $550 million in such loans canceled.

But President Donald Trump’s education secretary, Betsy DeVos, is working on a plan that could grant such students just partial relief, according to department officials. The department may look at the average earnings of students in similar programs and schools to determine how much debt to wipe away.

The officials were not authorized to publicly comment on the issue and spoke on condition of anonymity.

If DeVos goes ahead, the

change could leave many students scrambling after expecting full loan forgiveness, based on the previous administration’s track record. It was not immediately clear how many students might be affected.

A department spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.

But the Trump team has given hints of a new approach.

In August, the department extended its contract with a staffing agency to speed up the processing of a backlog of loan forgiveness claims. In the procurement notice, the department said that “policy changes may necessitate certain claims already processed be revisited to assess other attributes.” The department would not further clarify the meaning of that notice.

DeVos’ review prompted an outcry from student loan advocates, who said the idea of giving defrauded students only partial loan relief was unjustified and unfair because many of their classmates had already gotten full loan cancellation. Critics say the Trump administration, which has ties to the for-profit sector, is looking out for industry interests.

Earlier this year, Trump paid

TED S. WARREN, ASSOCIATED PRESS

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaks during a dinner hosted by the Washington Policy Center on Oct. 13 in Bellevue, Wash. The Education Department is considering only partially forgiving federal loans for students defrauded by for-profit-colleges. $25 million to settle charges his Trump University misled students.

“Anything other than full cancellation is not a valid outcome,” said Eileen Connor, a litigator at Harvard University’s Project on Predatory Student Lending, which has represented hundreds of defrauded students of the now-shuttered Corinthian Colleges. “The nature of the wrong

 If you do one thing: The Sun Valley Trick, Treat and Skate event will be held

from noon to 3 p.m. and will include free ice skating at the outdoor ice rink, followed by a Halloween movie at 3 p.m. at the Sun Valley Opera House for $2.

$3.00

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Volume 113, Issue 2

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A Lee Enterprises Newspaper

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Copyright 2017

TWIN FALLS — Wesley Dobbs, a nearly lifelong Twin Falls resident known as a police officer, longtime member of the U.S. Armed Forces, founder of the College of Southern Idaho’s law enforcement program and for creating a local judo program, has died.

The 90-year-old died Oct. 21.

A memorial service was Saturday at CSI’s Fine Arts Auditorium in Twin Falls.

When Wiley Dobbs posted on Facebook about his father’s death, 260 people left Dobbs comments and shared memories just in the first day.

“It was clear he made an impact,” he said.

Wiley — who retired in September after more than 13 years as Twin Falls School District superintendent — describes his father as the “ultimate optimist” who could take the most challenging situation and see it in a positive light.

Dobbs’ motto was: “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all” and he instilled that in others, said son Gregory Dobbs, who lives in Prescott, Ariz.

The three sons gathered Thursday at a Twin Falls coffee shop and remembered their father as being polite when a situation called for diplomacy. But as a police officer, he could down a bad guy.

OPINION BRIDGE CROSSWORD

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that was done to them, the harm is even bigger than the loans that they have.”

“Even more importantly, it is completely unfair that a happenstance of timing is going to mean that one student who’s been defrauded is going to have full cancellation and the next is not,” Connor said.

Please see DEBT, Page A5

DEAR ABBY JUMBLE SPORTS

E8 E7 D1

Follow us online:

SUDOKU SERVICE DIR. OBITUARIES

Please see DOBBS, Page A4

Memorial Service A memorial service was held Saturday at the College of Southern Idaho’s Fine Arts Auditorium in Twin Falls. Burial followed at Sunset Memorial Park with military honors.

In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the Twin Falls Education Foundation Dobbs Family Wrestling Endowment or College of Southern Idaho Foundation.

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THE BIG STORY Sunday, October 29, 2017 | magicvalley.com | SECTION E

LAURIE WELCH PHOTOS, TIMES-NEWS

Amy Allred, puts clean dishes away on Sept. 22 at her Filer home. Allred is creating a new life for herself after leaving a relationship riddled with domestic violence.

Technology spurs

INCREASED VIGILANCE after violence Technology’s role in domestic violence

S‌ ome of the names of the women in this story were changed to ensure their safety.

Ever-changing technology is often used to jeopardize the safety of a person in a domestic violence situation. Because power and control issues play a part in domestic violence, abusive partners can use technology to monitor and control their partner.

LAURIE WELCH

T

lwelch@magicvalley.com‌

WIN FALLS — The blows to Blossom’s head came out of nowhere — popping open the flesh on her forehead and exposing pieces of skull. She raised her arm to deflect, but his baton shattered the delicate bones in her hand.

“It felt like someone was pouring water over me, but it was blood,” 33-year-old Blossom said, her soft brown eyes dulling as she stared at the wall in her Twin Falls living room.

Blossom sat in the passenger’s seat of the car, her 2-month-old boy strapped to a car seat. His lashings continued as she clambered into the back seat. She shifted her baby’s seat to shield him from this father’s manic blows.

That day in October 2016 was the last time her boyfriend beat her. It was time to leave.

But leaving wouldn’t be easy. She had a newborn, no money, and nowhere to go. She knew if he ever found her, he would kill her.

According to Donna Graybill, executive director of Voices Against Violence in Twin Falls, Blossom was at the most dangerous time for a woman in a violent relationship.

In today’s ever-shifting world of technology, safety for victims of domestic violence is more elusive than ever. Safe houses can be found with GPS devices, and smartphones track a person’s every move. If a victim is immersed in social media, it acts as a beacon for the very person they’re

Did you know?

Your computer’s history can’t be

completely erased.

Someone can monitor your

Donna Graybill, executive director of Voices Against Violence in Twin Falls. trying to escape.

While cellphones and the internet can provide victims the means to contact authorities, all too often that technology is used against them, according to Lynda Brennen, director of Mini-Cassia Shelter Advocates Against Violence.

Technology makes relocating victims of domestic violence complicated, and also provides an outlet for the victim and abuser to stay in touch.

“It keeps that connection,” Brennen said.

Once they moved in together and he knew she could not easily leave, he began to tear at her self-esteem.

“He would tell me I was a bad mom.

I took it to heart because I was a drug addict, and I was not providing for my child,” Allred said, now clean for seven months after being addicted to methamphetamine for 11 years.

He would scroll through the call log on her phone to monitor her conversations, and he kept tabs on where she went and with whom. He beat her for the first time after discovering a number in her phone that he didn’t recognize.

A watchful eye‌ “The shelter was my safe haven,” The Twin Falls shelter became a said Allred, who now has a full-time place of peace for Amy Allred of Filer job and apartment. after she left a six-year, abusive relationship with her boyfriend.

Please see VIGILANCE , Page E2

computer use with your knowledge.

Your cell phone can be monitored.

A GPS can be placed on your vehicle, in your cell phone or purse.

Some court systems place court records online and they may contain personal information.

Email is like a postcard and can be intercepted.

Source: The National Domestic Violence Hotline

“He would tell me I was a bad mom. I took it to heart because I was a drug addict, and I was not providing for my child.”

Amy Allred, now clean for seven months after being addicted to methamphetamine for 11 years

MORE INSIDE: By the numbers graphic, E2 | Domestic violence knows no boundaries, E2 | Halting the cycle of abuse, E3 M 1

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BIG STORY

| SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2017

TIMES-NEWS

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS

Counselor Katelyn Schwennen, center, talks to co-workers during a Voices Against Violence staff meeting Oct. 18 in downtown Twin Falls.

BY THE NUMBERS

The number of domestic violence cases reported in Idaho increased in 2016. Once the violence is reported, however, relocating victims is increasingly complicated.

24

The names of the women in this story were changed to ensure their safety.

Average number of people physically abused by intimate partners every minute in the U.S.

18

Average number of people helped per month at the Mini-Cassia Shelter Advocates Against Violence due to domestic violence or sexual assault

20,800

Number of calls received daily at domestic violence hotlines nationwide

LAURIE WELCH

lwelch@magicvalley.com

15 Percent

of domestic violence victims are male

76 Percent

of women murdered by an intimate partner that were stalked first

19,300,000

Number of women in the U.S. who have been stalked

3,845

Number of overnight stays provided by Voices Against Violence Magic Valley last year

3.8 Increase

in percentage of intimate partner violence reported in Idaho to law enforcement from 2015 to 2016, which increased from 5,860 to 6,084 cases

1 in 3

Female murder victims killed by an intimate partner

8 million

Days of work lost nationwide each year due to intimate partner violence Sources: Idaho State Police, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, The National Domestic Violence Hotline. Voices Against Violence Magic Valley, Mini-Cassia Shelter Advocates Against Violence.

Vigilance From E1

Allred and her boyfriend shared custody of their 3-yearold daughter, so cutting ties was complicated. After exchanges of the child, she would often drive around aimlessly to ensure he was not following her back to the shelter.

The extra time was worth the peace of mind she gained.

Abusive partners often use GPS locators placed on a vehicle or in their partner’s purse.

Some GPS devices even provide turn-by-turn directions to a location, and spyware is available for every type of electronic device.

If the GPS system is turned on in a victim’s phone, “they are very visible,” Graybill said.

That can endanger more than just the one victim.

Once a person seeks safety at a shelter, using apps like Facebook, where people often check

Domestic violence knows no boundaries

“He would not let me out of the house. If I literally put my hand on the doorknob, he would hit me in the face with full-blown force.”

Blossom in at a location, or SnapChat, which gives the exact location of a person, can put all of the victims at risk.

Women entering the Twin Falls shelter agree to keep its location in strict confidence, and they are instructed to turn off the GPS in their phone. Taking pictures in a common area at the shelter can also cause problems, depending on who is in the photo.

“They are told not to tell anybody the location, even their friends or family,” Graybill said.

In the past, people have been asked to leave the shelter because of those kinds of breaches in safety.

The shelter house in Rupert

RUPERT – The constant yelling and name-calling rattled Ellen’s nerves. The day her husband’s abuse finally turned physically violent, she escaped his grasp and bolted from home.

“I never looked back,” 60-yearold Ellen, of Rupert, said.

His barrage of insults began not long after they married nearly five years ago.

There is no age limit for abusive relationships. Domestic violence crosses all socioeconomic, age, religious, sex and education boundaries.

“He was an alcoholic, and the more he drank, the more verbally abusive he got,” she said.

He would swear and call her “the stupidest person who ever walked the earth,” and ask why she thought she was “so special,” Ellen said.

One of the worst parts of domestic violence, she said, is that the person who is being abused can become sick too.

“You start to believe what they tell you about yourself,” she said.

The abuse turned physical nearly one year ago, after her husband had been drinking alcohol and yelling all day. That’s when she left for good.

“I was shaking and nervous,” Ellen said. She was moving from room to room to avoid a confrontation with him.

Her husband hit her and kicked her in a knee that had a joint replacement, an injury that will require future surgery. He also grabbed her arm and her hair, pulling her through the house.

She eventually broke loose and fled.

“I still have nightmares. It was the most horrible thing I’ve ever gone through,” she said. “I’m still frightened, and I don’t go outside at night.”

The man, who is now her ex-husband, also lives in Mini-Cassia. In a region of fewer than 45,000 people, running into the one person you hope not to see is nearly inevitable.

When she does see him on the street, her heart still “pounds out of her chest.” When she was in court to change her last name back to her maiden name, he was in court at the same time.

Ellen reached out to Voices Against Violence Magic Valley and is undergoing counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder.

One in three women nationwide experience domestic violence in their lifetime. That statistic holds true in the Magic Valley, according to Donna Graybill, executive director of Voices Against Violence.

Abuse is not just physical ei-

Magic Valley 24/7 Domestic violence hotlines Voices Against Violence Magic Valley 208-733-0100 Mini-Cassia Shelter Advocates Against Violence, 208-436-0332 ther. It can take many forms, including intimidation, stalking, sexual assault, and using children or finances to control a partner.

For Melissa, of Twin Falls, the first seven months of her relationship with her boyfriend seemed fine. But after trying to violently rape her, then dismissing it later by saying he’s only been “kidding,” she knew the relationship was over.

“He ripped my shirt. It was scary and bad,” she said.

She loaded her belongings in her car and found a place to stay at the Mini-Cassia safe house.

She had never been in a violent relationship before.

Most domestic violence cases, Graybill said, come down to one person wanting to control the other in a relationship. But some go even further. At least three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends on average each day in the U.S., according to the American Psychology Association.

“It’s more common than anyone wants to believe,” Graybill said.

Women are not the only victims either; fifteen percent of victims are men.

The need for services in the Magic Valley grows about 20 percent each year, Graybill estimated.

“We intensely feel the pressure of that,” she said.

The $700,000 annual Voices Against Violence budget comes primarily from grants. Three percent comes percent from local government, and 18 percent from the organization’s fundraising.

“We are always working to increase our fundraising efforts,” Graybill said.

The Twin Falls shelter is full.

Then again, it’s almost always full, Graybill said. When that happens, the organization will purchase hotel rooms for the women who come to them in crisis.

In August, Voices Against Violence purchased 44 hotel rooms, the most they have ever had to purchase in a single month. Their yearly budget for hotel rooms, which began in July, is already depleted for the year.

“We will not let women be out there in situations that are unsafe,” she said. “This is very real to us. We have clients who die in homicides. The work we do is life-saving.”

has sparred with a national telephone company, according to Brannen. The shelter doesn’t want its address published, but the company has been slow to comply.

One of the biggest battles to keep the shelter house safe, Graybill said, came from Google.

“We’ve really battled with Google to get our shelter location removed,” Graybill said.

Gone for good?

The first time Blossom’s boyfriend hit her was just a few months after they became a couple. She was walking Please see VIGILANCE , Page E3

PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS

Ruth Blount hangs donated clothes on a rack Oct. 17 at the Mini-Cassia Shelter in Rupert.

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BIG STORY

Times-News

Sunday, October 29, 2017 | E3

DREW NASH PHOTOS, TIMES-NEWS‌

Angie Soto, outreach coordinator, speaks during a Voices Against Violence staff meeting Oct. 18 in downtown Twin Falls.

Halting the cycle of abuse LAURIE WELCH

lwelch@magicvalley.com‌

‌TWIN FALLS — The crux of the problem in treating domestic violence, according to Donna Graybill, is that the abuser is rarely rehabilitated.

Once a woman successfully leaves an abusive relationship, the abuser often moves on to another woman, and the cycle starts again.

“You are endlessly treating the problem,” said Graybill, the executive director of Voices Against Violence Magic Valley.

More focus needs to be placed on education and prevention in schools and in the community to stop the cycle of abuse, Cassia County Prosecutor Doug Abenroth said.

Once domestic violence occurs, people too often ignore it. For community members, speaking up is the best resource for helping to prevent violence.

“A lot of people have blinders on,” Abenroth said.

Abenroth “Don’t be silent.”

Also, he said, the judicial system is reactionary instead of preventative.

Abenroth’s office handles about 24 misdemeanor and felony domestic battery cases a year, though many other cases contain elements of domestic violence, like stalking, kidnapping and sexual crimes.

The cases are difficult because the complaining witness is emotionally, financially and physically intertwined with the abuser. And unless there is criminal evidence independent of the victim’s testimony, the victim will be required to testify against the abuser, which they often refuse to do.

“Domestic violence cases are the toughest to prosecute,” said Cassia County Chief Deputy Prosecutor McCord Larsen.

Sometimes the prosecutor refuses to file charges. A case is rarely dismissed once it’s filed, but the charges are often amended

Vigilance From E2

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through the living room at their home and kicked over his Olde English 40-ounce beer.

She told him if he hit her again she would leave. But the more she expressed a desire to end the relationship, the more intense his scrutiny became.

And the abuse took on a new tone.

“He would not let me out of the

DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌

Twin Falls Police Chief Craig Kingsbury emcees the annual Idaho Chiefs of Police Association conference Oct. 2 in Twin Falls. during the judicial process. The standard of proof for a criminal charge of domestic battery is lower than for a battery charge, so abusers will often be charged with the former.

Larsen said the prosecutor’s office has an ethical duty to protect everyone, and in some cases, “even protect you from yourself.”

If a person is convicted of a felony where the underlying behavior involved is deemed as domestic violence, even if the charge is amended, the prosecutor’s office reports that conviction to the Idaho State Police. The information is then turned over to the federal government. The person will not be able to purchase a gun

house,” Blossom said. “If I literally put my hand on the doorknob, he would hit me in the face with full-blown force.”

One of five siblings, Blossom grew up in foster homes and in the care of a strict aunt.

When her aunt disciplined her, she said, it was always because she had done something wrong.

That same thought transferred to her relationship with her boyfriend.

“When I got beat, my thought was that I had done something

wrong,” Blossom said.

One time, with the couple’s child watching, he nearly beat her to death with a baton, then refused to let her go to the hospital.

For Blossom, that was the beginning of a shift in mindset. It was time to leave.

A few days later, when a friend came to visit, her boyfriend left the house. She grabbed her baby and a few child care items, and Please see VIGILANCE , Page E4

because a red flag will show up on the background check.

Fifth District Domestic Violence Court began in Minidoka and Cassia County in 2010 with a goal of improving the justice system’s response to domestic violence. It hoped to do that by enhancing victim safety and offender accountability, plus pro-

viding case management and coordination of information to families. The court operated independently for three years until it received grant funding.

Since then, 287 offenders have gone through the program. Nearly all of them were ordered into domestic violence court as a component of probation due to a violent criminal act committed against another person, according to Court Director Kristy Rasmusson.

They have to perform community service, get treatment, undergo counseling, show up on time and test clean for drugs and alcohol. They also visit with the judge several times during the year-long program. Abenroth said the state’s retained jurisdiction program also offers treatment for offenders in jail.

Whether any of those treatments actually work, he said, is the big question.

“But if it works for one person, it is worth it,” Abenroth said.

In September, a domestic violence court was established in Jerome County.

Graybill said treatment for offenders in the Magic Valley is lacking and not based in evidence, sometimes doing more harm than good.

Couples counseling, she said, can be outright dangerous for an abused person, because they are not in a protected environment.

Her dream is to someday provide evidence-based treatment for offenders and finally put a halt to violence.

But those types of changes take money, and funds for domestic violence are scarce.

Kimberly Burkhalter, victim services coordinator for the Twin Falls Police Department, said more education for law enforcement, judges, prosecutors, and both probation and patrol officers is needed. State and federal laws also must keep up with changing technology to ensure victims receive the best care.

“I believe there is always more that can be done for victims of domestic violence,” Burkhalter said.

About the author One in three women in the Magic Valley experience domestic violence, but their voices often go unheard.

Times-News reporter Laurie Welch wanted to tell some of their stories and explore how new technology makes it harder to keep them safe after leaving a violent situation.

E4 | Sunday, October 29, 2017

BIG STORY

PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS‌

Ruth Blount sorts through donated clothes Oct. 17 at the Mini-Cassia Shelter in Rupert.

Times-News

LAURIE WELCH, TIMES-NEWS

Amy Allred does chores in the kitchen after returning from work on Sept. 22 at her Filer home.

Vigilance From E2

fled with only the clothes on her back.

The next day, she contacted the victim’s assistance program in her city, which persuaded her to report her boyfriend to the police. One week later, he was arrested and charged with attempted murder.

“Exposing him like that was the most terrifying thing “In his head, it I’ve ever had to do,” Blossom wasn’t that he said. was abusive.

For women like Blossom, It was that I safety often couldn’t do the means reinright things.” venting themselves in a new Amy Allred city.

The domestic violence shelter moved Blossom to Twin Falls, where no one knew her. The move gave her a chance to build a new life with her son.

“There is no more looking over my shoulder,” Blossom said. “It’s like a breath of fresh air.”

On average, a woman leaves a violent relationship seven times before she leaves for good. It’s a difficult process of unwinding their lives from an abusive partner, and that process can be hard for others to understand, Graybill said.

Allred left her boyfriend several times, but each time he would beg her to come back.

Eventually, she would relent.

“In his head, it wasn’t that he was abusive. It was that I couldn’t do the right things,” Allred said.

At the end of the relationship, he didn’t even bother to beg. He forced her to return instead.

Several of the beatings either centered on phone communication, or he used the phone – her connection to the outside world – as part of his abuse of psyche.

Once, at her dad’s house, he threatened to kill her and their two children if they didn’t leave with him, then broke her phone so she couldn’t call the police.

Another time, he became enraged when he found out she had texted someone who was not on his approved-of list.

“He held me by the neck and wouldn’t let me out of the car.

He was driving down the road, and the passenger’s side door was open, and my legs were hanging out of the car,” Allred said.

He was charged with kidnapping and attempted strangulation, but the charges were amended to misdemeanor false imprisonment.

When she was arrested for drug possession, it turned out to be a blessing.

The drug court staff told her she had to leave the abusive relationship to continue the program. Her alternative was years in prison.

“Drug court was the first time DREW NASH, TIMES-NEWS‌ anyone cared about my well-beMichelle Pospichal, case manager, listens during a Voices Against Violence staff meeting Oct. 18 in downtown Twin Falls. ing and didn’t just look at me as a piece-of-crap mom. They saw me as a human being, and not that A new day‌ doesn’t, she’ll have to go back and that it could jeopardize her new her in a sobriety post, setting her case worker on edge. many people in my life have done Today, Blossom holds a job as a testify against him. sense of peace. that,” Allred said. cashier, her son is in daycare, and “I was really scared at first Her ex-boyfriend kept her se“My case worker brought up Allred and her boyfriend both she has a place of her own. She about that, but I figure every- cluded from friends and family, so my friend’s post. She had already continue to see their child, but she plans to start college classes in thing happens for a reason, and I staying off social media is easier erased it, but I got an earful. She said, ‘you can’t do this anymore,” has filed for custody in an ongoing the spring. get more determined as time goes for her than for some others.

Sometimes, though, the past is on,” she said. case.

“I’m not on Facebook all the Blossom said.

She dreams someday of speakThough she had to block his not easy to erase.

She has also been plagued by time. I only use it for work,” she number in her phone for a few Her boyfriend’s criminal depression and confounding ep- said. ing out against domestic violence months after leaving, he eventu- charges are still pending, and he is isodes of sobbing triggered by When she was living at the to other women. ally quit trying to contact her after in jail, but that doesn’t extinguish mundane daily chores. Counsel- shelter, she was harshly reminded “I want to push forward, be he got a new girlfriend. the fear of what could happen if ing for post-traumatic stress syn- of how an innocent post can turn happy and raise my son to be a “This is the first time I’ve been he’s released. into danger for someone living in respectable man,” Blossom said. drome, she said, is helping. on my own,” Allred said, “and it If he pleads guilty to the charge, She has a Facebook account, but secrecy.

“And I don’t want to live in terror feels pretty good.” for Blossom it will be over. If he she rarely uses it. She understands An acquaintance once tagged anymore.”

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