Home Page > Editorial and Op-Ed
An Approach to Fighting Domestic Violence Aggressively by Ruth Hassell-Thompson
Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:17:00
Nationwide, one in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. The numbers, quite simply, are staggering.
In New York State, about 400,000 domestic incidents are reported to police departments each year. In New York City, the NYPD responded to nearly 230,000 violence calls in 2007—more than 600 incidents a day, on average.
In response to this, six months ago, Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith (D) asked me to head up the Senate Minority Task Force on Domestic Violence.
In addition to Senator Smith, the panel includes Senators Eric Adams, Darrel Aubertine, Neil Breslin, Efrain Gonzalez, Jr., Liz Krueger, Suzi Oppenheimer, Kevin Parker and Eric Schneiderman.
The fact that there are upstate and downstate lawmakers on this task force is no accident: Domestic violence is a statewide problem. It touches every town, village, city and region.
Our primary objective is to examine the causes and effects of domestic violence, explore policy initiatives, and foster community partnerships, ultimately reducing the number of incidents.
An Advisory Committee will collaborate with experts in the field of domestic violence to assist in the development and implementation of our goals.
Indeed, we have our work cut out for us. A 2003 Bureau of Justice study found that only 48 percent of all incidents were reported to the police.
One of the major issues surrounding domestic violence is the reluctance of victims to seek help. Despite the prevalence of domestic violence programs and service centers and the formation of specialized courts to help such victims, these resources are not being utilized to their full potential.
Awareness is critical: The more people know about domestic violence, the more victims will seek help and protection. Therefore, public education is a major objective of the Task Force and the Advisory Committee.
We also seek to increase the number of Domestic Violence Courts, Integrated Domestic Violence Courts and Family Justice Centers, which will provide a targeted approach to monitoring domestic violence offenders and family issues.
The Family Justice Center in Brooklyn is a perfect example of what we hope to accomplish. Opened in July 2005, it serves over 1,000 clients a month and coordinates services between the Kings County District Attorney, city and state agencies and 25 community-based organizations, providing a streamlined approach for victims seeking help.
As we help the battered, we must also put focus on the batterers and bring them to justice. We also believe that abusers would be better served by participating in support programs that help them understand, manage and redirect their anger.
New York lawmakers must also be willing to pass legislation to better protect victims of domestic abuse. Enhanced penalties for incidents in which children witness domestic violence are on the books in 19 states. So are statutes that address victim confidentiality. New York lags behind those 19 states. That needs to change.
The Task Force has identified a series of domestic violence-related bills in both the Senate and the Assembly, which include but are not limited to:
•S.3330-Montgomery/A.2027-Robinson, which creates a community services response program
• S.3163-Montgomery/A.7237-Paulin, which directs social services districts to contract with non-residential programs for victims to provide outreach and education in high schools
•S.3708-Oppenheimer/A.7099-O’Donnell, which provides that a victim forced to leave certain housing accommodations shall be deemed to be occupying such accommodations as a primary residence, preventing landlords from forcing out tenants who have to leave rent-controlled homes due to domestic violence
•A.2209-Schimminger, which classifies any murder preceded by, and is the product of, a pattern of domestic violence as first-degree murder and lets a jury choose a subsequent sentence of less than life imprisonment
•A.2294-Ortiz, which requires physicians, law enforcement personnel and other officials to file domestic violence reports
Additionally, we will look to support other measures that have bicameral sponsorship and work on their passage with lawmakers from both political parties. This issue is non-partisan—but it is preventable, if we work together.
Ruth Hassell-Thompson, a Democrat, represents parts of Bronx and Westchester Counties.
In New York State, about 400,000 domestic incidents are reported to police departments each year. In New York City, the NYPD responded to nearly 230,000 violence calls in 2007—more than 600 incidents a day, on average.
In response to this, six months ago, Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith (D) asked me to head up the Senate Minority Task Force on Domestic Violence.
In addition to Senator Smith, the panel includes Senators Eric Adams, Darrel Aubertine, Neil Breslin, Efrain Gonzalez, Jr., Liz Krueger, Suzi Oppenheimer, Kevin Parker and Eric Schneiderman.
The fact that there are upstate and downstate lawmakers on this task force is no accident: Domestic violence is a statewide problem. It touches every town, village, city and region.
Our primary objective is to examine the causes and effects of domestic violence, explore policy initiatives, and foster community partnerships, ultimately reducing the number of incidents.
An Advisory Committee will collaborate with experts in the field of domestic violence to assist in the development and implementation of our goals.
Indeed, we have our work cut out for us. A 2003 Bureau of Justice study found that only 48 percent of all incidents were reported to the police.
One of the major issues surrounding domestic violence is the reluctance of victims to seek help. Despite the prevalence of domestic violence programs and service centers and the formation of specialized courts to help such victims, these resources are not being utilized to their full potential.
Awareness is critical: The more people know about domestic violence, the more victims will seek help and protection. Therefore, public education is a major objective of the Task Force and the Advisory Committee.
We also seek to increase the number of Domestic Violence Courts, Integrated Domestic Violence Courts and Family Justice Centers, which will provide a targeted approach to monitoring domestic violence offenders and family issues.
The Family Justice Center in Brooklyn is a perfect example of what we hope to accomplish. Opened in July 2005, it serves over 1,000 clients a month and coordinates services between the Kings County District Attorney, city and state agencies and 25 community-based organizations, providing a streamlined approach for victims seeking help.
As we help the battered, we must also put focus on the batterers and bring them to justice. We also believe that abusers would be better served by participating in support programs that help them understand, manage and redirect their anger.
New York lawmakers must also be willing to pass legislation to better protect victims of domestic abuse. Enhanced penalties for incidents in which children witness domestic violence are on the books in 19 states. So are statutes that address victim confidentiality. New York lags behind those 19 states. That needs to change.
The Task Force has identified a series of domestic violence-related bills in both the Senate and the Assembly, which include but are not limited to:
•S.3330-Montgomery/A.2027-Robinson, which creates a community services response program
• S.3163-Montgomery/A.7237-Paulin, which directs social services districts to contract with non-residential programs for victims to provide outreach and education in high schools
•S.3708-Oppenheimer/A.7099-O’Donnell, which provides that a victim forced to leave certain housing accommodations shall be deemed to be occupying such accommodations as a primary residence, preventing landlords from forcing out tenants who have to leave rent-controlled homes due to domestic violence
•A.2209-Schimminger, which classifies any murder preceded by, and is the product of, a pattern of domestic violence as first-degree murder and lets a jury choose a subsequent sentence of less than life imprisonment
•A.2294-Ortiz, which requires physicians, law enforcement personnel and other officials to file domestic violence reports
Additionally, we will look to support other measures that have bicameral sponsorship and work on their passage with lawmakers from both political parties. This issue is non-partisan—but it is preventable, if we work together.
Ruth Hassell-Thompson, a Democrat, represents parts of Bronx and Westchester Counties.
