Assemblywomen sponsored Bill to bolster the protections & rights of domestic violence victims clears Assembly Committee.
By Mel Fabrikant Monday, January 04, 2010, 04:02 PM EST
Package Would Create Self-Defense Provision, Increase Penalties for Violating Restraining Orders, Enhance Lease Protection, Monitor Individuals Charged with Violations & Make Coercion a Form of Domestic Violence
A five-bill package Assemblywomen Linda R. Greenstein, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, L. Grace Spencer and Joan Voss sponsored to bolster the protections and the rights of domestic violence victims Monday cleared the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
The assemblywomen said that they hope their comprehensive package would help deter domestic violence while furthering the rights of victims. They said the five-bill package would also update state laws to make penalties more stringent and create new criminal domestic violence offenses.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, an estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year. With 85 percent of domestic violence victims women, it's estimated that one in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.
The first measure (A-4363) introduced by Greenstein (D-Middlesex/Mercer) would require the Attorney General to establish a three-year pilot program for the continuous, satellite-based monitoring of up to 500 people convicted of domestic violence crimes.
“Domestic violence devastates the lives of millions each year and leads to injury -- sometimes death -- and psychological damage that can last a lifetime,” Greenstein said. “We need to see what can be done to eliminate the threat abusers pose to the future safety and welfare of their victims. With this monitoring, maybe we can ward off even more of this violence that shatters the lives of far too many people.”
The second measure (A-4364) also sponsored by Greenstein would make criminal coercion --the unlawful restriction of someone else’s freedom -- an act of domestic violence.
“When an individual is victimized by domestic abuse, this oftentimes can include being forced into participating in activities they otherwise would never do,” said Greenstein. “Individuals who force their partner to participate in activities based on threats to their personal safety should be held accountable because this is, without a doubt, a form of domestic abuse.”
The third measure (A-4365) sponsored by Spencer (D-Essex) would create a self-defense justification for domestic violence victims. Spencer’s legislation would make evidence surrounding a domestic violence restraining order admissible and relevant to determining if use of force to protect oneself was justifiable by an individual protected by the order.
“Victims of domestic violence have already had their personal rights violated, so we must ensure that if they are simply trying to protect themselves from an abuser that all of the facts of the circumstances involved are considered,” Spencer said. “Changing the law to ensure all facts related to domestic violence are carefully reviewed is paramount to protecting the rights of thousands of New Jerseyans who are victims of domestic violence.”
The fourth bill (A-4366) sponsored by Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) would extend protections for domestic abuse victims who have had to break a lease. It would also prevent a landlord from refusing to lease to or breaking a lease of a tenant who has had to terminate a previous rental agreement based on their or a household member’s status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
“Too often acts of domestic violence go unreported and further jeopardize the welfare and safety of the victims of these heinous acts,” Vainieri Huttle said. “No one should have to live in fear, especially when they are in their own home. By allowing victims of abuse to break a leasing agreement and start anew without being penalized by future landlords, we are encouraging victims to take a stand and every precaution to protect themselves.”
The final piece of legislation (A-4367) sponsored by Voss (D-Bergen) would make current law more stringent in a bid to deter future acts of domestic violence. The bill would impose bail restrictions on an abuser who has been charged with committing a crime against a victim protected by a restraining order.
“Any act of violence against a partner must be taken seriously," Voss said. "Victims who have taken the brave step forward to end domestic abuse should be confident that the laws in place do everything possible to protect their future safety. By upgrading penalties for individuals who have victimized an intimate partner, we are sending a clear message that domestic disputes that result in violence will be treated with the utmost seriousness.”
All five measures cleared the Assembly Judiciary panel unanimously. The full five-bill package has been posted by the Assembly Speaker for a floor vote this coming Thursday, January 7.
A five-bill package Assemblywomen Linda R. Greenstein, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, L. Grace Spencer and Joan Voss sponsored to bolster the protections and the rights of domestic violence victims Monday cleared the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
The assemblywomen said that they hope their comprehensive package would help deter domestic violence while furthering the rights of victims. They said the five-bill package would also update state laws to make penalties more stringent and create new criminal domestic violence offenses.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, an estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year. With 85 percent of domestic violence victims women, it's estimated that one in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.
The first measure (A-4363) introduced by Greenstein (D-Middlesex/Mercer) would require the Attorney General to establish a three-year pilot program for the continuous, satellite-based monitoring of up to 500 people convicted of domestic violence crimes.
“Domestic violence devastates the lives of millions each year and leads to injury -- sometimes death -- and psychological damage that can last a lifetime,” Greenstein said. “We need to see what can be done to eliminate the threat abusers pose to the future safety and welfare of their victims. With this monitoring, maybe we can ward off even more of this violence that shatters the lives of far too many people.”
The second measure (A-4364) also sponsored by Greenstein would make criminal coercion --the unlawful restriction of someone else’s freedom -- an act of domestic violence.
“When an individual is victimized by domestic abuse, this oftentimes can include being forced into participating in activities they otherwise would never do,” said Greenstein. “Individuals who force their partner to participate in activities based on threats to their personal safety should be held accountable because this is, without a doubt, a form of domestic abuse.”
The third measure (A-4365) sponsored by Spencer (D-Essex) would create a self-defense justification for domestic violence victims. Spencer’s legislation would make evidence surrounding a domestic violence restraining order admissible and relevant to determining if use of force to protect oneself was justifiable by an individual protected by the order.
“Victims of domestic violence have already had their personal rights violated, so we must ensure that if they are simply trying to protect themselves from an abuser that all of the facts of the circumstances involved are considered,” Spencer said. “Changing the law to ensure all facts related to domestic violence are carefully reviewed is paramount to protecting the rights of thousands of New Jerseyans who are victims of domestic violence.”
The fourth bill (A-4366) sponsored by Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) would extend protections for domestic abuse victims who have had to break a lease. It would also prevent a landlord from refusing to lease to or breaking a lease of a tenant who has had to terminate a previous rental agreement based on their or a household member’s status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
“Too often acts of domestic violence go unreported and further jeopardize the welfare and safety of the victims of these heinous acts,” Vainieri Huttle said. “No one should have to live in fear, especially when they are in their own home. By allowing victims of abuse to break a leasing agreement and start anew without being penalized by future landlords, we are encouraging victims to take a stand and every precaution to protect themselves.”
The final piece of legislation (A-4367) sponsored by Voss (D-Bergen) would make current law more stringent in a bid to deter future acts of domestic violence. The bill would impose bail restrictions on an abuser who has been charged with committing a crime against a victim protected by a restraining order.
“Any act of violence against a partner must be taken seriously," Voss said. "Victims who have taken the brave step forward to end domestic abuse should be confident that the laws in place do everything possible to protect their future safety. By upgrading penalties for individuals who have victimized an intimate partner, we are sending a clear message that domestic disputes that result in violence will be treated with the utmost seriousness.”
All five measures cleared the Assembly Judiciary panel unanimously. The full five-bill package has been posted by the Assembly Speaker for a floor vote this coming Thursday, January 7.
