New DC bills seek to strengthen protections for domestic violence victims

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro are working together in an effort to help victims and survivors of domestic violence get justice and keep them safe.

“One is more likely to be killed by a member of his own family or her own family than by any other category of person. And therein lies the reason why we are here,” Pirro said.

She and Bowser pointed to several areas of D.C. domestic violence laws where there are gaps.

“This legislation is about making sure that survivors are protected and that their safety and privacy are respected,” Bowser said. “It also is about making sure that when someone needs help, they can trust that help will be there and that when someone breaks the law, there are clear and consistent consequences.”

The proposed legislation would target four areas, all involving how cases are handled after someone has been arrested: 

• strengthening enforcement of court orders to protect victims
• strengthening rules around pretrial detention of domestic violence offenders
• enhancing accountability for domestic violence offenders
• protecting victim and survivor privacy and safety

Specific proposed changes include mandatory pretrial detention of some suspects and making it a crime to commit domestic violence in the presence of a child.

“I am stunned to come here from New York and find out that if you assault a child, or assault a spouse or a partner in front of a child, there is no separate crime,” Pirro said. “We’ve got to make that a crime because there is no question that the consequences are long term, in terms of that child learning that violence is the only way to resolve conflict in their lives, based upon what they are seeing between their parents or intimate partners.”

Ana Natalia Otero is the cofounder of Safe DC, an advocacy group.

“We have been advocating for protections like this for over a decade,” Otero said. “We know that when people are at high risk, every second counts.”

The legislation now heads to the D.C. Council for public hearings.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.