Changing Domestic Abuse laws

[Neil]

Hi,

While writing a book about abuse, coupled with my wife's experiences many years ago with an abusive spouse, I am interested in finding out if there is a organized effort to change domestic abuse laws. My research has shown that the strongest efforts in changing laws on the local level seem to follow a murder by an abuser. Are there any organizations or people who work consistently to change these laws both nationally and on a state level?

[Ashley]

Hi Neil,
Each state and territory had a domestic violence coalition that works very hard in their state to make an impact on state laws. I would contact your state coalition to see what you can do to help. You can go here on NNEDVs website to find your state coalition. http://nnedv.org/resources/coalitions...
Thanks for your dedication to ending violence against women.

[NNEDV]

Ashley wrote: "Hi Neil,
Each state and territory had a domestic violence coalition that works very hard in their state to make an impact on state laws. I would contact your state coalition to see what you can do ..."

Agreed - for more information at a local level, get in touch with your state domestic violence coalition.

On a national level, we work proactively on Capitol Hill to make ending domestic violence a national priority. Learn more about our Public Policy and Advocacy work from our website: http://nnedv.org/policy

[M.j.]

Law is Part of the Problem - Across Nation Domestic Abuse Protection is Dismal With Danger Pervasive: In spite of the superb work of NNEDV, email and voice mail feedback I've recieved over the last year, from women throughout the U.S., spotlights the fact that virutally all states have inadequate law enforcement systems in place to protect victims. Simple restraining orders work for the least dangerous abusers, employing more agressive legal-law enforcement protection is a vexing problem due to due process/constitutional issues protecting the most dangerous perpetrators. One possible strategy is mandatory electronic monitoring of potential abusers, thereby alerting victims/law enforcement if the suspect enters a given, proscribed, vicinity of the victim. Complex and expensive (abuser pays the monioring cost) but a safety improvement. At the end of the day, altering the violent thinking of the abuser is the genuine, yet too often elusive, solution.

[Teela]

Hi
My name is Teela, I am one year out of 19 years of domestic violence. I am new to this kind of thing, so please be patient with me. I am very passionate about speaking out against DV and will do whatever I can to help effect change.