FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Hannah Lemek – [email protected] – 860.406.1939 (Cell)

May 17th, 2023

Link Included

Sen. Fazio Backs Heightened Protections for Domestic Violence Victims

HARTFORD- Today, Senator Ryan Fazio (R-Greenwich) applauds the State Senate’s passage of legislation to provide for greater protections for domestic violence victims, including ending the practice of allowing some abusers to receive alimony.

Currently, an abuser can physically assault a victim, and then she could be ordered later in divorce court to pay him alimony.

S.B. 5, which Sen. Fazio co-sponsored, would prohibit abusers from collecting alimony from their victims and expand the state’s domestic violence offender electronic monitoring system. It awaits a vote in the House of Representatives.

Fazio began, “S.B. 5 is vital, bipartisan legislation which will protect and deliver justice for victims of domestic and intimate partner violence and hopefully reduce incidents of domestic violence in the future. The tragic crimes against victims like New Canaan mother Jennifer Dulos and far too many others must always be top of mind as we continue the work of stopping domestic violence for good. I appreciate the efforts of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, as well as my predecessor, in this work, and I will continue to support the effort wholeheartedly.”

In 2021, the Senate passed legislation coined “Jennifer’s Law” in honor of New Canaan mother Jennifer Dulos who is tragically presumed murdered by her ex-husband. The law, sponsored by Sen. Fazio’s predecessor, expanded the definition of domestic violence in state law to include “coercive control.” Jennifer’s Law also established a new program to provide legal representation for domestic violence victims who file restraining orders. S.B. 5 would add to the work of supporting and protecting domestic violence victims in Connecticut.

Here are some key statistics on domestic and sexual violence and how to reach out for help:

• More than 43 million women and 38 million men have been the victim of psychological aggression by an intimate partner, the CDC says.
• In the 2021 fiscal year, Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence served 38,989 victims and received 41,654 calls for help. 2,950 domestic violence victims received housing support in Connecticut in 2021 through the CCADV.
• Domestic violence shelters operated at 156% capacity in 2021. The average amount of time that a victim remained in a shelter was 51.1 days. Of those who received housing support, 100% of victims reported that their children felt safer and 93% said they felt safer, according to the CCADV
• Help is available 24/7 via call, email, text or live chat through CT Safe Connect at CTSafeConnect.org or 888-774-2900. The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 800-799-SAFE.

An overview of domestic violence in the United States:

• Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crimes annually in the United States.
• More than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced either physical violence, rape, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Victims are commonly abused by those who are closest to them.
• Each day in the United States, over 20,000 calls are placed to domestic violence hotlines by individuals reporting incidents.
• On average, 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner. This is an astounding number that shows just how prevalent this is in our society.
• A weapon is used in 19% of domestic violence incidents.
  Women who are victims of intimate partner violence are most likely to be between the ages of 18 to 24.

Connecticut’s free, confidential domestic violence hotline can be reached 24/7 at 1-888-774-2900 for services in English and 1-844-831-9200 for services in Spanish.

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HANNAH LEMEK

PRESS SECRETARY
SENATE REPUBLICAN OFFICE
Cell: (860) 406-1939