Advocating for Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence
Today, I had the honor of standing against domestic violence alongside local leaders and some members of the Stamford legislative delegation. October is recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and I'm proud to see Stamford and Connecticut leaders take action to disrupt the cycle of domestic violence.
In recent years, our state has implemented a number of reforms to provide more support and protection to domestic violence victims and survivors. Among these is a 2021 law that expanded the definition of domestic violence to include coercive control. Coercive control is a pattern or behavior that can use threatening, intimidation, or exploitation to trap individuals in abusive relationships.
This expanded definition recognizes intimate partner violence can be more than physical abuse – it can take shape as emotional, psychological, and sexual abuse. This measure will help make the process of filing for restraining orders, divorce, child custody, and other family court matters easier for victims and survivors. It would also create a new legal aid program to provide legal representation for victims and survivors of domestic violence.
To support and help victims and survivors of domestic violence visit CTSafeConnect.org or call or text (888) 774-2900. Help is available 24/7.