Rep. Staneski Backs Updated Domestic Violence Bill

From CT State Reps: In an effort to strengthen anti-stalking and domestic violence laws in Connecticut, State Rep. Pam Staneski (Milford & Orange) supported and co-sponsored legislation that passed unanimously in the House of Representatives this week.

“Victims need to be protected and we have a duty to provide protection to our citizens so that they can live their lives without any endangerment to mental, physical, or emotional stability,” said Rep. Staneski. “Stalkers intend to intimidate and terrorize their victims, who are sometimes forced to alter their daily routines or lives to the point of even relocating to another state to escape their stalker. The high level of fear and the stress caused by stalking often causes anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression that can hinder the victims’ ability to manage daily activities. This is unacceptable and the House sent just that message with its unanimous vote on this legislation.”

Some examples of stalking include:

• Sending unwanted messages (voicemails text messages emails etc.) or unwanted gifts
• Monitoring phone calls or computer use
• Constantly checking in on the victim
• Driving by the home school or work place of the fifth them for no legitimate purpose

This bill HB-7299, An Act Concerning Strengthening Laws Concerning Domestic Violence, makes various changes to current laws concerning crimes against an individual:

• Expands the conduct that constitutes stalking to include conduct that causes substantial “emotional distress;”
• Specifies that electronic or social media are among the methods, devices, or means by which conduct that constitutes stalking may occur
• Broadens the strangulation statutes to include suffocation when a person obstructs another person's nose or mouth
• Increases the penalty for violations of release conditions when the violation involves certain conduct
• Requires a pre-sentence investigation for anyone convicted of a family violence crime for which a prison sentence may be imposed and prohibits them from waiving the investigation

According to the US Department of Justice 46% of victims of fear not knowing what will happen next and nearly 30% fear that the stalking behavior will never stop.

Data collected in Connecticut of nearly 3000 victim responses between 2015 and 2016, indicated 71% of the screened victims report having their daily activities controlled and 49% report being followed and spied on or subject to threatening messages another 46% of screamed at them to report that their current or former partner threatened to kill them.

This bill is supported by both the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence

Image Courtesy of CT State Reps