Connecticut Protective Moms, a nonprofit grassroots organization of moms who are dedicated to improving the Family Court process to validate all forms of Domestic Violence (DV), including physical, coercive control, emotional, verbal, financial and legal abuse, are supporting Jennifers’ Law SB 1060. Jennifers’ Law is a bill that is in front of the Connecticut General Assembly and was introduced by Connecticut State Senator Alex Kasser (D-Greenwich). A virtual public hearing will be held at 10:00 a.m. (ET), Wednesday, March 24, 2021. This bill is a response to the tragic disappearance and suspected death of Jennifer Farber Dulos in 2019 and the death of Jennifer Magnano in 2007, as well as the harm done to thousands of other victims of domestic violence (DV).
The legislation was introduced by Senator Alex Kasser (D), Greenwich, Stamford and New Canaan, deputy majority leader, chair: Banking, vice chair: Judiciary.
Jennifers’ Law SB 1060 Advisors include:
Joan Meier, JD, Founder of the Family Violence Law Center at GW University
Evan Stark, PhD, Leading International Expert on Coercive Control
Danielle Pollack, Ambassador, Family Court Reform, CHILD USA
Laura Richards, BSc, MSc, MBPsS, renowned international expert on domestic violence, stalking, sexual violence, homicide and risk assessment
The most dangerous time for a victim is when they leave their abuser and try to protect themselves and their children from further harm. This legislation around Jennifers’ Law is designed to keep victims and children safe in civil court by changing the law around restraining orders, divorce and custody proceedings. It makes changes recommended by Congress and requires courts to prioritize the safety of children in all cases involving allegations of domestic violence or child abuse. The legislation also expands the definition of domestic violence to include non-physical forms of abuse, or “coercive control.” It ensures the basic human right of all victims, of every gender, age, color and community, to live freely and safely.
The online hearing will be held at 10:00 a.m. (ET), Wednesday, March 24, 2021 via a virtual Zoom Public Hearing on Connecticut Network TV and Youtube Live. All are invited to attend and those interested in sharing their testimony can register to sign-up.
The most dangerous time for a domestic violence victim and their children is when they try to leave the abuser. Family courts are on the front lines of protecting domestic violence victims and their children from this abuse, yet analysis shows that approximately 58,000 US children are taken away from protective safe parents and court ordered into the custody of an abusive parent each year. Research also shows that a parent who is allegedly abusing a child will win custody or unsupervised visitation 81% of the time, despite the fact that the mother and children’s disclosures of abuse are almost always credible. This often happens despite a safe parent’s best efforts to protect their children from harm and warn the courts of impending risk from the abusing parent.
There is a national and international civil and human rights movement to protect domestic violence victims, the primary safe parent, and their children, underway. Coercive Control laws will remove the “incident-specific” approach to criminal domestic violence cases where the stringent requirement of severe physical injury alone determines whether domestic violence has taken place or if a pattern exists. Coercive control laws include nonphysical abuse such as emotional, verbal, financial and legal abuse as well as stalking, harassment, gaslighting and intimidation. To date, California, Hawaii, Scotland, England and Wales have passed Coercive Control Laws. Australia, Colorado, Maryland and New York have introduced legislation this 2021 session.
