MEDIA ALERT Contact: Stephanie Nilva
June 24, 2008
NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE PASSES FAMILY COURT ACCESS BILL -
FOR THE FIRST TIME, ALL VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WILL BE ABLE TO OBTAIN CIVIL PROTECTIVE ORDERS IN NEW YORK FAMILY COURT
New York, NY - This morning, the New York State Senate unanimously passed the Family Court Access bill (Winner, S.8665/Weinstein, A.11707)) by a 61-0 vote. Later, the Assembly passed the bill as well. Once signed by Governor Paterson, the legislation will allow victims of domestic violence in intimate and dating relationships to access orders of protection in the New York Family Court.
Currently, Family Court is open only to those married/formerly married, sharing a child with or related by blood to an abuser. Other groups – including dating partners, cohabitants and same-sex couples – can only obtain legal protection in criminal court, where they are not assigned lawyers and face a far higher standard of proof. To begin the criminal process, they must speak with the police, which many young victims are reluctant to do. Furthermore, engaging law enforcement may trigger additional violence by the abuser. With the Governor's signature, the new legislation will provide teens, same-sex couples and seniors not legally tied to their abusers the option to obtain civil orders of protection for the first time in New York.
Day One focuses entirely on the issue of teen dating abuse, and the legislation will have a tremendous impact on youth. In November 2007, the NYC Department of Health Teen Safety Report found one in ten teenagers between grades 9-12 had experienced physical or sexual violence by a dating partner within the previous year. "We speak to teens every day who are ineligible to go to Family Court and unwilling to use the criminal justice system," says Day One Executive Director, Stephanie Nilva. "This legislation will protect thousands of young people, enabling them to end violent relationships and access safety more easily. We are thrilled to have been part of the advocacy efforts that contributed to this success in Albany."
Day One client, Alisa Griffin, was a victim of abuse by her boyfriend when she was 20 years old and pregnant: "Looking back, it is shocking to think I could not get a civil order of protection simply because my child was not yet born. I would never have considered going to the police about him hitting me. I am thrilled to see New York pass this law that will provide other young people with protection I couldn't get."
Introduced in the Assembly for two decades, the Family Court Access bill has never received a full vote by the Senate until today. The bill's sponsor, Assembly Member Helene E. Weinstein, said: "For the past 20 years the Assembly has championed this legislation which would increase the availability of civil orders of protection. I am grateful that the Senate has joined us in extending the protections of this law to cover all victims of domestic violence."
Day One partners with New York City youth to end dating abuse and domestic violence through community education, supportive services, legal advocacy and leadership development. See www.dayoneny.org.
