There always seems to be some distinct unwritten rule that for every positive, there must be a negative. Yet what about for every negative? Shouldn’t every negative have a positive?
How many women and children must suffer, must lose their lives in order for change?
The lack of Domestic Violence related charges are alarming.
The lack of accountability, is alarming.
Tennessee Launches DV Registry
Tech Safety’s’ – ‘Negatives’ List for Offender Registries
Domestic violence is not a private trouble. It is a public issue and an epidemic. This issue is worse in some states than others. We can begin to force consistency by establishing domestic violence as a distinct offense. Clearly articulated statutes and consequences would help achieve this. This approach would close the systemic gaps. It would prevent re-victimization through the judicial system and create structured offender accountability.
Without action to clearly define domestic violence as a criminal offense, there will continue to be familial domestic homicide. Children will keep dying or at the least, end up traumatized. Families will be broken, and the cycles will continue.
I believe creating the persistent domestic violence registry is the first step in Tennessee.
There must be intervention with harsher penalties, across the country. There must be consequences from the first offense, with increased harsher penalties for each additional crime. Measures of prevention and offender accountability are needed. Without these, there will be no justice or action of structural change. By creating more oversight at the very least, there must be minimum sentencing requirements that cannot be dismissed or reduced.
There must be consequences a ‘plea-deal’ cannot negate. This should extend to sexual offenders. They should not be able to plea down to a lesser charge. This would help them avoid consequences or the registry. But that is a separate topic for another day.
How many women can be saved by a simple check?
How many of us have friends, sisters, mothers, or daughters swiping on dating sites? What difference would a FREE registry check make?
How many college students looking into coworkers, bosses?
I know it’s difficult to think about working next to someone who can be violent. However, it is worse to think about the violence the victim is facing or could face.
These abusers are not just friends, boyfriends, husbands, and brothers. They are the men living professional lives, who interact with us everyday.
Think of the lives that could be saved, if this was mandated in all 50 states.
If you or anyone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please know that help is available. You can email me directly if you need assistance locating shelters within your area.
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