Family Violence

Minnesota legislators remove ‘marital rape exemption’ from statute

Thursday, May 16, 2019 at 12:06 PM

As part of a national movement that has states re-examining their laws on rape and marriage, Minnesota legislators have removed statutory language that allowed for a “pre-existing relationship defense” in cases of criminal sexual assault. HF 15 was signed into law in early May by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Illinois seeks better hospital care for victims of sexual assault

Tim Anderson

Wednesday, October 17, 2018 at 03:06 PM

By 2022, every hospital emergency room in Illinois must have staff that can provide specialized care to victims of sexual assault. This new requirement is the result of HB 5245, a bill passed unanimously by the General Assembly and signed into law this summer. Under the law, a trained provider will have to be present in the emergency room within 90 minutes of the patient arriving in the hospital. According to the Illinois attorney general’s office, few hospitals currently provide specialized care for sexual assault victims.

Crime victims get address confidentiality in 7th Midwest states

Tim Anderson

Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at 01:45 PM

Ohio has become the latest Midwestern state to adopt a “Safe at Home” law, which allows the survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking and other violent crimes to shield their home addresses from public records. Under HB 359, which took effect in September, these crime victims can get a P.O. Box assigned to them by the secretary of state.

In Domestic Violence Situations, Pets Need Protection Too

Lisa McKinney

Monday, May 9, 2016 at 09:46 AM

Michigan enacted domestic violence legislation May 3 that adds companion animals to personal protection orders, making it the latest state to acknowledge the role pets play in domestic violence situations. Currently, 29 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have laws with provisions that allow pets to be included in personal protection orders.

CSG Participates in National Elder Justice Road Map Project

Debra Miller

Friday, February 21, 2014 at 01:43 PM

This week I was privileged to join with 40 experts in the field of elder justice gathered in Washington, D.C. to put the finishing touches on a national road map to guide programs and services to address elder justice issues – preventing elder abuse, providing services for victims of elder abuse in all its forms, and building systems for prosecution of abuse, sexual assault and financial exploitation. CSG was invited to the meeting to bring the perspective of state level policy makers to the...

Substitute Address for a Victim of Domestic Abuse

CSG Committee on Suggested State Legislation

Monday, November 12, 2007 at 12:00 AM

Suggested State Legislation: This Act allows victims of domestic violence or a representative to create a substitute address for them if there is a good reason to believe the victim’s safety is at risk. The address will remain confidential and guarded from databases to ensure further safety of victims. These addresses can be used by the victim when interacting with any public agency, like school districts or the motor vehicle department. This helps ensure that an abuser is unable to track a victim through these agencies.