Ortiz Bill Will Extend Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence

New legislation removes public intent standard for disorderly conduct

September 20, 2013

Albany, NY – Assemblyman Felix W. Ortiz, Chair of the Assembly/Senate Puerto Rican and Hispanic Task Force and the Committee on Cities, will soon introduce legislation to ensure that New York State’s domestic violence laws remain strong and enable the greatest protections for its victims.

New York State’s Family Offense Laws were enacted to provide people protection from acts of domestic violence. However, a recent Appellate Court decision (Cassie v. Cassie, 969 N.Y.S. 2d 537 (Second Dept., 2013) requires such acts to occur with intent to cause “public” inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm. This ruling weakens the current state law, possibly preventing police from arresting perpetrators if violence occurs out of public view.

“Domestic violence is a crime that often goes unreported. Further, because it mostly occurs inside the home and out of the public view, victims need strong laws in place to protect them. My new bill will make it easier to arrest and convict perpetrators of domestic violence whether the acts occur privately or publicly,” Ortiz said.

October 1st marks the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. According to the Domestic Violence Resource Center, one in four women has been subjected to domestic violence during her lifetime and nearly 75 percent of Americans know someone who has been a victim. In New York State, nearly 450,000 domestic violence incidents are reported annually while many more go unreported. “We must change the attitudes that perpetuate the cycle of abuse and renew our efforts to support victims in their greatest time of need. We can do this by clearing the path for intervention and making resources available to all in need,” Ortiz said.

While women between the ages of 16 and 24 years old are among the most likely to experience violence at the hands of an intimate partner, these crimes affect people regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, race, or religion. Children are especially vulnerable to serious long-term consequences of exposure to domestic violence. Assemblyman Ortiz said, “I encourage victims, their loved ones, and concerned citizens to get help by calling the NYS Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-942-6906. In NYC: 1-800-621-HOPE (4673) or dial 311.”

What's New