Bill would boost domestic violence protections

HARTFORD — More domestic abusers would wear electronic monitoring devices and lose rights to alimony payments under legislation supported Wednesday by advocates testifying to the legislature’s law-writing Judiciary Committee.

The bill, aimed at providing better responses and protections for victims of intimate partner violence, would end legal tactics used by some incarcerated abusers against victims through numerous court challenges to divorce proceedings and alimony orders.

Citing recent incidents, including last year’s death of Julie Minogue in Milford, supporters of the legislation, led by officials from the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said that abusers convicted of attempted murder are currently allowed to seek alimony payments from their victims. Although it is up to state judges to decide such issues, supporters of the legislation said such issues can become harassment tactics in dragging victims back to court for multiple appearances.

“There are situations where an award of alimony should simply never be considered by the court,” said Meghan Scanlon, president and CEO of the CCADV. “This proposal removes those situations from the court’s discretion. The prohibition of an alimony award is not sought to limit any power of the court, but rather to eliminate the power of those convicted of crimes from continuing to abuse their victim by use of the legal system.”

“Isn’t that already baked into the system?” asked Rep. Craig Fishbein of

Wallingford, a top Republican on the committee, who said he supports most of the bill. “He is a domestic violence abuser, therefore don’t give him alimony.”

Rhonda Morra, director of legal advocacy for the CCDAV, said the proposal would remove the burden of domestic violence victims to prove their legal status.

She said that in some cases, imprisoned abusers can return to court a half dozen times or more on alimony claims. “And the victim has to continue to show up for each and every one of those hearings,” Morra said. “Then the victim has to prove that they’re a victim, despite a conviction for an assault or an attempt to assault against them that’s a felony charge that somebody has been convicted of. This is to eliminate the ability of an abuser to continue to abuse somebody, using the legal system when they are convicted of a felony assault, a felony sexual assault, attempt to commit murder or conspiracy to commit murder against their spouse who is the victim of those acts.”

James Williams of West Haven said that women who often take the initial step in separating from their abusers, deserve further protections beyond protective orders, which have been ignored in cases, including Minogue’s.

“It seems to me, referring to three cases that just happened in Connecticut, the ex-boyfriend or husband violates that protective order and harms or even kills the female victim,” he said. “What gets me more upset with these cases, the victim would notify police and show proof the subject is threatening them and violating the order, and the police don’t act. This bill would force our police departments to step up their game and protect those vulnerable residents who need to be protected from an individual who is willing to obstruct their rights to safety and peace.”

Christine Foster, director of counseling at Camp Hope, part of a national program for childhood victims of domestic abuse located in southeastern Connecticut, said the electronic-monitoring program currently limited to Bridgeport, Hartford and the Danielson section of Killingly has proven to be effective.

She said that not only should the monitoring be expanded, but there should be safeguards to avoid what has happened recently in her part of the state.

“I have a client whose abuser has a protective order in place and yet he showed up at her child’s daycare and assaulted her in front of her children,” Foster told lawmakers. “And so that is why programs like this are incredibly important for ensuring victims’ safety.”

Another recent case Foster detailed was a woman who was choked by her husband, who has been incarcerated. “She is now trying to get a divorce from this individual and he has requested alimony and so she has to repeatedly show up to court, which she says is revictimizing to her, and face the man who tried to end her life. She says that it is disgusting and that it is something that no victim should have to go through.”

The Judiciary Committee has until 5 p.m. on March 31 to act on the proposal.