The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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March 11, 2010

Your View: Cornish does well on domestic violence

By Carol Arthur, executive director, Domestic Abuse Project, Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS — It is not often that I am moved to write a letter to the editor. However, I was so impressed by Rep. Tony Cornish in a House Public Safety Policy and Oversight Committee meeting hearing last week, that I wanted the folks in Mankato to know how well you are represented.

One of the bills being heard by the committee was HF2608, regarding ex parte order for protections and adding language to the current statute that allows victims of domestic violence to not only get a court order to tell their abusive partner to stay away from their home, but to also stay away from a reasonable area surrounding the dwelling or residence.

For those reading this that have no idea what an ex parte order for protection is, it is a court order that victims of domestic violence can request from the courts. The order would tell the abusive person to stay away from the victim’s home and work. Other things may be included in the order depending on the individual situation.

Cornish described to other committee members and to the audience situations he had seen as a police officer where victims who had ex parte orders were terrorized  and stalked by abusive partners who parked in front of their house or were in their alley or on the sidewalk, all within the limits of the order. Police could not arrest or intervene and victims felt threatened and afraid.

In the words of Cornish, this relief seems reasonable and in the interest of increased victim safety. Following a year where 12 women and 10 children died as a result of domestic violence, I couldn’t agree more.

 

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