Essay
Bill #3509 states that in easier words, every person with the knowledge can give evidence to the person with authority to listen, but with the consent of the people listed in the bill. But, the bill prevents domestic abuse advocates from disclosing information about the victim.
This bill being passed can cause lots of benefits, but also be detrimental to others. One benefit being for the victim. Victims of domestic abuse commonly over time and as a result of many failed attempts at conflict resolution feel compelled to remain silent. Even though staying silent may be detrimental to the victim, it can often make them the most comfortable in the situation and willing to keep fighting for themselves, discluding certain parts of their trauma. During a trial, the comfort of the abuse victim is crucial to avoid triggers and help the victim pursue their case.
Another benefit from passing this bill is it can help the defending side if the “victim” is lying. If someone is falsely accused or framed for domestic abuse, eliminating the bias of advocates may help the defendants case. The advocate has potential to make the defendant seem more guilty, just because the accusing side has a bias from precaution generally. In fact, 25-35% of Domestic violence cases are false reports. More commonly a jury will pick the abuse victim’s side as a precaution, and automatically be given the upperhand in a trial as a result of their “trauma.”
As good as these benefits sound, the detriments can be just as effective. As mentioned earlier, victims of domestic abuse commonly over time and as a result of many failed attempts at conflict resolution feel compelled to remain silent, the feeling of needing to remain silent can also be harmful to the victim. If the victim doesn’t want to share a key factor, they might not receive the justice they deserve. If the bill is not passed, the advocate can say these key details if it is necessary and beneficial to their client.
In conclusion, one more detriment is that if a wife holds evidence, and the husband gives no consent to disclosing information, that evidence is unable to be presented to support the victim’s case. If this bill is passed, it prevents a refusing spouse from holding evidence that goes against them. Without this bill, the court is allowed to hold you in “contempt,” where you disclose the information your significant other is covering up.
