Reducing Domestic Violence

Lt. Governor Brown kicks off Domestic Violence Awareness Month

New Laws Go Into Effect to Help Protect Victims in Maryland

Lt. Governor Brown kicked off Domestic Violence Awareness Month at the Montgomery County Family Justice Center, where he announced two new laws that went into effect this month to protect and assist victims of domestic violence.

As of October 1, Marylanders who are forced to leave a job to escape the threat of domestic violence are now eligible for unemployment insurance benefits, thanks to a new law sponsored by the Maryland Department of Labor and championed by Lt. Governor Brown during this year’s session of the General Assembly.

A second law also went into effect mandating that judges report whether or not defendants are found to have had a “domestically-related relationship” with their victims. Those found as such will have a notation added to their criminal record indicating they’ve committed a domestic violence related crime, which will be a valuable tool to help law enforcement track and monitor domestic violence offenders and reduce future occurrences.

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Accomplishments

  • Reduced domestic violence deaths in Maryland by 11.5% since 2006
  • Launched seven hospital-based domestic violence programs across Maryland
  • Championed legislation to make child neglect a criminal act in Maryland
  • Reduced violent crime statewide to lowest rates since 1975

Help us end domestic violence in Maryland. Visit the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence.

In observance of Adoption Awareness Month, Lt. Governor Brown helped kick off the Center for Adoption Support and Education's (CASE) program providing backpacks and resources to children who were recently adopted. See the photos here:

“If we can save one, two, three Marylanders from losing their life at the hands of a domestic abuser… we've done a good thing." –Lt. Governor Brown