TRENTON, N.J. – The Assembly Judiciary and Law and Public Safety committees held a joint hearing Thursday to consider 10 bills related to domestic violence. Judiciary committee members Assemblyman Robert Auth (R-Bergen) and Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn (R-Monmouth) voted to advance the legislation and responded to the compelling and courageous testimony:
“For far too long, domestic violence victims have suffered under the dark, damaging shadows cast from these cases – often leaving children, families, and individuals to struggle in obscurity. Today, we are making a change – offering a light of hope and help through those shadows by voting in favor of these bills. Victims need to know that they are not alone, that they do have resources and should not be condemned to suffer in silence from fear.
Though domestic violence knows no gender, women are vastly more likely to be victims. By passing these bills, we demonstrate our support for women across New Jersey and willingness to protect them from these unjustified hardships.
Our work is far from over and this is just the beginning. We will continue working hard to ensure victims receive the rightful protections they deserve and their abusers are strongly penalized.”