Editor,

When I was growing up, domestic violence wasn’t talked about. It was deemed a private matter in another family, and not our business. In fact, because it didn’t happen in my family, I must confess that as a young person, my knowledge of what domestic violence really meant was pretty limited.

But by the time my wife and I began our own family, we started to learn more about it from friends who had been victims, and we realized how important it was that our children knew from their earliest years that domestic violence represents the worst of what our society is capable of, and is never justified. It’s sad that despite the efforts of many people throughout our state, domestic violence still happens as often as every 104 minutes in Maine.

Last week, I signed on to cosponsor the first of three new bills aimed at fighting back against domestic abusers. This proposal would make the second offense of domestic assault a felony crime, which can carry a sentence of up to a year in jail and as much as a $2,000 fine.

I also plan to cosponsor the other two bills as well. One would provide more funding for intervention and prevention services, such as more education in our schools and communities about recognizing the signs of domestic violence. The third piece of legislation would require police departments to develop new policies about determining who the predominant aggressor is in circumstances of family violence.

In the past two years, I have been proud to support new laws that aim to better protect victims of domestic violence, and to help them more safely transition to a life without family violence. They include notification of an attempted firearm purchase by an individual with a protection from abuse order against them, employment security for victims who must take leaves of absence for counseling, and the issuance of a post office box from the Maine Secretary of State to conceal a victim’s physical address from abusers.

One of the important links that research into domestic violence has recently made is the role of family pets. Studies have shown that abusers frequently hurt pets just as much as other family members, and many victims are reluctant to leave abusive relationships for fear that the batterer will continue to take out abuse on the family dog or cat. We passed a law last year to extend the same protection to household pets that is offered to children in domestic violence situations.

There is also pending legislation this year to mandate that animal control officers report incidents of domestic abuse, and for medical and social service professionals to report animal cruelty as a key indicator of family violence. I also plan to vote in favor of these measures when they reach the House of Representatives.

We know that domestic violence happens to more than 60,000 people in our state annually, and is the leading cause of homicide in Maine, accounting for 52 percent of all murders. These numbers are disturbing in a place where family and community are the cornerstones of our quality of life, and we must do more to break the cycle of violence in families throughout our state.

As always, I’m interested in your thoughts on this issue and other state matters. Please feel free to call me at home at 892-6591, or e-mail me at RepMarkBryant@yahoo.com.

Rep. Mark Bryant

House District 110