Suffolk County Public Hearing-Domestic Violence Registry legislation (IR 1314-09) Written Statement- Jeffrey Friedman, Executive Director of the Retreat

November 30, 2009

            Hello, my name is Jeffrey Friedman, Executive Director of the Retreat. For over two decades, the Retreat has been the only community-based, not-for-profit agency that provides direct domestic violence services and support for victims of domestic crimes on eastern Long Island. I would like to thank you for the opportunity to address the Domestic Violence Registry legislation.

            I applaud Legislator Gregory and our elected officials for bringing domestic violence to the forefront and having the courage to take on such a serious epidemic in our community. With that being said however, as a leader in the field of domestic violence services in our community, I strongly believe that this legislation is flawed and will not achieve the desired outcomes. 

            By passing this legislation the hope is to ultimately reduce the number of domestic violence incidents in our community. If enacted this would have the opposite effect on family violence.  After speaking with many of the women we serve, it is their belief that if this Registry had existed when they were engaged in an abusive relationship, that their abusers would have inflicted more pain and suffering as a form of retaliation for being publicly “humiliated.” One survivor stated that she strongly believed her husband would have returned and killed her if a consequence of his conviction would have resulted in him being included in this Registry. This Registry can also have the adverse affect of preventing victims from coming forward out of fear of retaliation. When we asked our survivors the question, “Do you feel that this Registry would prevent men from abusing their intimate partners out of fear of the information becoming public” their response was a resounding no. 

            Another fear that was brought to our attention by the women the Retreat provides services to were the issues surrounding confidentiality.  Once an abuser is made public, so are his intimate partner and his children.  Now the survivor not only has to deal with the trauma that was inflicted, but she also has to deal with the fact that now this issue is also played out in the public eye. A victim’s confidentiality is protected in the Federal Violence Against Women Act.  Just as the federal government has done, Suffolk County needs to continue to protect the rights of women and children in our community. 

            With people losing their jobs and being foreclosed from their homes, family violence has been on the rise and domestic violence service requests at the Retreat have increased nearly 40% in the most recent 12-month period.  Organizationally, we have seen dramatic funding cuts from Federal, State and Local Government, in addition to a substantial drop in private donations.  Instead of using funds to setup a Registry, why not put these resources back into agencies like the Retreat that have a proven history of protecting our women and children.  I urge all community leaders to reexamine this piece of legislation and the impact it will have on our women and children. 

            Thank you for your time and serious consideration of this matter.

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