Petition to strengthen laws toward preventing and protecting against Domestic Violence

WHEREAS:
Domestic Violence crosses all socio-economic boundaries, all cultures, and is present in all countries throughout the world.

It is a known fact that domestic violence effects victims and children in critical long-term ways. Children learn what they see and become the victims and batterers of the next generation, thus perpetuating the cycles of violence and abuse.

THEREFORE:
Unless we fully address the act of partner violence by treating it as a serious offense, we will continue to see a rise in domestic violence worldwide.

WHEREAS:
Because Domestic Violence is often treated as a misdemeanor, and misdemeanors are not reported to the NCIC (remaining only on the records of the state in which they occur), a person with a history of domestic assault can go to another state and if he/she batters again, it is treated as a first offense with no previous convictions having any bearing on the case in the new state.

THEREFORE:
We the undersigned urge our appointed and elected representatives to pay serious attention to strengthening domestic violence laws and providing greater protection by treating domestic violence as a serious offense.

We urge you to do all within your power to insure that:
1) a first offense of domestic violence, even if considered a misdemeanor, is filed in all states and not just the state in which it occurred;
2) all previous assaults on record from all states committed by a person who commits domestic violence are taken into consideration when he/she is convicted and sentenced, and;
3) all assaults have a uniform penalty, be they for street assault or domestic violence.