© AP PhotoA Woman Cries
But a bill that has been proposed by State Representative Trey Martinez Fischer of San Antonio seeks to create a domestic violence registry, similar to the current sex offender registry. "Once you've been in an abusive relationship, you have some trust issues," Galaviz said. "You always have some doubts, and this would be one way to relieve some of those doubts."
"I think it's a great tool, especially for someone who doesn't have the means to do a criminal background check on a potential suitor," Galaviz added.
If the bill (House Bill 100) is passed, any individual convicted of domestic violence at least three times would be required to register as a repeat offender. The registry would be free and open to the public, and would include names, birthdates and recent photographs of the offenders.
Jan Langbein is the executive director of Genesis Women's Shelter in Dallas. "I've heard so many women over the years say, 'Gosh, I wish I could have seen this coming,'" Langbein said. "'There was no way for me to see this coming. I didn't know that his past three wives were abused by him.'"
According to Langbein, abusers often woo and charm their victims at the beginning of the courtship. The proposed registry would allow woman (or men) to learn more about someone before the relationship turns bad.
But according to some critics, such a registry could violate confidentiality - not for the abuser, but for the victims. Registering an abusive husband may likely identify his ex-wives. Langbein admitted, "If you check out a domestic violence abuser on a registry, you're pretty much outing the victim."
Watch the CBS news video here:
I am not sure that I trust the motives behind this proposed bill. I remember when it was claimed that taking the responsibility of pressing charges away from the victim of domestic violence and making a law that required police to make an arrest, even if the victim stated they did not want to press charges, would decrease the incidents of domestic violence. The reasoning behind this was that if both parties were left together the violence would continue and possibly lead to serious injury or death. Now the victim only has to fear retribution when the abuser bails out of jail and by then he may have calmed down a bit? In order for the victim to drop the charges they are required to take a class on domestic violence (personally, I am not sure how 'educational' that really is). And of course, the Protection Order, or Domestic Violence Injunction. Unlike the 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' game, that protection order won't wrap a fist, knife or gun, and few paper cuts won't hold them off either. Domestic violence has not decreased, it has increased in spite of all this.
I am all for educating women (and occasionally men) in 'How to spot a Dangerous Man (Woman)'. I am also all for making the resources available for them to make researched and educated choices. But the truth is that you can order a Criminal History online for $24.00 (here where I live at least), and I am pretty sure that the cost would be comparable elsewhere. So the question isn't about making the information easily available. It appears that maybe it's about making another registry, another list.
To say "I think it's a great tool, especially for someone who doesn't have the means to do a criminal background check on a potential suitor" seems a little manipulative to me. Sure, it may that there are some for whom $24.00 and/or internet access is a problem, but certainly there is some solution for those instances that would be easier than a registry. And more beneficial for all parties, including the previous victims.
Of course, providing proper education on psychopathy and predatory behavior would make the need for background checks practically unnecessary. Then again, education and proper preparation are not priorities of our law makers. Their priorities lie in making more laws, more lists, more registries until the day comes that not one single person will not be found on a list of some sort.
I don't believe for one minute that this is about our protection, and I say that as someone who was once a victim of domestic violence.
Just my 2 cents....