A domestic violence incident occurred every 22 minutes and 24 seconds in 2013, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

There were a total of 12,607 arrests for domestic in violence in 2013. In Kansas, an individual must be charged with a felony, prior to sentencing, before a judge can review their history of protection orders. House Bill 2024 will allow the judge to review all previous protection orders against the offender, before deciding if the offender should be sentenced to a Batterers Intervention Program.

Research shows that an arrest alone is not a deterrent in preventing batterers from re-offending. In fact, most offenders will re-offend if arrest is the only punishment given.

HB 2024, Domestic Battery Sentencing, would allow judges to review offenders’ previous protection orders and use that information to determine the most appropriate sentence. This bill would likely increase offender participation in Batter Intervention Programs. Research shows that offenders who participate in Batterers Intervention Programs are less likely than those who don’t participate to commit a second or subsequent act of domestic violence.

On Feb. 19 HB 2024 was approved by the Committee on Judiciary, however despite this approval, it not been brought before the House for a vote. We as a community must tell our legislators that we will not stand for this.

Every day in the U.S., more than three women are murdered by their husband or boyfriend. If we act, we can ensure offenders get the necessary intervention to prevent batterers from re-offending their victims.

Please contact your local House Representative and demand HB 2024 be brought to the floor for a vote.

— Candace Johnson, Class of 2000, Social Work