×

Strangulation bill will help fight abuse

When I began my career as a Sarah Coventry jewelry consultant, I never anticipated that it would lead me to advocating for domestic violence victims and the creation of Blair County’s first and only women’s shelter.

My first experiences with domestic violence were as a child as myself, and my sisters, protecting and defending my mother against my father during his many alcohol-fueled rages.

That was a time when domestic violence had no name or face. It was simply a part of everyday life and marriage that was not talked about. Domestic violence then was invisible outside of the home where it occurred, but it left scars, some visible and others too deep to be seen but felt.

My time spent working for Sarah Coventry in the 1970s gave me the opportunity to meet women from all backgrounds and to hear their stories. They were mothers, daughters, wives and many were in unhealthy and abusive relationships.

They didn’t just open their home to me, they bared their souls. The magnitude of the problem of domestic violence occurring in my community with no resources for these women or a place to go consumed me.

How could we let this go on?

Like many women at this time across the country, grassroots efforts to keep women safe from their partners began with a handful of volunteers and the support of their communities.

However, legally there was still a lot more to be done to protect domestic violence victims. Throughout the years, bills have been put in place protecting victims’ rights and confidentiality, allowing domestic violence programs to advocate further for victims than before.

You can imagine my joy at learning Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law legislation that effectively criminalizes non-fatal strangulation.

Non-fatal strangulation often leaves little physical evidence that can be seen when a victim goes to the hospital for treatment or to the police. However, strangulation can result in serious health consequences and even death days later if gone untreated.

I would like to thank Rep. Becky Corbin, R-Chester, for introducing this bill to the House, where it passed 184-3 and was unanimously adopted by the Senate. This legislation is a triumph in the ongoing efforts for victims’ rights in regards to domestic violence.

I am truly grateful and appreciative to have been a part of the domestic violence movement at its birth here in Blair County and am proud to see the achievements and progress that continues to be made.

Jeannie Green

Altoona

(The writer was in the first class of volunteers of Blair County’s Domestic Violence Shelter in 1983.)

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today