§ 9-15-404 — Safety plans and education

The purpose of this subchapter is to: (1) Develop increased and improved security measures that provide greater protection for victims of spousal abuse, especially those who have orders of protection; (2) Help victims create a safety plan to keep them and their children as safe as possible by developing publications as described under § 9-15-405 on what to do and where to go if danger occurs; (3) Make safety plan publications as described under § 9-15-405 available in public health centers and for distribution to victims by police officers when responding to spousal abuse calls; (4) Create special training initiatives regarding the dynamics of spousal abuse for police intake officers, health officials, and social workers in order to help ensure a continuously improving response to spousal abuse; (5) Encourage the development of community-based, civic-based, and faith-based healthy relationship courses to teach to both adolescent boys and adolescent girls as they begin to date: (A) The elements of healthy relationships; (B) Acceptable and unacceptable behavior in relationships; (C) The concept of respect; (D) Conflict resolution techniques; (E) Antiviolence; and (F) The prevention of sexual assault and sexual harassment; (6) Help raise awareness about the devastating impact that spousal abuse has on children and families; and (7) Assist with the development of increased protection of victims of spousal abuse by establishing standards for protection and response by convening a committee of relevant experts in the field of health care and law enforcement to recommend standards to the General Assembly.

Legislative History

Acts 2007, No. 1414, § 1