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Health & Fitness

Columbus Should Act Quickly to Protect Victims of Domestic Violence

This week, a group of state lawmakers in Columbus introduced a bill designed to protect victims of domestic violence who seek a protection order shielding them from their abusers.

This week, a group of state lawmakers in Columbus introduced a bill designed to protect victims of domestic violence who seek a protection order shielding them from their abusers.

Federal statistics show that nearly half of the women killed in the United States each year die at the hand of their intimate partner, and more than half of those victims are killed with a gun. This legislation seeks to reduce the potential for fatal violence when tensions are at their highest - as a victim seeks escape through a court-ordered temporary protection order.

House Bill 160 would require individuals served with a temporary protection order to sell their firearms to a licensed federal dealer or temporarily turn their firearms over to local law enforcement within 24 hours. Weapons would be returned to their owners when the order is lifted.

This legislation acts as a cooling off period and gives victims of domestic violence a safer path out of an abusive relationship. While the bill would obviously not prevent all cases of violence, by temporarily removing firearms from picture, the possibility of an abuser acting out in an irreversible moment of rage is reduced. Ultimately, this is in the best interest of all parties.

With recent statistics from the Ohio Domestic Violence Network showing the number of Ohio murders, as a result of domestic violence, averaging over 75 per year over the last five years, now is the time to mitigate and eliminate this threat.

I encourage all Ohioans, especially those in the 6th House District (Rep. Marlene Anielski - 614-644-6041) to call their legislators today and ask them where they stand on HB 160. With Washington legislators afraid to enact simple gun safety measures, now is the time for bi-partisan leaders in Columbus to take the lead and enact common sense reforms to protect victims, especially women and children, from domestic abuse.

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