July 14, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
​Media Contact:
Alyssa Dandrea, [email protected]

Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking will have greater access to safety and justice under a new set of laws signed by Governor Kelly Ayotte. Together, these bipartisan measures close gaps in victim protections, improve how state systems respond to survivors, and enhance offender accountability.
 
The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence applauds the passage of HB1469, HB1522, HB1576, and HB1651, which reflect years of collaboration among survivors, advocates, lawmakers, and community partners to build a more responsive system, where survivors have greater access to justice and communities are better protected.
 
“Supporting victims of crime has long been a bipartisan priority in New Hampshire,” said Amanda Grady Sexton, the Coalition’s Director of Public Affairs. “These new laws build on that strong tradition by removing barriers survivors have faced and making sure our laws better reflect the realities of victimization.”
 
“We are grateful for the longstanding commitment of elected officials from both parties to improving the rights and protections available to victims,” said Public Policy Specialist Pamela Keilig. “We also deeply appreciate the survivors who shared their experiences and the many partners whose collaboration and expertise helped make these important changes possible. Collectively, these laws demonstrate how thoughtful policy changes can create a more coordinated and comprehensive approach that advances our shared goal of a safer and more just state.”
 
HB1469 — Licensing of massage businesses
HB1469 requires all massage businesses in New Hampshire to be licensed, creating a clearer pathway for the state to identify and hold illicit massage businesses accountable before they become established in our communities. The law strengthens oversight of the industry while helping ensure that legitimate businesses meet appropriate health and sanitation standards. This bill will take effect on July 1, 2027.
 
“Illicit massage businesses can operate as fronts for human trafficking and other forms of exploitation,” said Keilig. “Requiring businesses to be licensed gives the state an important tool to distinguish legitimate providers from businesses that may be exploiting vulnerable people. It is a practical public safety measure that will help prevent trafficking operations from continuing here in New Hampshire.”
 
HB1522 — Domestic violence and coercive control
HB1522 strengthens New Hampshire’s civil domestic violence statute by recognizing the nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images, as defined in RSA 644:9-a, as an act of abuse. It also creates a statutory definition of “coercive control” and makes a technical update to the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee, which was established in law in 2025. This bill took effect on July 2, 2026.
 
“Domestic violence is not limited to physical assault,” said Keilig. “Abusers may use intimate images, surveillance, threats, isolation, financial control, and other tactics to intimidate a survivor and take away their independence. This law better reflects what survivors experience and gives courts clearer guidance when evaluating patterns of abusive behavior.”
 
HB1576 — Restitution for crime victims
HB1576 improves the restitution process for crime victims by strengthening enforcement when offenders fail to make required payments. It also ensures that victims are notified when the status of their restitution changes or payments is interrupted. The law increases offender accountability and helps victims receive compensation ordered by the court. This bill will take effect on June 1, 2027.
 
“Restitution is not a favor to a victim. It is part of the sentence imposed on the person who committed the crime,” said Grady Sexton. “Victims should not be left wondering why payments stopped or be expected to navigate the system on their own. This law creates greater transparency, strengthens enforcement, and recognizes that restitution can be an important part of a victim’s recovery.”
 
HB1651 — Sexual assault restraining orders and survivors’ rights
HB1651 expands access to civil protection for survivors of sexual violence by establishing a sexual assault restraining order. The law closes a critical gap by allowing survivors to seek protection regardless of whether they had a qualifying family, household, or intimate relationship with the offender. This bill will take effect on January 1, 2027.
 
The law also strengthens New Hampshire’s Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights by improving survivors’ access to information about the status and location of their sexual assault evidence kit and extending the period during which kits must be preserved.
 
“A survivor’s ability to obtain protection should not depend on their relationship with the person who assaulted them,” said Keilig. “Sexual violence may be committed by a coworker, acquaintance, classmate, neighbor, or stranger. This law gives survivors a meaningful legal option to protect their safety while also ensuring they have better access to information about evidence collected in their case.”
 
The Coalition is a statewide network of 12 independent member programs committed to ending sexual violence, domestic violence, stalking, child abuse, and human trafficking, through direct services to victims, community education, and public policy advocacy.

May 18, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The murder of Sandra Marisol Fuentes Huaracha is a devastating reminder that domestic violence cases cannot be treated as isolated incidents. They must be understood as patterns of escalating danger, stalking, threats, weapons access, protective order violations, and fear.

The Berlin Police Department’s internal review identifies serious failures in the response to this case, including the handling of a reported protective order violation and the July 4 welfare check call, when law enforcement received information that Michael Gleason had made suicidal and homicidal statements. Those findings are painful, but they must also be a call to action.

Marisol did what society asks survivors to do. She reported. She sought protection. She participated in the legal process. She continued to raise concerns as the danger escalated. The systems around her needed to respond with urgency, coordination, and a full understanding of domestic violence lethality. When victims reach out repeatedly for help, it is often because they recognize that their lives are in danger.

The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence is committed to working with law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and community-based advocates to strengthen the response to domestic violence across our state. That work must include regular and ongoing training for officers, dispatchers, supervisors, and prosecutors on domestic violence dynamics, lethality risk, stalking, coercive control, strangulation, firearms, technology abuse, trauma responses, and the enforcement of protective orders.
Training alone is not enough. Every police department should have clear written policies for responding to domestic violence calls, welfare checks involving threats of homicide or suicide, reports of protective order violations, firearms and ammunition relinquishment, third-party contact, and technology-facilitated abuse. Those policies should require documentation, supervisory review, and follow-up when new information comes in. A survivor’s case should not depend on whether one individual officer recognizes the danger in the moment.

We also need stronger, routine communication between law enforcement and local crisis center advocates. A lethality assessment should not be treated as a single checkbox at the beginning of a case. When a survivor continues to report stalking, violations, threats, weapons, surveillance, or escalating behavior, law enforcement should be reconnecting that survivor with confidential advocates and safety planning resources. Advocates cannot direct police investigations, and police cannot access confidential advocacy communications, but regular collaboration and cross training can help ensure that officers understand risk factors and that survivors are not left to navigate escalating danger alone.
Marisol’s case also makes clear that our systems must improve how information is shared across criminal cases, civil protective order proceedings, bail hearings, law enforcement calls, and victim support services. When warning signs accumulate, someone must be responsible for seeing the whole picture.

The Coalition will continue to support reforms that improve domestic violence investigations, strengthen protective order enforcement, expand training, improve communication with local crisis centers, and ensure that technology abuse and social media access are addressed in protective orders. We also support careful review of how departments are implementing the corrective actions identified in this report, because public trust depends not only on acknowledging failure, but on proving that practices have changed.

No policy can guarantee that every act of violence will be prevented. But Marisol’s death demands that we do more than express sorrow. It demands that we build a response system where every report is documented, every escalation is taken seriously, every threat is assessed, every survivor is offered meaningful connection to support, and every agency understands its role in preventing the next tragedy. 

October 14, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Amanda Grady Sexton: [email protected] 

The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence extends our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and community of Marisol Fuentes Huaracha. Marisol’s death is a profound tragedy that underscores the urgent need for continued reform in how our state responds to domestic and sexual violence.
 
Marisol did everything society asks of survivors - she reported the assault, sought help, and obtained a protective order. Yet despite her courage, the system was unable to keep her safe. Her story is a heartbreaking reminder that our collective response must do more to prioritize survivor safety and offender accountability at every stage of the criminal legal process.
 
The Attorney General issues steps to strengthen New Hampshire’s response, including improved communication across agencies, and the expansion of the Lethality Assessment Program, which connects survivors at the highest risk with lifesaving advocacy services. The Coalition will be working with the legislature during the 2026 Legislative Session to mandate the use of lethality assessments by law enforcement and to establish ways for the courts to reduce the risk of homicides in domestic violence cases. 

“Only when police, prosecutors and the courts have full information about an offender’s history and access to evidenced-based lethality assessment tools, can they make informed decisions that best prioritize the safety of victims and the public," said Amanda Grady Sexton, Director of Public Affairs for the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. "The Coalition will continue working closely with survivors, surviving family members and state partners including the legislature to ensure that lasting change is made. Every survivor in New Hampshire deserves to be believed, supported, and protected when they reach out for help.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or sexual violence, confidential and free help is available 24/7 through the statewide crisis line at 1-866-644-3574.

​July 28, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Amanda Grady Sexton: [email protected] 

Concord, N.H. — Following a press conference today at the State House, New Hampshire leaders reaffirmed their commitment to protecting children and survivors of violence, sending a clear message: violent offenders will not find safe haven in the Granite State.
Governor Kelly Ayotte has officially signed a robust package of bipartisan legislation aimed at closing critical gaps in the state’s response to abuse and exploitation. The newly enacted laws — HB62, HB218, HB369, HB405, SB140, SB145, SB262, SB267, and SB300 — bolster protections for children, improve the state’s approach to human trafficking, enhance accountability for perpetrators of violence, and aim to prevent domestic violence homicides.

These reforms are part of a broader, coordinated effort by victim advocates to build a survivor-centered system of justice in New Hampshire. Across the state, experts are working together with frontline professionals to ensure they have the tools and legal support necessary to intervene effectively and protect those at risk.

“Public safety isn’t limited to what happens on our streets—it means being safe in your own home, at work, and online, and living free from the threat of violence, exploitation, or harassment,” said Amanda Grady Sexton, Director of Public Affairs for the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. “These new laws reflect a deep understanding that we must continue to close every legal loophole, strengthen every safeguard, and actively work to promote laws that will help prevent violence before it begins.”

The passage of these laws represents a shared commitment to building safer communities across New Hampshire.

HB405 is a critical step to ensure that our communities are safeguarded against "Illicit Massage Businesses" (IMBs), which are a specific type of commercial-front trafficking venue disguised as lawful massage or bodywork businesses. One element of this bill updates New Hampshire's prostitution statute, RSA 645:2, in cases where someone knowingly allows a place under their control to be used for acts of trafficking — raising the penalty from a misdemeanor to a felony level offense.

SB262 increases the minimum sentence for individuals convicted of trafficking children in New Hampshire, bringing our state law more in alignment with federal law when it comes to prosecuting these horrific crimes. 

SB267 establishes a fine of $500 for defendants convicted of engaging in prostitution, helping hold accountable the buyers who are helping sex traffickers' profit from this exploitation. These fines will be directed to strengthen anti-trafficking work in our state.

SB300 strengthens our child sexual abuse images statute by prohibiting any person from creating intimate AI images of children for the purposes of sexual gratification or arousal in New Hampshire.

With strong bipartisan support, we successfully championed a series of new laws designed to make our state’s system more accessible and responsive to victims of crime.
 
“Just one legal barrier to safety can have devastating consequences for victims of abuse and exploitation,” said Pamela Keilig, Public Policy Specialist at the Coalition. “These reforms represent a significant step forward, and we’re grateful to those lawmakers who supported these important bills. There is real momentum behind efforts to enhance public safety in New Hampshire and to build a system that better reflects the complex challenges survivors face every day.”
 
HB62 enables victims of sexual assault or sexual harassment in the New Hampshire National Guard to access financial assistance when participating in legal proceedings. Additionally, it will allow military protective orders to be introduced as evidence in civil domestic violence cases.
 
HB218 updates state law to allow victims of crime to receive a free copy of their police report, ensuring that they have the documents they need to access essential resources and services.
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HB369 requires the defendant of a sexual assault crime against a minor to decide whether to proceed in circuit court with a bench trial or immediately appeal to the superior court for a jury trial, thereby streamlining court proceedings. It also requires a sex offender to report in person to law enforcement within five business days of their conviction.
 
SB140 codifies into law the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee, ensuring that the thorough and comprehensive reviews continue so that we can more effectively prevent domestic violence related homicides in the future.
 
SB145 develops a pilot program to use common carriers to speed up the time it takes for sexual assault kits to be delivered to the state lab. It also creates a clear timeframe for when these kits need to be delivered.
 
About the Coalition:
The Coalition is a statewide network of 12 independent member programs committed to ending sexual violence, domestic violence, stalking, child abuse, and human trafficking, through direct services to victims, community education, and public policy advocacy.

July 17, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Alyssa Dandrea, [email protected] 

The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence commends the New Hampshire Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in State v. Matthew Raymond, which upholds the use of expert testimony to explain the complex ways that victims respond to domestic violence and trauma. 

In the case, Matthew Raymond was convicted of several serious offenses, including second-degree assault (strangulation), false imprisonment, and domestic violence-related simple assault. On appeal, Raymond challenged the admissibility of expert testimony provided by Dr. Scott Hampton, a clinical psychologist with national expertise in intimate partner violence. The Supreme Court decisively upheld the testimony, affirming that general expert education on victim behavior is not only appropriate but essential to helping juries understand trauma responses, such as delayed reporting, recantation, or ongoing contact with an abuser.

“Expert witnesses play a vital role in domestic and sexual violence cases,” said Amanda Grady Sexton, Director of Public Affairs at the Coalition. "They help jurors understand what trauma really looks like—not just in theory, but in the lived experiences of survivors. Many people expect victims to behave in a certain way, but trauma doesn't follow a script and the brain's survival systems can override rational thought. For example, trauma can cause someone to freeze or shut down and make it hard to recount what happened in a linear fashion. This ruling ensures that survivors won't be discredited just because their response to abuse doesn't match a common stereotype."

The Court confirmed that experts can offer general insights grounded in professional experience, even if they are not offering opinions about the specific victim in the case. This decision will have far-reaching impacts in both domestic and sexual violence prosecutions, helping ensure that verdicts are based on a deeper understanding of abuse dynamics rather than misconceptions or myths.

The Coalition extends its sincere thanks to Assistant Attorney General Sam Gonyea and the entire appellate team at the New Hampshire Department of Justice for their dedication to advancing justice for victims of crime.

A copy of the Supreme Court’s full opinion can be found at: https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/supreme-court​.

July 10, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Alyssa Dandrea, [email protected] 

We thank the New Hampshire Department of Justice and law enforcement partners for their leadership in shutting down more than 40% of illicit massage businesses across the state — a major step in disrupting human trafficking in our communities.

“This marks a significant step forward in New Hampshire’s fight against human trafficking, but our work is far from finished. Trafficking continues to impact individuals in all 10 counties across the state, and we have a collective responsibility to do more—to protect survivors, hold perpetrators accountable, and prevent future harm,” said Coalition Program Director Meg Chant.

The Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence will be working closely with the Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force this upcoming legislative session to push for a statewide licensing process for massage businesses. We’ll also be working with landlords and property owners to raise awareness and help prevent traffickers from operating under the radar.

This is a critical moment to move from enforcement to long-term prevention — and we’re committed to helping lead that effort.
​
About the task force: The Coalition coordinates and is a partner with the Human Trafficking Collaborative Task Force. The Task Force Director, who works at the Coalition, act as a facilitator, strategist and lead collaborator on efforts to combat human trafficking in New Hampshire.