August 10, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Amanda Grady Sexton (603) 548-9377, [email protected]

The New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence applauds Governor Sununu for vetoing SB141 and HB334, which would have placed victims of domestic violence and stalking at heightened risk of lethal assault in our state. We are grateful that the Governor stood with the New Hampshire Department of Justice, the NH Judicial Branch, and crime victim advocates who are working to ensure that our background check system in New Hampshire will remain strong and responsive to victims of domestic violence and stalking. We call on the New Hampshire Legislature to sustain this veto.

The passage of SB141 and HB334 would substantially weaken our background check system and could result in increased incidents of domestic violence homicide. Our member programs shared significant concerns that passage of this legislation would lead to the inadvertent sale of firearms to those who are legally prohibited from purchasing weapons due to their extreme risk of harming their partners and children.

Should this legislation pass, it will leave the state with an incomplete and inconsistent database system that will not cover all types of court protective orders. The outright elimination of the Gunline without sufficient planning and evaluation would trivialize the very real danger that victims of domestic violence and stalking face every day in this state.

“These bills further endanger victims of domestic violence and stalking in the Granite State. Our background check system must remain comprehensive so that individuals who are legally prohibited from purchasing a firearm will be flagged during a background check,” said Amanda Grady Sexton, the Coalition’s Director of Public Affairs. “The state’s current background check system provides the necessary safeguards to ensure that dangerous abusers will not have access to firearms that can be used to kill their victims. Victim safety must remain paramount when considering any changes to our background check system in New Hampshire.”

Read the Coalition's letter to the Governor here.


About the Coalition:

NHCADSV is a statewide network of 12 independent member programs committed to ending sexual violence, domestic violence, and stalking, through direct services to victims, community education, and public policy advocacy. The NHCADSV and its 12 member programs do not discriminate based on gender, age, health status (including HIV-positive), physical, mental, or emotional ability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, socio-economic status, race, national origin, immigration status, or religious or political affiliation. For more information visit www.nhcadsv.org.

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(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02) introduced legislation with Congresswomen Gwen Moore (WI-04), Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Alma Adams, PhD (NC-12) to study the harmful effects of intimate partner violence on maternal health. The Protect Moms from Domestic Violence Act would research domestic and sexual violence as a social determinant of health. The bill would also award grants to programs that improve maternal and child health outcomes of survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

​“We are grateful to Senator Shaheen and Congresswoman Kuster for introducing this critical legislation that recognizes the significant toll that domestic and sexual violence can have on victims throughout their lifetime, especially when it comes to their physical and mental health,” said Lyn Schollett, Executive Director, NH Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. “We have long known that intimate partner violence leads to a host of short- and long-term health consequences for victims, and it’s critical that we invest in resources and services that can more effectively respond to the needs of survivors, especially those who are pregnant and at an increased risk of maternal morbidity. This is a meaningful first step towards strengthening our social and medical systems to acknowledge the additional barriers that pregnant survivors face, and recognizing intimate partner violence as the serious public health issue that it is."

(Washington, DC) – This afternoon on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Sciences and Related Agencies (CJS), called on the Senate to overcome partisan politics and pass the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act, legislation that would strengthen the Crime Victims Fund for the future. The legislation redirects monetary penalties from federal deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements into the CVF in order to provide continued support for state victim compensation and assistance programs. Through her leadership on the CJS Appropriations Subcommittee, Shaheen has historically fought to bolster resources for the CVF. Following Shaheen’s remarks, the Senate approved the measure unanimously, which now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. 
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Shaheen highlighted calls she has received from individuals and groups across New Hampshire urging lawmakers to reject the Toomey amendment and pass a clean bill. “I’ve heard from individuals and organizations from across New Hampshire… like the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and Granite State Children’s Alliance who both are beneficiaries of the Crime Victims Fund… This bill has already passed the House. If we pass this legislation today without amendment, it can be quickly signed into law and we can get these much needed changes to shore up collections into the fund so that the victims of crime can get the help that they need. It will make a meaningful impact to ensure there is adequate funding for survivors now and in years to come.” ​

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House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, April 28, 2021
SB141, relative to the procedure for conducting firearm background checks
 
Testimony of Pamela Keilig
Public Policy Specialist, NH Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
 
Good morning Mister Chair and Members of the Committee. My name is Pamela Keilig, and I am the Public Policy Specialist at the NH Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. The Coalition is an umbrella organization for 12 community-based crisis centers who each year provide free and confidential services to nearly 15,000 survivors of sexual and domestic violence. I am here to speak in opposition to SB141, which would eliminate the state’s Gunline and place victims of domestic violence and stalking at a heightened risk of lethal assault in New Hampshire. Thank you for the opportunity to share this testimony.

Introduction

New Hampshire’s Gunline serves as a state back-up registry allowing law enforcement in New Hampshire to conduct criminal background checks when individuals attempt to purchase firearms, or petition to return their firearms after they have been legally relinquished due to domestic or sexual violence incidents. New Hampshire is a partial point of contact state, whereby the Gunline conducts background checks on handguns, and the Federal Government conducts long-arm background checks via the NICS system. This system has been in place for over 20 years in the Granite State, and there are New Hampshire-specific public safety concerns that will ultimately need to be addressed before we eliminate the Gunline completely. These concerns are not adequately or appropriately rectified in SB141. Public safety needs to be the primary focus when considering overhauling a system that the state has utilized for over two decades. We need a system that is a flexible and recognizes the complexity of domestic violence and stalking cases.

Domestic Violence Homicides in New Hampshire and Risk of Lethality 

The Coalition has significant concerns about the process taken to ensure a smooth transition should the Gunline be eliminated. SB141 does not provide enough clarity around this process, nor evoke confidence that it is even feasible to make this change. As written, this bill lacks transparency around ensuring that cases won’t fall through the cracks and that the most lethal individuals in the state won’t be able to access firearms.

According to the 2018-2019 Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee Biennial Report, 21 people lost their lives to domestic violence homicide in the Granite State, representing 45% of all homicides during that timeframe. This is a dramatic increase from the prior reporting period, illustrating that domestic violence remains one of the most prevalent legal and social problems in our state. In fact, on average, domestic violence is a factor in 77% of state’s murder/suicides and 51% for domestic violence homicides.
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Additionally, thousands of individuals sought protection from domestic violence and stalking between 2018 – 2019. Nearly 8,000 victims filed for domestic violence petitions, and 4,200 civil stalking petitions were filed by people requesting protection from abuse. In addition, 7,501 Criminal Bail Protective Orders were issued. Selling the wrong person, a firearm could be life or death.

When reviewing cause of death for the domestic violence homicides a firearm was used nearly 50% of the time; with handguns being the cause of homicide over long guns 9 out of 10 times. This means that firearms are the leading cause of death in domestic violence cases. We know that the most dangerous time for a victim is when they are trying to leave an abusive relationship. It is essential that all safeguards remain in place to prevent and deter escalating violence.

This is particularly important when reviewing data from the Lethality Assessment Program, also known as LAP. Over the last two years, law enforcement departments across the state have conducted LAP screenings where 54% of victims (over 3,000 individuals) screened in as “high danger”. This means they are at a heightened risk of fatality. The fact that more than half of LAP screens are recognized as high danger is deeply concerning and indicates a need for protective measures to ensure the safety of victims. Moreover, crisis center advocates have reported an increase in the number of lethal cases over the last year. This growing trend of more escalated violence demands that we take victim safety extremely seriously and ensure that all the tools that we can utilize to prevent lethal violence be maintained. The elimination of the Gunline at this juncture would place too many victims at unnecessary risk for their safety.  

SB141 Fails to Address Safety Concerns for Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims

While SB141 makes some attempts to address victim safety concerns, there are significant gaps in the legislation that need to be acknowledged, particularly in ensuring that violent offenders remain prohibited from purchasing or acquiring firearms in New Hampshire. As it stands, this bill is missing critical provisions that would ensure the same level of comprehensive protections currently afforded victims of domestic violence and stalking would be covered in the new system. We recognize the rights of citizens in our state to purchase and own firearms, but that right should not replace the right to public safety that all citizens of our state should have.

There are three specific areas that this bill fails to address that would be detrimental to victims of domestic violence and stalking:

Addressing Cases where the offender’s DOB is not identified. Approximately 6% of cases where protective orders are issued the court does not have a date of birth for the defendant. 

1. If the Date of Birth (DOB) of an offender is unknown, the national registry will cannot accept the petition so it cannot be instantly entered into the federal system. This is problematic because most victims of stranger stalkers do not know the DOB of the offender and their information would not show up on a “check” for certain firearms. This is a gap that cannot be addressed with the proposed legislation. If not addressed, there will always be approximately 50-70 people with the ability to purchase a firearm that are legally prohibited from doing so.
2. SB141 does not cover all types of protective orders. This bill authorizes the Judicial Branch to enter any temporary or final court order requiring the relinquishment of firearms or prohibiting the possession of firearms under RSA 173-B or RSA 633:3-a into the NICS system, however, leaves out critical protective orders that also need to be included. The bill should be expanded to allow entry of protective orders under RSA 169-C (Child Protection Act), RSA 597 (Bail) or any other statute that authorizes the issuance of protective orders that would result in a disqualification under state or federal weapons laws, which would not be authorized as the bill is currently written. This leaves significant gaps in upholding New Hampshire’s statutory protections for domestic violence and stalking victims. Additionally, the bill would not allow for searching of the internal database at the Department of Safety which has cases which result in disqualifying events that are not captured in a search by FBI only. It would also not search the emergency domestic violence orders and criminal bail protective orders issued after hours, further limiting the state’s ability to adequately respond and ensure that violent offenders are not able to access deadly weapons.
3. Does not propose solutions to records not in certain databases. There are between 150,000 – 200,000 criminal records that are not (and cannot be) adequately uploaded into the NICS databases. When they pop up for Gunline, the staff can check, but would not show up in a NICS database. Between these criminal records, and the 50-70 nonconforming individuals, there is a significant need to ensure that records that are currently manually checked will not be left out of the new system. 

Conclusion 

It’s imperative that the state’s background check system be comprehensive, responsive and flexible to account for the realities of the highly dangerous and lethal experiences that survivors face, and that law enforcement have to address in the field. The outright elimination of the gunline without sufficient planning and evaluation trivializes the very real danger that victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking face every day in this state. There are still too many questions left unanswered that are of serious concern around what the transition out of the current system into a new system would be like, and how the unique cases and situations that the law enforcement and the courts manage will be addressed. We understand that the majority of gun owners in this state are not abusers. But we also need to recognize that when abusers do have access to guns it has deadly consequences. If we are going to overturn a 20-year-old system, it is imperative that these safety concerns be adequately addressed. We urge the committee to vote ITL on this bill and prioritize the safety of individuals experiencing domestic and sexual violence in our state.

Thank you so much for your time and I’d be happy to answer any questions.

March 1, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Alyssa Dandrea (802) 451-8491, [email protected]

“It’s unconscionable to think that dozens of boys and girls experienced horrific sexual, physical, and emotional abuse at the hands of those whose sole duty was to protect and care for them,” said Amanda Grady Sexton, the Coalition’s Director of Public Affairs. “Children ordered to a secure institution by the juvenile legal system are among the most vulnerable in New Hampshire, and it’s horrifying to think that staff viewed them as easy targets for victimization.”

Children who experience prolonged stress in toxic environments are more likely to suffer from substance abuse disorders, chronic health problems, and poverty and in adulthood.

“As a state, we must ensure that our children have community-based support that encourages their success,” Grady Sexton continued. “Those who perpetrated violent acts on children in their care must be held accountable.  These courageous survivors deserve justice and should not have to carry the burdens of silence and shame any longer.”
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We encourage anyone who has been sexually or physically abused, no matter when the abuse occurred to seek confidential and compassionate support or information through one of the 13 member programs of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. Caring advocates are available 24/7 at the Coalition’s statewide helpline at 1-800-277-5570.

About the Coalition:
NHCADSV is a statewide network of 13 independent member programs committed to ending sexual violence, domestic violence, and stalking, through direct services to victims, community education, and public policy advocacy. The NHCADSV and its 13 member programs do not discriminate based on gender, age, health status (including HIV-positive), physical, mental, or emotional ability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, socio-economic status, race, national origin, immigration status, or religious or political affiliation. For more information visit www.nhcadsv.org.

January 12, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Alyssa Dandrea (802) 451-8491, [email protected]
 
Today, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office released a statement regarding the appointment of retired Alexandria Police Chief Donald Sullivan as the new Independent Compliance Overseer for St. Paul’s School.
 
“As a veteran law enforcement officer, Chief Sullivan has a demonstrated history of serving crime victims in New Hampshire and understands the importance of working from a trauma-informed and victim-centered perspective,” said Alyssa Dandrea, Community Relations Specialist at the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. “He recognizes that multidisciplinary strategy is essential when responding to cases of sexual and domestic violence, and he will bring that collaborative approach to his work as overseer.”
 
Dandrea continued, “We believe the Chief is an exemplary leader who will help affect the long-term change that is so overdue at St. Paul’s School.”
 
 
About the Coalition:
NHCADSV is a statewide network of 13 independent member programs committed to ending sexual violence, domestic violence, and stalking, through direct services to victims, community education, and public policy advocacy. The NHCADSV and its 13 member programs do not discriminate based on gender, age, health status (including HIV-positive), physical, mental, or emotional ability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, socio-economic status, race, national origin, immigration status, or religious or political affiliation. For more information visit www.nhcadsv.org.
 

December 4, 2020
For immediate release 
Contact: Alyssa Dandrea, [email protected]

The Coalition, announced that it has received a $10,000 grant from Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation (EBCF). The grant is part of a commitment from the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation to provide financial support to local organizations focused on COVID-19 relief.

EBCF is providing a total of $8 million in COVID-19 philanthropic support in the communities it serves.
 
The Coalition is receiving a grant for its work in assisting victims of domestic violence, as the very restrictions imposed to keep people home and safe from the virus create opportunities for sexual abuse, verbal abuse, and physical violence, particularly for women and the LGBTQ+ community.

“Evidence of the impact of this virus outbreak on our neighbors, families, and small businesses is everywhere,” said Nancy Huntington Stager, President and CEO of Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation. “And, we also see the resiliency, sheer will, and hope of people across our region as they band together to help one another. The need for assistance continues to grow, and we will do what we can to give back and support the most vulnerable populations in our communities as well as encourage those who are able to do so to join us.”

If you or a loved one have experienced abuse or sexual assault you are not alone and there is help. Advocates are available to provide support, information and create a plan for safety. Services are free and confidential and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To learn more visit nhcadsv.org.  

CONFIDENTIAL STATEWIDE HOTLINES 
24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline: 
1-866-644-3574 
24-hour Sexual Assault Hotline: 
1-800-277-5570 
​Text and chat services are also available. Visit www.nhcadsv.org for more information. 
 
About the Coalition: 
NHCADSV is a statewide network of 13 independent member programs committed to ending sexual violence, domestic violence, and stalking, through direct services to victims, community education, and public policy advocacy. The NHCADSV and its 13 member programs do not discriminate based on gender, age, health status (including HIV-positive), physical, mental, or emotional ability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, socio-economic status, race, national origin, immigration status, or religious or political affiliation. For more information visit www.nhcadsv.org.