RADAR alert: Tell Senators to stop the civil rights travesty

October 29, 5:30 AMDomestic Violence ExaminerTrudy Schuett

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R.A.D.A.R. – Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting – is a non-profit, non-partisan organization of men and women working to improve the effectiveness of our nation's approach to solving domestic violence.

RADAR ALERT: Tell Senators to Stop the Civil Rights Travesty!

"Unless you have overwhelming evidence to the contrary, arrest the male."

That's the grim reality in dozens of states with DV mandatory arrest and predominant aggressor policies on the books. These laws were passed thanks to the 1994 and 2000 versions of the Violence Against Women Act, which paid millions of $$$ to states to establish and enforce mandatory arrest policies.

This week, we are asking you to take 5 minutes of your time to contact Senators Patrick Leahy and Jeff Sessions of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Tell them:

    * Mandatory arrest laws are now responsible for the biggest roll-back in civil liberties since the Jim Crow era.
    * State mandatory arrest laws were passed thanks to financial inducements in the 1994 and 2000 versions of the Violence Against Women Act.
    * Even though the 2005 version of VAWA wisely shifted from a "mandatory" to a "pro" arrest position, not a single state has repealed its mandatory arrest policies.
    * The 2010 reauthorization of VAWA needs to include strong financial incentives to states to repeal their unconstitutional mandatory arrest policies.

Here's the contact information:
Senate Judiciary Committee  

Chairman: Patrick Leahy (D-VT)  
Telephone  202-224-4242  
Fax   202-224-3479  
Contact  Webform http://leahy.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Ranking Minority Leader: Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Telephone  202-224-4124
Fax     202-224-3149
Contact  Webform  http://sessions.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ConstituentServices.ContactMe

Even though the Fourth Amendment requires "probable cause" before an arrest can be made, the domestic violence industry delights in putting more and more people behind bars, no matter what the Constitution says! It's time to speak up for our rights and our civil liberties!

States with Mandatory Arrest for Alleged Assault:
Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

States with Mandatory Arrest for Alleged Violation of a Restraining Order:
Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Read about the DVA09 Project here