It should go without saying that intimate partner homicide is a devastating situation for a child and their relatives to encounter.
I have worked very closely with children throughout my life as a teacher, tutor, counselor, babysitter, and as a mentor. I find it almost unimaginable how much of a burden it would be for them to go through something like this. If any child were to undergo such a disaster, I know that I would want SB 359 in place.
S.B. 359 is a bill in the Connecticut General Assembly designed to “require the Department of Children and Families to provide resources to the relatives of a parent whose death resulted from intimate partner violence.” In practice, the bill would amend the current statutes to involve an intimate partner violence specialist in helping the Commissioner of Children and Families to 1.) Identify relatives who could potentially care for the child, 2.) Provide resources and legal options to the relatives for seeking care for the child, and 3.) Notify the relatives that the child has been removed from the custody of the parent.
Research shows that a child whose parent is killed through intimate partner violence is prone to negative mental health outcomes. A 2015 study identified four distinct negative outcomes of its aftermath: psychological, social, physical, and academic regression.
Attachment difficulties with children’s new caregivers are one of the primary negative social outcomes associated with intimate partner homicide. This can happen due to hesitancy accepting the new caregiver or unwillingness to form new relationships before reconciling with the death of a parent. Reconciliation is made even more difficult by the fact that in many cases, these children are losing the very person they need — their mom or dad — to get through difficult situations.
The transition to a new caregiver is not an easy one, and is not made any better if there is constant unease about who might be able to care for the child, and if they understand the process for doing so. While S.B. 359 can’t reverse the death of a loved one, what it can do is help streamline the process for delivering care to the child.
We also know that there is a very real burden placed on the relatives of the child following an intimate partner homicide. They might feel conflicted on whether they have the resources to care for the child or feel intimidated by the process of finding care for or potentially fostering the child.
Most people don’t predict or anticipate intimate partner homicide, meaning that most people have little to no exposure to the relevant resources to work through the conflict. While there are public resources available to help aid in the process, discovering them is a process in and of itself. These public resources are meaningless if people don’t know about them, and this bill creates a more direct link between children, relatives, and caregivers to the relevant resources.
Fostering this link is nothing new in state legislation. A New Jersey statute, for example, requires “the development and implementation of public awareness and outreach efforts to promote domestic violence prevention and education.” This statute includes the specific measure of explaining how domestic violence victims can access “…shelter services, legal advocacy services, and legal assistance services.” Though New Jersey’s statute is tailored to domestic violence, it recognizes the importance of educating relevant victims on vital resources addressing urgent needs.
S.B. 359 is Connecticut’s opportunity to streamline the connection between individuals impacted by intimate partner homicide and the vital resources necessary for these individuals to move forward.
Our legislators in the Connecticut General Assembly are the only ones with the power to systematically improve the response to intimate partner homicide, and the responsibility lies with them to do so via S.B. 359. This legislative session will end on May 8, leaving little time for legislators to get the job done. If you would like to join the effort to get this bill passed, email your local representatives and encourage them to act fast!
You can keep track of the bill here.
Zavian Valedón is a member of the Yale College Democrats.