[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 86 (Thursday, June 30, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 30, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
         A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STORY NOT FOUND ON THE FRONT PAGE

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                          HON. SUSAN MOLINARI

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 30, 1994

  Ms. MOLINARI. Mr. Speaker, let's take a break from the O.J. Simpson 
story. What about other stories? It is time we opened our eyes to the 
secret shame in homes across this country. Domestic violence is all too 
common--in your community, in my community.
  I recently received a letter from a woman in my district that I would 
like to share with you.

       For the last three years I have been threatened, beaten, 
     harassed, stalked and terrified by my husband. He has been 
     arrested several times in violations regarding an order of 
     protection from family court. But recently the violence 
     escalated.
       He has been removed from our home, but one day he broke in 
     and waited for me to return from work. He beat me in the head 
     with a sack of coins he held in his hand, and when I finally 
     fell to the ground he kicked me in the head and body several 
     times. I bled profusely from my head injuries, and was rushed 
     to the hospital. Staples were placed in my scalp. I was badly 
     bruised and needed to stay in bed for weeks.
       A warrant was issued for his arrest, but he couldn't be 
     found. A month later, while crossing the street, he tried to 
     run me over with his van. When he realized he had missed me, 
     he jumped out of the van and beat me until people came to my 
     rescue.

  Mr. Speaker, I am told that the charges against her husband will be 
reduced to a misdemeanor and he will probably receive a sentence of 100 
hours of community service and 1-year probation, and she will receive a 
1-year order of protection.
  Let this be a lesson to us all. The O.J. Simpson case is focusing 
attention on domestic violence like never before, but the laws in our 
country are inadequate and so is society's attitude--still--toward 
domestic violence.

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