VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) is introducing a bill to combat this and help survivors of domestic violence.
Chnika Clark, a Virginia Beach woman who's a domestic violence survivor, hopes this bill will do more good than harm after her ex woke her up one night with a gun to her face.
Nearly 10 years ago, Clark was in an eight-year relationship with her child's father. They were best friends and she trusted him, until one night she says she didn't recognize the man she loved.
"He shot me twice, he shot himself and then he passed away. He shot me in my chest and my leg," said Clark.
Those gunshot wounds in her chest and leg are permanent scars that will live with her forever. Clark says she never filed a protective order because she was never physically abused by him until that night.
"I can say I did see some signs of something. And maybe if I had recognized, I would have went to the police, or certain family members, to help him," said Clark.
A push for help is coming from Sen. Kaine: he's introducing legislation to protect domestic survivors from gun violence.
"If you categorize gun violence deaths, so much of it is in domestic space," said Sen. Kaine.
Although Clark survived and is able to share her story, many women are not so lucky. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%.
Kaine says this bill will prevent individuals under emergency restraining orders from purchasing or having a firearm instead of waiting for a final restraining order.
"A lot of times, a judge will order somebody to be temporarily restrained: not a permanent order, but a temporary order. And that information does not block you from getting a weapon," explained Sen. Kaine. "A lot of times, people in that situation, they go get a weapon and they use it to commit violence against an intimate partner."
Clark says her ex got access to a gun even though he was not allowed to have one. She hopes this legislation will save many lives.
"Any change to help what's going on, I will support it. I just hope and pray that it will," Clark added.
The proposed bill will ensure that all restraining orders, whether temporary or emergency, are protected under court law.
"I never thought I would be in this space. I really can say I didn't know what domestic violence was back then, but now, I'm all the way in it. I can say I'm an advocate and support others who might want help," said Clark.
This act establishes a new grant program to help state and local governments implement policies that will keep firearms out of the hands of domestic violence abusers. These policies include:
- Requiring a domestic violence abuser to surrender or sell any firearm or ammunition in their possession.
- Revoking their permit or license to purchase, possess, or carry a firearm or ammunition while the restraining order is in effect.
- Requiring a background check to be performed before any firearm or ammunition is returned to the person subject to the restraining order.
