Bill protects kids from domestic violence

A proposed legislation protecting children from abuse and violence within the family drew support at a Senate hearing yesterday from government agencies responsible for promoting family values in the Northern Marianas.

House Bill 11-30 will also be tackled in community meetings on Rota and Tinian, according to Sen. Ricardo Atalig, chair of the Senate committee on Health, Education and Welfare which is deliberating the measure.

Eloise Furey, director of the Division of Youth Services, urged lawmakers to pass the bill in light of the growing cases of child abuse and domestic violence on the island.

“It’s comprehensive. It provides for prevention, for education, public awareness and protection,” she said in an interview after the hearing. “We are not just talking about adult victims here, there are also child victims.”

She said they had recommended continuous protection of children in cases of domestic violence, which is addressed in the proposal.

The division also is currently implementing preventive programs to deal with the worsening problem as a result of the domestic violence and other forms of abuse on women and children.

According to Furey, the program has received good response as majority of people who have sought advise are not necessarily those who have experienced abuse and neglect.

“Majority of them have called and said “I need help’,” she explained. “It’s a good indication (because) help is available out there and you don’t have to be someone who has abused your kids to get help.”

Sen. David Cing, a member of the committee, vowed to introduce a separate legislation that will increase penalty for those found violating CNMI laws against abuse and violence in the family.

But he also raised question on whether the requirement provided in the bill, such as mediator in family conflict, is reflective of the indigenous culture, citing traditional families have resorted to physical means of disciplining their children.

Furey, however, said the culture also teaches proper care of children and protection of family values.

“Nowadays, kids are getting hit for no reason at all,” she told the hearing, noting several cases of abuse that have been referred to DYS in the past few years.

Acting Attorney General Maya B. Kara also expressed support on the need for a mediator in domestic problems, saying the person can either be a highly trained professional or somebody considered respectable in the community.

Atalig underscored the need to further review the bill. “It is critical for us to consider our culture and come up with standards reflecting it,” he told the hearing.