Sin by Silence Blog

Hearing at the Capitol

Nov 1st, 2011 In: Latest News & Updates Legislation By: admin Comments 4

After 2.2 million viewers tuned in for our television premiere last week, the Sin by Silence team continued the momentum at the California State Assembly.

On Thursday, October 27th we participated in an Assembly hearing to strategize legislative changes that would gain freedom for the survivors of Convicted Women Against Abuse who remain trapped behind bars.  The result?  Success!

The Sin by Silence Bill is now underway to help free the remaining convicted survivors…IMPACT!!!

As Assemblywoman Fiona Ma states…

“Since my very first year in the Assembly I have been the Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Domestic Violence. Over the course of the last five years, I’ve worked on a variety of issues including restoring shelter funding, relieving victims from being arrested, protecting men and women from stalkers and I have even worked to establish a statewide registry of convicted domestic violence felons. I’ve worked on a wide variety of issues, but there is none that is more dear to my heart than the issue of incarcerated victims.

After watching the moving film Sin By Silence, I decided that action needed to be taken. Next Thursday, I will be holding a hearing on this issue in Sacramento. I would encourage you all to attend to hear the stories of previously incarcerated victims, legal experts and more as the committee looks at potential legislation. Brenda Clubine, star of the documentary, “Sin By Silence,” will be in attendance to share her story of spending 26 years behind bars and why there is a need for legislative change to help the women she left behind.

At the hearing, the Committee will hear about challenges facing victims who are domestic violence’s worst case scenarios: women that have killed their abusers and who were convicted of crimes related to their experiences of being abused. A California state prison study found that 93% of the women who had killed their significant others had been battered by them; 67% of these women indicated the homicide resulted from an attempt to protect themselves or their children.”

Sincerely,

Fiona Ma
Assembly Speaker pro Tempore