-
(a) The General Assembly finds that:
-
(1) There are many resources to support victims of domestic abuse after the abuse has occurred. However, the issues of how to prevent spousal abuse and the possible solution of creating a safety plan for the spouse and the children in the household have received very little attention;
-
(2) Exposure to domestic abuse and spousal abuse has a devastating impact on both the children and adults in households and communities, regardless of whether they are direct victims of abuse or witnesses to it; and
-
(3) Children exposed to such violence at an early age are likely to become either perpetrators of abuse or victims of violence in adulthood, which is a cycle that can only be stopped through intervention and education.
-
-
(b) The purpose of this subchapter is to reduce the occurrence of spousal abuse and to reduce the exposure of children to spousal abuse by creating a safety plan for the spouse that is a victim of the spousal abuse and for the children in the household.
