Police in Washington will soon be required to temporarily remove firearms from the homes of perpetrators during domestic violence calls. The law, passed by the state Legislature, takes effect July 28.
State Rep. Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, says the law is about better protecting victims.
“If you look at the data, the number of women who are threatened with gun violence by an intimate partner is extraordinarily high,” Jinkins said.
And Jinkins says the weeks and months after a domestic violence incident are the most dangerous time for a victim or survivor. A recent study showed 55 percent of domestic violence homicides in Washington were committed with firearms.
Jinkins said the removal of guns during a domestic violence call was allowed before, but it was left to the discretion of the officer. The new law will require that guns be removed. Washington law already requires that the person determined to be the perpetrator be arrested during a domestic violence call, and that victim be given information on shelters and other ways to stay safe.
Another victim-protection law, also sponsored by Jinkins, will take effect July 28. The law will make it easier for sexual assault victims to obtain protection orders in Washington.
Currently, more steps are required to obtain a protection order for sexual assualt compared to domestic violence. The new law no longer requires victims of sexual assault to provide additional evidence showing they have a reasonable fear of what the perpetrator might do in the future. Evidence of an attack will be sufficient to obtain the court order.
