Professor Cheryl Bader was quoted in an article for Fox News discussing the issues associated with a lack of domestic assault offender registry and why it is difficult to put one into place.
Namely, why there has been little headway made to establish a national registry for those convicted of domestic violence crimes – similar to the SORNA registry, which has three tiers publicly listing sex offenders.
“In the year 2019, why don’t we have this in place? We must change that,” Osceola County Sheriff Russ Gibson told Fox News. “I can’t see any cons in regards to a registry. Information is powerful. If you armed with information that this person has been convicted of domestic violence, you can stay away from that. Being aware of a persons’ violent or abusive background can absolutely save your life.”
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As it stands, there is one non-government organization that has set up a database that they call the National Domestic Violence Registry, but it is privately run and funded. It lists the names of those offenders “who have been adjudicated as guilty in the court of law” and claims to verify all submissions and documents sent in.
“They ask for a $10 donation if you seek to add someone’s name to the database. Several states have considered legislation that would mandate registration, but the efforts have not gained traction largely because there is considerable opposition – much of which comes from the groups advocating on behalf of domestic violence victims,” explained Cheryl Bader, a Fordham Law School Professor. “The biggest concern is for victim privacy. Since domestic violence, by nature, takes place within the family and intimate partner relationships, by revealing the identity of the perpetrator the database will also likely reveal the identity of the victim.”