Nys Senator Eric Adams Joins Rapper Queen Pen And Other Public Officials In An Appeal For Stringent Domestic Violence Legislation

New York State Senator Eric Adams (D, Brooklyn) will hold a press conference with rap artist Queen Pen and other public officials to urge the passage of more stringent legislation to cover cases of domestic violence  

Senator Adams states: “The crime of domestic violence occurs among people of all economic and cultural backgrounds.  Women are much more likely than men to be targeted, with almost one-third of American female murder victims each year killed by a current or former partner, usually a husband.  Children are often involved, either directly (as victims of the battering) or indirectly (as witnesses to the violence).  We cannot tolerate an atmosphere in which the sanctuary of the home is unsafe or insecure; a family thrives only when its most fundamental and essential haven, its home, is tranquil.  We must prioritize the eradication of domestic violence by establishing and maintaining prevention programs that include education, counseling, and legal services, by holding domestic abusers accountable to the full extent of the law, and by offering victims the support of government officials, community leaders, health care professionals, teachers, employers, friends, and neighbors.” 

Lynise Walters, aka Queen Pen, is a survivor of domestic abuse.  After a hospitalization in January as the result of another vicious beating at the hands of a former domestic partner, she is all too familiar with what New York State Governor David Paterson has termed “a blight on our society.”  Determined to “effect change through legislation for domestic violence victims,” Queen Pen established Silent Cries.  This organization will enhance and extend the efforts of a determined woman whose fundraising for and mentoring work with domestic abuse victims has been commended by Governor Paterson.  With the rate of domestic violence increasing, Senator Adams, Queen Pen, and many elected officials are taking a stand for battered women, holding a press conference to urge the NYC community and its political and civic leadership to support revisions in laws that govern domestic violence.   

Senator Adams further states:       “According to a New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services report entitled “Domestic Homicide in New York State: 2007,” 55% of all female homicide victims are killed in domestic incidents!  Moreover, this comprehensive statewide analysis of homicides in which the victim was an intimate partner, child, or other family member of the accused establishes that a significant percentage of all homicides (of both men and women) in New York result from domestic violence.  We must do everything in our power to eradicate it.”