Safe haven for domestic, child abuse announced

Provided

Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown joined Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Acting Director of the United States Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Bea Hanson, domestic violence advocates, community members, and state and local officials, Tuesday to announce the opening of the Baltimore City "Safe Havens" Visitation Center and Supervised Exchange program.

Creation of Safe Havens in Baltimore was made possible through a $400,000 cooperative agreement provided by the OVW. Supervised visitation services allow child or adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, or child abuse to have parent-child contact in the presence of an appropriate third-party supervisor.

Combating domestic violence is a personal cause for Lt. Governor Brown. In August 2008, his cousin Cathy was senselessly murdered by her estranged boyfriend.

Brown worked with members of the General Assembly, domestic violence advocates and stakeholders to pass legislation allowing a victim of domestic abuse to terminate a residential lease with a copy of a final protective order.