In October, an observance usually adorned in purple ribbons, Massachusetts’s Healey-Driscoll Administration put forth updated protocols aimed at enhancing how law enforcement tackle domestic violence issues. According to a recent mass.gov news release, the updated guidelines are a product of the Healey administration’s An Act to prevent abuse and exploitation, which notably extends the legal understanding of abuse to include “coercive control.”
Governor Maura Healey remarked on the importance of the revised guidelines, stating, “These updated guidelines will make sure our law enforcement officers have everything they need to be prepared to protect and support victims and survivors of domestic violence.” Per the release, the updates were informed by the lived experiences of survivors, aiming to ensure procedures that are centered on their security and well-being. Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll echoed this sentiment, stressing the guidelines’ role in fostering “effective and trauma-informed” responses from law enforcement, as well as enhancing protection efforts for victims.
The guidelines were shaped through intensive collaboration between officials from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, the Governor’s Council to Address Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking, and other stakeholders, ensuring that the measures address critical gaps in the domestic violence response. Key enhancements include a broadened definition of abuse, revised 911 response procedures and incident documentation, updated protocols for child support in cases involving domestic violence, and new practices concerning strangulation, stalking — and firearms handling following the 2024 Modernizing Firearm Laws Act…