Testimony before the D.C. Council Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety on B26-0671, the Protecting Victims Amendment Act of 2026

Domestic violence must be taken seriously, and survivors and advocates must have the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to policy that impacts their families, communities, and lives. Although the Protecting Victims Amendment Act is framed as a comprehensive reform effort designed to increase accountability for abusers and protect victims and survivors, its provisions instead disproportionately focus on criminalization. Increasing criminalization and enhancing penalties are not solutions tailored to address many of the longstanding issues in the criminal legal system or increase public safety for communities overall.

Our Position:

ACLU-D.C. is especially concerned about several provisions included in the Protecting Victims Amendment Act that would expand pretrial detention in the District. We urge Council to take our concerns regarding the Protecting Victims Amendment Act into consideration, and reject this legislation as currently drafted.