Video: Local Reaction To Senate Bill 2703 Not Making It Out Of Legislation

COLUMBUS, Miss.(WCBI)—Domestic abuse is still not grounds for a divorce in the State of Mississippi.

Senate Bill 2703, that would have put domestic abuse along with the 12 reasons for divorce, died on the lawmakers discussion table Tuesday.

It’s a startling statistic, but one that hits home for a local woman.

Melissa Williams spent 12 years in an abusive marriage. She says divorce saved her life.

“When he would pull up at the house my kids would be like we were in the army, you know, like we got to salute and stand still and do this and I just couldn’t live that way and I had to divorce if I didn’t divorce I would probably be dead and someone else, maybe him, would be raising my kids,”said domestic violence survivor Melissa Williams.

Currently, Mississippi divorce law covers domestic violence under the terms, “habitual cruel and inhuman treatment.”

Safe Haven Counselor Kenya Walker says that language is no help to a victim in court.

“But the problem is habitual. It’s harder to prove it that domestic violence is taking place if they are going to use the word habitual. Because domestic violence doesn’t always mean in the physical abuse aspect psychological abuse falls under the definition of domestic violence which can be a little bit harder to prove if your going to use the term habitual,” said Walker.

“The reason I didn’t want to leave is because he took care of me and I thought maybe I don’t want no one else to get that but then the emotional abuse and verbal abuse. I mean, I couldn’t take it any more and I mean when you have girls they grow up seeing that and they think that’s the way it’s suppose to be,”said Williams.

When considering Senate Bill 2703, some state lawmakers expressed it would just -quote- “Open The Flood Gates” to more divorces.”

“If you’re getting beat every day and you’re being told that you’ll never be nothing, you’re never worth nothing, you’re ugly, you’re fat, don’t nobody want you that’s abuse and it stick with you. Before I left him I thought all those things were true,”said

Walker says under the state’s current law, a victim’s best defense is a record of the abuse.

“They are going to have to have documentation. If you are in a domestic violence situation make sure your going to the E.R. getting reports from the Dr. Filing a police report. Start your paper trail because no documentation means that it didn’t happen. The bill indicates clear evidence or the preponderance of evidence. Since that’s the way the bill is written to get the bill to work for us, even though we want it amended, we have to do exactly what the bill says,”said Williams.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, Baptist Memorial hospital hosts victim Group therapy once a week. There is also assistance for Offenders of Domestic Violence. For more information you’re asked to call Safe Haven  at (662) 327-6118