WSMV Channel 4 Advocates say domestic violence protection bill worth cost

An idea to fight one of the most persistent crime problems in the state may be too pricey to carry out.

A proposal to keep domestic violence offenders behind bars would cost cities and counties millions of dollars to put in place.

It's a plan many say will allow women to finally escape their abusers, but lawmakers are struggling with the price tag.

A proposal to keep domestic violence offenders behind bars would cost cities and counties millions of dollars to put in place.

Melissa, a survivor of domestic violence, says she remembers the final straw that led her to finally call police for help.

"He got real physical with me, and I went to the hospital. I was seven months pregnant, and I realized I can't do this anymore," she said.

But it wasn't easy to walk away. She had lived in fear for so long - fear that if she called for help, her abuser would be back home in a matter of hours.

"The mental and emotional abuse is just as bad as the physical, not knowing what mood he was going to wake up or when he was coming home how he was going to react. So I was living in fear," Melissa said.

It's a problem that Gov. Bill Haslam has proposed a fix. He wants to mandate that those who are convicted of a repeat domestic violence offense spend at least 45 days in jail.

"Imagine, 12 hours to pack up you and your family and get to a safe place as opposed to 45 days. It really could make a difference, and it's not just that it's also holding the offender accountable," said Valerie Wynn, executive director of the Mary Parrish Center.

But the plan has run into a roadblock in the State Legislature. It would cost local communities an extra $8 million to lock up these repeat offenders.

"I think the bill is a great bill, but we are again mandating more costs to our county that they don't have the money for," said Rep. Rick Womick, R-Murfreesboro.

While lawmakers try to find a way to fund the plan, advocates say they need to look at the big picture.

"Those 45 days would absolutely make a difference between life and death for women and children in our state," Wynn said.

Some other big picture costs, according to a state study, include $15 million a year to house those convicted of domestic violence murder.

It also costs businesses $11 million in lost productivity, and healthcare costs for victims of domestic violence costs the state $33 million.

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