when you think of domestic violence the image of a battered woman may come to mind but domestic abuse often takes the form of control and manipulation that may never leave a physical Mark but can destroy a person's life yesterday the issue was addressed in a package of bills aimed at bringing New Jersey's legal system up to speed with the realities of domestic abuse Melissa Rose Cooper was at the hearing where survivors shared their experiences and lawmakers looked for ways to redefine domestic abuse even the proof of my ex-husband's abuse I remain trapped in the family court system because of the lack of emotions running high in Trenton as domestic abuse survivors and their supporters testified at the state house yesterday the assembly law and Public Safety Committee held a joint hearing with the assembly Judiciary Committee as members reviewed a package of bills addressing domestic violence and our goal is to help ensure that victims and their families have the services and the support that they need and unfortunately many times when survivors interact with various systems whether it's law enforcement the courts health care they're often not met with individuals that have the training and background and information on understanding domestic violence and all of the different forms that it may take place for them Nicole Morello policy and education director at New Jersey coalition to end domestic violence testified in support of the bills saying it could help thousands of victims across the state one bill that we were just testifying to would help to ensure that the courts can consider course of control in domestic violence cases which really is the found Foundation of domestic violence and what most victims and survivors experience and usually includes many different forms of non-physical abuse and traditionally many times in our society we think of domestic violence in its physical terms and so this will help to ensure that we have that broader understanding of domestic abuse the domestic violence Bill package includes 11 measures aimed at improving protections for victims and survivors the bills passed in both committees but not without some opposition despite the criticism that you heard in the hearing essay my Bill or Bill does not create a new crime it does not create a new crime does not change who is deemed eligible for restraining order under the pvda okay and number three does not impact the Assurance of a temporary restraining order assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez is one of the Bill's sponsors a domestic violence Survivor herself she says the legislation is a necessity so many women who are Kevin they're kept quiet you know they're kept quiet they they stay home they don't go out they take their kids to school but they come back home and this is because they have a controlling on dominant male person in their in their home controlling every aspect of what they do but parts of the bill package are drawing some concern Geralyn Lawrence is the president of the New Jersey State Bar Association while she applauds the legislature's effort to tackle domestic violence she believes some of the language should be amended they had some compelling Witnesses testify yesterday about their personal circumstances and some of the acts of domestic violence that befell them was not covered on the list they were talking about being victims of social media stalking or having a YouTube channel geared at them that's not covered on the list so those were our concerns that that it just was not the right way to draft the statue in a list type form and we wanted to Encompass a coercive control in a more broader fat fashion so that all victims of domestic violence have their voice heard the package of domestic violence bills now heads to the senate for further consideration survivors and Advocates are hopeful it will lead to change so that no one has to suffer at the hands of abuse again for NJ Spotlight news I'm Melissa Rose Cooper [Music]