FRANKFORT, Kentucky (WKYT) – Stephanie Dietz is not only a representative from Northern Kentucky, but also a family law attorney.

And when a client came to her five years ago, she learned about coercive controls for the first time.

“It’s a pattern of behavior. You take away their personal freedoms and their autonomy. You take away their friends and convince them to quit their jobs. She gets in trouble if she sees her friends or family. Why don’t you cut your hours? Why don’t you use my credit card,” said Dietz, the Republican representative from Edgewood.

A restraining order wasn’t an option for her client, but in her case they were able to prove that there shouldn’t be shared custody. However, Dietz knows that many victims of domestic violence don’t always have access to the same resources.

“People say they can just walk away. They can’t. They are monitored. They don’t have access to funds. They are afraid of getting into trouble. Maybe they don’t have a car or their car keys will be taken away. But maybe they have someone who could take them to court and they could get a restraining order.”

Currently, in Kentucky, a restraining order is only required when physical violence is threatened or used. Rep. Dietz wants to add coercive measures to that list. She said it could save lives.

“We really need to get used to recognizing and understanding the pattern of what ultimately leads to physical violence or the death of a person.”

Eight other states have added coercive control to their protective order laws.

You can watch Dietz appear on a preliminary joint judicial committee with Christy Burch, executive director of the Iron Center for Violence Prevention, at this link.

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