Visitation is a very dangerous time for victims and children, and there are almost no supervised visitation centers in Maryland. There are not enough programs helping children heal from the abuse they have witnessed or suffered. Most schools do not teach violence prevention or intervene with children from violent homes. Victim service programs are underfunded and are sorely lacking new sources of income. There are insufficient transitional services to help victims become self-sufficient.
Victims often feel isolated, blamed, and without help.
Sadly, in every corner of our Sate there are still those who believe that battering wives and children in private is acceptable behavior. These problems, and others, cry out for solutions. The committees spent the past half-year working hard to craft solutions. The solutions are contained in the recommendations and action plan detailed in this report. The recommendations challenge the justice system and the community to consistently respond to family violence with the urgency needed to end this problem.