NOW LET’S TURN TO SOME
POWERFUL PERSONAL TESTIMONY
FROM THIS INITIATE MICHIGAN
STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
STEPHANIE YOUNG TELLING US
THAT SHE INTRODUCES A
PACKAGE OF BILLS TO HELP
PROTECT VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND ABUSE.
PAULA TUTMAN BRINGS US HER
STORY AND IT IS ONE YOU ARE
NOT LIKELY TO FORGET.
>> Reporter: ON THE FLOOR OF
STATE HOUSE IN LANSING
REPRESENTATIVE STEPHANIE
YOUNG OF DETROIT’S EIGHTH
DISTRICT IN NORTHWEST
DETROIT CAN WIELD A MIGHTY
PRESENCE.
>> I ASKED MY COLLEAGUES TO
PROTECT EVERYONE’S FREEDOM.
>> Reporter: BUT IN HER
CHILDHOOD NEIGHBORHOOD ON
DETROIT’S WESTSIDE.
>> SO THIS IS A TRIGGER.
THIS AREA YOU THINK COULD BE
A TRIGGER.
>> IT COULD BE.
YEAH.
>> Reporter: SHE’S TRIGGERED
BACK TO HER PAINFUL
CHILDHOOD. >> I LIVE -- I GREW UP RIGHT
>> I LIVE -- I GREW UP RIGHT
DOWN THE STREET.
>> Reporter: SHE CAN
REMEMBER THE GREAT TIMES SHE
HAD AS A DADDY’S GIRL BUT
IT’S WHEN SHE REMEMBERS THE
TIMES HE DRANK THAT TAKES
HER BACK TO THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL EMOTIONAL AND
VERBAL ABUSE SHE SAYS SHE,
HER MOTHER AND HER TWO OLDER
SIBLINGS ENDURED.
>> MY HEART WAS LIKE WHO’S
GOING TO GET OUT OF THE CAR
TODAY.
IS IT GOING TO BE FUN DAD,
BUT THEN, THERE WILL BE
OTHER DAYS WHEN HE WOULD
SHOW UP NEXT THING YOU KNOW
WE WOULD BE PACKING OUR BAGS
AND GETTING OUT FOR THE
NIGHT UNTIL HE SLEPT IT OFF.
>> Reporter: IT’S FROM THAT
ADVANTAGE THAT SHE TAKES
CONTROL OF HER CHILDHOOD
NARRATIVE BY PREPARING TO
INTRODUCE LEGISLATION
TOMORROW TO AMPHETAMINE UP
PROTECTION FOR VICTIMS --
AMP UP PROTECTION FOR
VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE.
A PACKAGE TO KEEP VICTIMS OF
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ABUSE
FROM BEING REVICTIMIZED.
HOUSE BILL 5154 GIVES
VICTIMS PROTECTION FROM
EVICTIONS.
HOUSE BILL 5455 UPDATES THE
PAID MEDICAL LEAVE ACT TO
INCLUDE STALKING, DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT
VICTIMS AS A PROTECTIVE
CLASS FOR THE USE OF PAID
SICK LEAVE.
HOUSE BILL 5156 ENSURES A
DOMESTIC ABUSE VICTIM IS NOT
DISQUALIFIED FROM RECEIVING
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
STEMMING FROM DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE VIOLENCE AND/OR
STALKING.
>> IF A LANDLORD HEARS THAT
A WOMAN MAY BE IN A DOMESTIC
SITUATION AND IS LOOKING TO
START A NEW LIFE THEY WILL
USE THAT AGAINST THEM.
WE DON’T NEED YOUR DRAMA.
>> Reporter: HB 5157
PREVENTS LANDLORDS AND
REALTORS FROM DISCRIMINATING
AGAINST DOMESTIC ABUSE
VICTIMS.
HB 558 EXTENDS PRIVACY
RIGHTS TO ADULTS NOT JUST
VICTIMS WHO ARE MINORS.
FOR THE LITTLE GIRL WHO USED
TO SIT IN HER FRONT STOOP
AND WONDER WHICH ONE OF HER
FATHER’S WOULD COME HOME
FROM WORK THE NICE ONE OR
THE DRUNK ONE.
TODAY, AS YOUNG WALKED THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND TALKED
ABOUT HER PAST OUTLOOK SHE
SAID TODAY SHE ACTUALLY FELT
MORE POWERFUL THAN SHE’S
EVER FELT BEFORE.
>> PART OF HEALING IS
ACKNOWLEDGING, I BELIEVE
THAT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT SECRETS
DON’T PROMOTE HEALING.
>> Reporter: YEAH, SO, SHE
SAYS SHE RARELY SPEAKS ABOUT
THIS BUT SHE IS SHINING THE
LIGHT OF DAY ON THIS RIGHT
NOW BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT’S
GIVING HER HER POWER BACK.
SHE IS ACTUALLY ONE OF 10
WOMEN IN THE PROGRESSIVE
WOMEN’S CAUCUS WHO’S
DROPPING THIS LEGISLATION
THEY CALL IT DROPPING I
GUESS KIND OF LIKE DROPPING
THE C.V. BUT IS DROPPING
THIS LEGISLATION AT 10:00
A.M. TOMORROW MORNING.
THERE’S SOME OTHER STUFF IN
IT AS WELL, KAREN, THAT ALSO
GIVES MORE POWER TO PROTECT
THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
VICTIMS.
BUT THIS LEGISLATION AND HER
BEING APART OF IT IS WHAT IS
MAKING HER VICTORIOUS OVER
THAT PART OF HER CHILDHOOD.
>> IT MAKES ALL THE
DIFFERENCE, PAULA I REALLY
LIKE WHAT YOU SAID PART OF
HEALING IS ACKNOWLEDGING.
THE FACT THAT SHE GOES IN
FRONT OF A CAMERA AND SHARES
THIS HOPEFULLY IT SHOWS
OTHERS THAT WILL IS HOPE,
THERE’S CHANGE AND YOU CAN
GET OUT OF THAT SITUATION.
DON’T YOU THINK.
>> AND YOU CAN SURVIVE IT.
IT IS SURVIVABLE.