A subcommittee in the Iowa House of Representatives has advanced a bill that would create a domestic abuse offender registry. Offenders with at least two convictions of domestic abuse would be required to register as a “persistent domestic abuse assault offender” on the registry held within the Department of Public Safety. 

While the intent of the bill (HF2301) appears to be to protect potential future victims from becoming involved with habitual offenders, some advocates say it would create unintended consequences for survivors. 

“At first glance, a domestic violence registry may seem like a strong prevention tool, and we understand why some survivors, legislators and community members support the idea,” Lindsay Pingel, director of community engagement for the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said in an email. “But we are concerned about unintended consequences, including the chilling effect a public registry could have on victims who are already afraid to come forward due to retaliation, financial instability, or public exposure.”

Ben Brustkern, executive director of Friends of the Family, a housing support organization that helps domestic violence and sexual assault survivors in 25 Iowa counties, believes the registry could unintentionally take away agency from survivors. 

“I think it’s trying to send the right message that we care about people who are affected by domestic violence, but I don’t know that it fully executes on what the majority of survivors may want,” Brustkern said.

When someone’s name appears on the registry, as well as the date and location of the conviction, it could provide enough information to reveal survivors’ identities. Brustkern said that information could result in unnecessary barriers for those affected by domestic violence.

One of those barriers is housing. Landlords would be able to screen for these issues and deny someone housing based on the potential of future involvement with law enforcement. 

“When you take housing access away, you’re going to create more stresses in people’s lives, which is only going to perpetuate an issue for somebody versus creating an opportunity for somebody to learn and move forward,” Brustkern said. 

Leaders are concerned with protecting the privacy of survivors, especially in rural parts of Iowa where interpersonal relationships are often well known. Families may fear getting law enforcement involved to avoid getting their spouse put on the list. Children could experience bullying at school if it becomes known that their parent is on the list. 

“Domestic violence is a complex issue, and a registry risks oversimplifying that reality or creating a false sense of security,” Pingel said. “Iowa already has tools in place – like Iowa Courts Online – and we have to consider whether limited resources would be better invested in prevention efforts and survivor services.”

Survivors who decide not to separate from offenders could face stigma in the community as well. 

“Not every survivor is the same and that choice is going to vary from person to person,” Brustkern said. “Certainly when we’ve talked with people in our line of work, you’ll hear, ‘Hey, I just want it to go away and not come back, but I don’t need them in jail or prosecuted.’” 

The bill moved through the Public Safety Subcommittee, which consists of Reps. Sam Wengryn, Bob Henderson and Beth Wessel-Kroeschell. The bill will need to pass the full committee before the funnel deadline on Friday. 

If you or someone you know needs support and would like to connect with an advocate in your community, resources are available at www.icadv.org,or by calling the Iowa Victim Services Call Center at 1-800-770-1650 or texting “IowaHelp” to 20121.