Senator Janeen Sollman (D–Hillsboro, Forest Grove & the Rock Creek area) was among the state officials and community leaders gathered by Governor Tina Kotek at the State Library for a ceremonial signing of Senate Bill 710.
The legislation recognizes that survivors of sexual assault and domestic abuse deserve a court experience of protection, not further harm. Specifically, it requires that judges learn to recognize abuse dynamics, handle cases with sensitivity, and make genuinely informed decisions in complex cases.
Senator Sollman and Senator Suzanne Weber (R – North Coast), chief sponsors of SB 710, underscored the importance of the training for judges.
“As a Senator and a board member of the Family Justice Center of Washington County, I have heard from numerous advocates and survivors that improvements to the family court system are much needed,” said Senator Sollman. “In order to protect children and survivors of abuse and domestic violence, we must have better training and awareness for our judges all across Oregon, it can have dire consequences if they do not have this trauma-informed training.”
“Often a child who comes to court in a domestic violence case has experienced unimaginable trauma,” Senator Weber told her colleagues before the vote. “There is nothing more damaging than having a judge who does not make the right decisions for them, even if only out of ignorance.”
“Survivors and their children enter courtrooms seeking safety and justice, yet too often face a judicial system that may not fully understand the complexities of family violence, coercive control, and trauma. When our judiciary is better informed, survivors are better protected, and justice is better served” says Rachel Schutz, executive director of the Family Justice Center of Washington County. “I am deeply grateful to the VOICES committee for leading this charge and lending their experiences, their stories, and their voices to change the laws across Oregon, and ensure that all the survivors that come after them are seen, heard, and believed.”
The VOICES committee is the survivor advisory committee to the Family Justice Center.
The new law gives Oregon’s Chief Justice of the Supreme Court responsibility for setting continuing education requirements, and it requires that state training for judges covers verified, meaningful information on sexual assault, stalking, and other matters related to interpersonal violence. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and with only one no vote in the House.
This story is based on submitted information and has not been verified by our news team.
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