Some positive results came out of this year’s legislative session. Domestic abuse is always a topic that many people have their eyes on during the yearly session as this prevalent issue affects so many, including children. Brighter lights are being shined on the problem, which is good, but much work still needs to be done.

According to Erin Jemison, director of public policy for the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition (UDVC), there were 161 bills impacting domestic violence during this year’s session. Of the 83 bills that were supported by UDVC, 50 passed.

Some of these were priority bills for the coalition. For example, House Bill 303, which addresses family law proceedings, passed. This bill defines coercive control in state law so abuse can be better addressed, improves processes for families with court-ordered therapy for children, helps ensure that awarding attorney fees is fair and reasonable, and clarifies the role of custody evaluations in the law to better protect parents and children.

House Bill 539, which deals with domestic violence victim safety in the criminal court system, also passed. “Both of those passed with almost unanimous bipartisan support,” Jemison said.

Additionally, UDVC’s funding priorities were met, including funding for  strangulation exams. The Strangulation Exam Reimbursement Program was established in 2022 and is now operating in 12 counties. Since July 2025, 138 exams have been conducted. Successful prosecutions have increased significantly since the program began. The $260,000 that was allocated will enable the program to continue.

Another funding priority was to ensure there were no cuts to domestic violence shelter funding for another year. Over the past several years, domestic abuse service providers in the state have seen an unprecedented number of victims and their children coming through their doors. Since as recently as 2023, most programs have experienced double the need for shelter and other services. The current funding of $886,000 was extended for one more year. Without this extension, services would have had to be pulled back and victims and children would have been severely impacted.

The work continues on. As long as parents are afraid to leave their abuser for fear of violent retaliation, there is more to be done. As long as parents can’t divorce an abusive spouse because that spouse will get partial custody of the children, leaving them unprotected, there is more to be done. As long as family court judges don’t take verbal and emotional abuse – which can have lifelong damaging effects – into account when deciding custody, there is more to be done. As long as children and parents are being hurt, there is more to be done.

If you or someone you know is experiencing intimate partner abuse or to obtain more information, check out the following sources.

• National Domestic Violence Hotline, 800-799-7233
• Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, UDVC.org
• The Refuge Utah, therefugeutah.org,
• The Refuge Utah’s 24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline, 801-377-5500
• dear-Utah, dear-utah.com
• Division of Child and Family Services, dcfs.utah.gov