Commentary: Do State Constitutional Bans on Same-Sex Marriage Impact Domestic Violence Statutes and Unmarried Women?

Ohio voters passed a 2004 constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages.  In late May, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Ohio struck down a domestic violence statute on the theory it created a relationship between unmarried individuals who lived together for the purpose of prosecuting domestic violence offenders.  It is argued that without this statute, punishment for domestic violence is lowered from a felony and a misdemeanor, leaving unmarried women in these situations “increasingly vulnerable to physical abuse from their partners.”  Source.  Ms. Magazine, msmagazine.com. The complete story may be found by clicking here (last visited June 10, 2006, reo).