Guam launches Family Violence Registry

by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - Ahead of states like New York and California, Guam is the first to launch a family violence registry, giving island residents the means to search online whether the person they're dating has a criminal record.

According to the founder of the National Domestic Violence Registry Myra Spearman domestic violence is a pandemic in America. "And what we want to do is decrease the number as much as we can by allowing the victims and allowing the public know who they're dating. So that's the first thing is to go online and especially for Guam who has the this wonderful site so you can see if your dating someone who has been abusive, harassing in their last relationship," she said.

Spearman was teleconferenced in to today's press conference at the Attorney General's Office announcing Guam's Family Violence Registry is now up and running, the first to go live in the country. The implementation of the registry was mandated by public law in introduced by Senator Dennis Rodriguez Jr.  three years ago.

According to AG Leonardo Rapadas since then staff were dedicated and tasked to get the registry online. "The law requires those individuals who are convicted of two or more misdemeanor family violence cases get put on the registry in addition to individuals who are convicted of a family violence case misdemeanor family violence case and other various associated cases most serious cases," he said.

The senator said, "Today's a good day because we see a law being implemented and put to use for the benefit of the community."

As of this afternoon there were 13 individuals on the Guam Family Violence Registry list.  We should note however that is likely to increase as the AG's Office notes 60 to 70 percent of their case load is family violence and DUI related.  Those on the registry are only on the website for ten years from the date of conviction.

You can find the Family Violence Registry at GuamAG.org.