New Indiana Law Aims to Empower Victims of Abuse

By Pamela Jablonski

The state of Indiana has introduced new legislation that aims to provide greater protection for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking.

Under HB1071, a protected person must meet the following criteria:

• Must be a woman or man over the age of 21.
• Must have obtained an order of protection as a result of being a victim of sexual assault, domestic violence, or stalking.
• Must be eligible under all federal and Indiana state laws to legally purchase, own, and carry a concealed firearm.

If all of the aforementioned is met, HB1071 provides the following:

• The victim may lawfully carry a handgun without an Indiana License to Carry Handgun for 60 days from the day they obtain the Order of Protection; or 60 days from the day they apply for their License to Carry Handgun; whichever is greater.

So what does all of this mean?

Statistics show that when someone is sexually assaulted, stalked, or a victim of domestic abuse, an order of protection does not necessarily equate to the safety of the victim. Sometimes filing a personal protective order (PPO) enrages an already volatile and unstable person.

Although a PPO is concise in its legal meaning, only those who follow the rules …Read the Rest

Source:: Bearing Arms