Schumer pushes for stiffer penalties

WASHINGTON — Sen. Charles E. Schumer vowed Thursday to push for harsher penalties for domestic violence, as well as greater funding to enforce laws against it.

Jefferson County has the third-highest rate of domestic violence among counties upstate and in Long Island, Mr. Schumer’s office reported, with 14.07 incidents per 1,000 people.

“If you look at the New York numbers, it is clear that we need to address this problem now more than ever, and to make sure that our law enforcement agencies have the resources they need, and that victims get the help they deserve,” Mr. Schumer said in a press release.

In a conference call with New York reporters, Mr. Schumer said he was surprised to find that last year, more than 60,000 cases of domestic violence were reported upstate and in Long Island. Nearly half were cases of women allegedly abused by spouses or partners.

Mr. Schumer said he would push for longer mandatory sentences for people convicted of aggravated sexual abuse, up to five years. And he said he would support $35 million in additional funding for the Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors program, which provides grants to local law enforcement and court personnel to pursue cases of violent crimes against women.

In addition, he said, the health care reform law being debated in Congress may contain a measure blocking insurance companies from denying coverage or charging higher premiums to women who may have been victims of sexual abuse. That measure, introduced by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., may be worked into the health bill, Mr. Schumer said.

Jefferson County’s high rate of domestic violence stood out in the north country, where Lewis County’s rate was 6.42 per 1,000 people and St. Lawrence’s was 5.58 per 1,000 people. Jefferson County reported 1,656 cases, of which 534 were against intimate female partners.