U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on Apr. 24 the introduction of the Protecting Victims Act of 2026, a legislative proposal aimed at providing stronger protections for victims of domestic violence in Washington, D.C. The announcement was made alongside District public safety leaders, highlighting efforts to address an increase in domestic violence-related assaults despite an overall decline in violent crime.
The legislation seeks to enhance legal safeguards for survivors, increase accountability for offenders, and improve privacy and safety measures. This initiative comes as domestic violence-connected assault with a dangerous weapon charges have been rising in the District this year.
“Even as overall crime declines, the persistence of domestic violence—and the tragic rise in domestic violence homicides—underscores the urgent need for stronger enforcement tools,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Too often, these cases reflect repeated abuse, where prior incidents or pending charges did not stop further harm. The Protecting Victims Act will help ensure that the most dangerous offenders can be identified, detained when appropriate, and held fully accountable under the law. My office remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement and community partners to intervene earlier and prevent violence before it escalates. With these additional tools, prosecutors and judges will be better positioned to protect survivors and prevent further tragedy.”
Mayor Bowser said: “This legislation is about making sure that survivors are protected and that their safety and privacy are respected. It’s also about making sure that when someone needs help, they can trust that help will be there, and that when someone breaks the law, there are clear and consistent consequences… With the Protecting Victims Act, we want victims and survivors to know that we are here for them, and we want abusers to know that they will face swift and certain consequences.”
Key provisions include treating repeated violations of protection orders as felony offenses; improving court powers over stay away orders; strengthening penalties for post-conviction violations; updating kidnapping statutes; creating new offenses related to unlawful entry with assault; adding sentencing enhancements when victims are pregnant; establishing new offenses involving children witnessing crimes; amending police disclosure requirements to protect witnesses’ identities; expanding pretrial detention options for repeat or high-risk offenders; supporting victim privacy initiatives.
Metropolitan Police Department Chief Jeffery Carroll noted: “As violent crime continues to decrease, domestic violence related incidents are leading to an increase in Assault with a Dangerous Weapon offenses… MPD has redoubled outreach… We want all DC residents to know the signs of domestic violence… Most importantly, we want every survivor to know they are not alone.”
The announcement also highlighted ongoing outreach by MPD throughout April at more than twenty events across all eight wards as well as resources like the DC Victim Hotline (844-443-5732), which provides around-the-clock support services in over two hundred languages.
Pirro described new initiatives at her office such as forming a Violent Intimate Partner Emergency Response (VIPER) team focused on high-risk cases by securing early grand jury testimony from victims while connecting them quickly with resources.
