SAN ANTONIO — The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a federal law banning domestic abusers from possessing firearms.
All but one Supreme Court Justice ruled in favor of the law, which stemmed from a case involving a north Texas man named Zackey Rahimi, who argued the federal statute violated his Second Amendment rights.
Rahimi had been indicted for possessing a firearm while a restraining order was granted against him by his girlfriend. He had violated the restraining order by shooting his gun in public several times.
Patricia Castillo, executive director of the P.E.A.C.E. Initiative in San Antonio, called the ruling a victory for domestic violence survivors while emphasizing there’s still much work to be done to protect victims.
“This is really adding on a very needed layer of protections for survivors,” Castillo said, who serves as executive director of the P.E.A.C.E. Initiative. “We will continue to figure out all kinds of ways for us to be able to get the necessary protections for survivors of domestic violence, work harder at assuring that existing state laws are enforced that the way they’re supposed to be enforced.”
The federal law prohibits people under domestic violence restraining orders from having guns.
The Supreme Court’s opinion reads in part, "When an individual has been found by a court to pose a credible threat to the physical safety of another, that individual may be temporarily disarmed consistent with the Second Amendment."
Castillo said the presence of domestic violence and weapons in the same household increases the chances of being killed by 500%.
The Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence (CCDV), established in 2019, led to the creation of a first-of-its-kind domestic violence hotline where people can get connected to vital resources throughout Bexar County.
There’ve also been renewed efforts by the San Antonio Police Department to provide long-term support for victims with the help of crisis advocates.
Castillo stressed one of the most urgent needs is to expedite the process of granting protective orders for those in crisis. Continued education is vital
“Working with judges and working with people that are involved in policy and procedure is also very important to create a system that’s efficient so people don’t have to wait months to acquire a protective order,” Castillo said.
The CCDV is moving forward with a strategic plan to be implemented over the next four years that focuses on a more public health approach to reducing violent crime, including domestic abuse.
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