New Colorado laws raise stakes in domestic abuse response

BY BRANDON RICHARD | DENVER 7

DENVER — More than 200 new state laws will take effect on Wednesday, including laws that provide additional protections for survivors of domestic abuse.

Denver7 dug into one of the new laws and spoke with community members to find out how it will address a problem they say is long overdue for a solution.

Eunice Brownlee is a survivor of domestic abuse. While she was never physically abused, she told Denver7 she endured constant emotional and financial abuse and was afraid of losing custody of her daughter.

“There were all kinds of stuff that happened, and our life became very challenging,” Brownlee said. “One of the things that most people don’t understand is that coercive control is the thing that keeps people trapped in relationships because there’s always that looming threat that’s kind of hanging over your head.”

Brownlee said things got so bad that she ended up losing her job and found herself on the verge of homelessness.

“And because I’m a single parent, I was the only source of income,” she said. “I’m the only person who can pay rent.”

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