Domestic violence: refusal to testify.

Existing law prohibits a court from imprisoning or otherwise confining or placing into custody the victim of a sexual assault or a domestic violence crime for contempt of court when the contempt consists of refusing to testify concerning the sexual assault or domestic violence crime. This bill would authorize the court to require a victim of a domestic violence crime who refuses to testify to attend one session of counseling and schedule a hearing to take place after the counseling session to determine whether the victim's decision not to testify was made freely and voluntarily and without coercion. The bill would authorize the district attorney to refer the victim to a nonprofit counseling group for purposes of that provision.