An Act establishing a domestic violence and sexual assault probation unit

SD 1048 establishes a specialized domestic violence and sexual assault probation unit within Massachusetts court probation departments. The unit requires each court to employ a victim advocate (from an external nonprofit) to support victims who filed complaints under Chapter 209A, handle their complaints against probation officers, and provide information about their rights and case details. It also mandates that probation officers assigned exclusively to these cases complete specialized training on domestic violence and sexual assault, and requires offenders to maintain certified batterer’s treatment programs as a condition of probation. The bill directly affects victims of domestic violence or sexual assault, probation officers handling such cases, and offenders subject to Chapter 209A orders.