Western Queens House hopefuls focus campaigns on combating domestic violence

Nonprofit administrator Badrun Khan is challenging U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the Democratic primary for New York’s 14th Congressional District. Attorney Suraj Patel is challenging veteran U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney in New York’s 12th Congressional District. Photo. courtesy of the candidates

By David Brand

Two Western Queens Congressional candidates have focused their campaigns on the fight to prevent domestic violence, each proposing financial tools and stronger enforcement to protect vulnerable women and families amid coronavirus isolation orders. 

Nonprofit administrator Badrun Khan, one of two candidates challenging Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York’s 14th Congressional District, has targeted domestic violence after working with survivors. Attorney Suraj Patel, who for the second time is primarying veteran U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney in New York’s 12th Congressional District, has developed a package of policy proposals to stop domestic violence. 

“The pandemic is making domestic violence more frequent, severe and dangerous. People are isolated from their support networks and stuck in their homes,” Patel said.

Though domestic violence-related 911 calls have decreased over the past month, according to the NYPD, city officials say the drop reflects underreporting by women and family members trapped with their abusers amid coronavirus stay-at-home orders. Patel has echoed concerns voiced by women’s rights advocates, local leaders and law enforcement officials.

Patel has proposed a four-part plan for preventing domestic violence: passing the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization bill that has stalled in the Senate, closing the so-called “boyfriend loophole” that allows abusive unmarried partners to keep their firearms, funding attorneys for survivors in civil court proceedings and issuing more rape kits nationwide. Maloney also supports each of these measures and was an original cosponsor of VAWA.

“These are not necessarily new,” he said. “But they need to be put into a comprehensive policy now considering the higher risk we see when domestic violence victims are faced with situations we’ve put them in with stay-at-home and isolation orders.”

Khan’s policy platform includes a universal basic income for all Americans. She said victims of domestic violence need a consistent income to achieve financial independence and cut economic ties to their abusers. It’s something she said she saw firsthand in her past role as president of the Jalalabad Association, a service and support organization for South Asian immigrants.

“Five years ago, a woman called me because her husband beat her so bad,” said Khan, a member of Queens Community Board 2. “The husband was arrested, but two weeks later, the woman called me and said, ‘Can you please get my husband out?’”

Despite the “brutal” face injuries the woman suffered, she withdrew her case because she needed her husband to support her and her children, Khan said. 

“That’s why I want a universal basic income,” Khan said. “It would be an opportunity for women to get out of there.”