Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly received a letter to the editor last week from the Together Rising Against Coercion Coalition, of which the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute is on the Steering Committee. The letter outlines some key facts regarding an Act to Prevent Abuse and Exploitation, popularly known as the ‘Revenge Porn’ bill, in relation to the MLW front page story “Revenge porn law raises bail, dangerousness concerns” (July 1).

On June 20, Governor Maura Healey signed H. 4744 into law, effectively closing a legal loophole by prohibiting non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit images, in addition  to expanding the definition of domestic abuse to include non-physical acts of violence, known as coercive control. While the July 1 article raises concerns that the statute’s application by the courts could be overreaching in pretrial detention and child rearing, the TRAC Coalition has “full faith that the legislation — informed by survivors, advocates and experts across Massachusetts — provides more than enough clarity for the law to be implemented equitable and according to its intended purpose.”

The TRAC Coalition is committed to raising awareness about the impact of domestic abuse on survivors and their loved ones.