Assembly member says she was domestic violence victim
Turning a new page this year, outgoing Assemblywoman Maria Rodriguez-Gregg went public that she was on the receiving end of domestic violence.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Rodriguez-Gregg (R-Burlington) wrote that she spent New Year’s Day of 2017 in the hospital and shared a picture of her face covered with bruises, abrasions and cuts. She suffered the blows from an abusive ex, who has since pleaded guilty to assault.
Stating in a phone interview on Tuesday that it was like “getting a weight off her chest,” Rodgriguez-Gregg said she decided to go public about the domestic violence because there were other people dealing with similar situations that she knew.
“It made me realize that I needed to share what had happened to me because maybe it would encourage someone else that was going through something similar to get help,” said Rodriguez-Gregg, the state’s first Hispanic Republican woman elected to the legislature. “Sometimes, we need the encouragement just to get out of that situation, but we also need to seek help once we get out of that situation.”
The months following her domestic violence situation proved to be a trying time.
Rodriguez-Gregg was arrested for DWI in Mount Laurel on April 28 after she was rear-ended by a vehicle. The Trentonian was the first to publish the police body-camera footage of RodriguezGregg’s arrest in September, which showed her being verbally abusive to police.
The assemblywoman, who served her last day in the legislature on Monday, said she waited to share her domestic violence situation because she didn’t want it to “be an excuse” for what happened.
“I take full responsibility for my behavior and my actions,” said Rodriguez-Gregg, who has since apologized. “But I certainly wasn’t at a good place and I wasn’t emotionally or mentally healthy at all at the time.”
As a domestic violence victim, Rodriguez-Gregg said she wasn’t receiving the needed therapy and counseling at the time of her arrest — a case which is still pending.
“I was upset. I was scared. I was angry,” RodgriguezGregg said, noting the traffic stop escalated. “I had no control of myself. I don’t want people in similar situations to ever get to that point.”
The January domestic violence incident was not the first time Rodriguez-Gregg’s abuser had hit her. She said there were times before, but
she never ended up in the hospital like the last time.
“There would be the apologies and ‘I’ll never do it again,’” Rodriguez-Gregg said, with an emotional pause. “You want to believe the person that you choose is not that person. Then, it happens again and it’s worse.”
Rodriguez-Gregg also did not immediately report the January incident, but eventually felt compelled to do so a short time later. Her attacker, whom she will not name, also tried to intimidate her against pressing charges, she said.
“I didn’t name the person because I didn’t want to make it about them,” the outgoing 8th district legislator said, noting she has a restraining
order against her attacker. “I didn’t come out in order to publicly humiliate them and make people attack this person.”
Rodriguez-Gregg said there are many different factors why a person would not immediately leave an abusive relationship, including financial dependence and intimidation.
“They may fear for their life,” she said. “Lots of victims are made by their abuser to feel as if it’s their fault.”
Rodriguez-Gregg said her abuser received a “slap on the wrist.” She feels more needs to be done to address domestic violence in the state and to protect victims.
“Are the laws enough to truly protect the victim from further violence?” RodriguezGregg asked.
As for politics in the future, Rodriguez-Gregg said it’s “definitely not on her radar.”
“Right now, I’m focused on my family and life after being in elected office,” said Rodriguez-Gregg.
Rodriguez-Gregg urged those who are victims to seek help at two local agencies.
Those suffering from domestic violence can contact Women Against Abuse in Philadelphia online at womenagainstabuse.org or call the toll-free 24-hour hotline at 1-866-723-3014 or reach out to Providence House in Burlington and Ocean Counties online at catholiccharitiestrenton.org/domestic-violence-services/ or call the 24-hour hotline for Burlington County at 1-877-871-7551 or 609-871-7551 or Ocean County at 800-246-8910 or 732-244-8259.
Domestic violence victims in Mercer County can contact Womanspace in Lawrence online at womanspace. org or call the 24-hour crisis line at 609-394-9000.