The Boston City Council shot down a proposal from the body’s president, Ed Flynn, who was seeking the creation of a new committee focused on domestic violence.

The proposed rules change to create a City Council Committee on the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, which needed two-thirds approval from the 13-member body, was defeated by a 5-2-3 vote Wednesday after a lengthy discussion, with opponents largely stating that another committee is not needed to address the issue.

Several opposing councilors, two of whom voted “no” and three of whom voted “present,” mentioned that there are already three committees that could conceivably cover those topics: Public Health, Homelessness and Recovery; Strong Women, Families and Communities; and Public Safety and Criminal Justice.

“When we start to hyper-focus on specific issues, then how many committees will we have?” Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, who voted present, said. “I’m actually of the opinion that we should decrease the amount of committees that exist.”

Flynn said, however, that the three existing committees that have touched on domestic and sexual violence would not be as focused on the “unique issue” as the “standalone committee” he was pushing to establish.

According to data compiled by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control in 2019, 33.9% of women and 31.7% of men in Massachusetts experience physical violence, sexual violence and stalking by their intimate partners in their lifetimes.

The presence of a gun in domestic violence situations increases the risk of homicide for women by 500%, and more than half of women killed by gun violence are killed by family members or intimate partners, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

The committee would have aimed to “review, update and propose legislation and city ordinances that deter domestic abuse and violence, protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable,” Flynn’s office said.

Flynn said that he wasn’t putting the proposal forward to “criticize his colleagues,” and wasn’t taking their opposition personally.

He did say, however, that the “best” domestic violence and sexual assault hearing he’s been a part of during his six years on the City Council was back in 2019, when he co-chaired a session on the topic with Andrea Campbell, the state’s attorney general and then-Council president, at Northeastern University School of Law.

“It’s an important issue,” Flynn said, “And I think it needs to be elevated. Let’s be honest, we haven’t had a hearing on domestic violence in a long time.”

Related Articles

Boston Mayor Wu dismisses ‘pathetic’ rumors around ambulance calls to her home

Boston City Council, Mayor Wu exploring cash payments to low-income families

Lawmaker: Why not a ferry instead of Long Island bridge?

City Council looks to make it easier to become a street vendor

Boston donates 2,000 turkeys to needy families for Thanksgiving

Fernandes Anderson said that as a politician, a request for more of a focus on domestic violence during a televised public meeting came across as “putting someone against the wall.”

A ‘no’ or ‘present’ vote may appear as if councilors are not supporting more of a focus on domestic violence, she said, which was not the case for her.

Other concerns centered around the timing of the proposal, with committee assignments scheduled to be reset in January when a new council president is selected.

Councilor-at-Large Ruthzee Louijeune has stated that she has the votes to lead the body, and as such, will make key decisions on committee assignments, per a prior announcement from her office.

At-Large Councilor Julia Mejia said the discussion presented an opportunity for the body to think about how committee chairs are assigned.

“I think that traditionally it is negotiating behind the scenes, and that’s what you get and you don’t get upset,” Mejia said. “But I think that’s not the way we should be doing business here in the city of Boston. I think that if there’s going to be committees, it should be based on your skill set.”

Flynn, Frank Baker, Liz Breadon, Michael Flaherty and Erin Murphy voted in favor of the proposed committee. Louijeune and Sharon Durkan voted against the measure, while Fernandes Anderson, Gabriela Coletta and Brian Worrell voted ‘present.’

Mejia, Ricardo Arroyo and Kendra Lara were present for the meeting, but were not in the room when the vote was taken.