Letter: Abuse claims lead to trust issues

Character matters to me when I vote in elections. I read in various media outlets about state Rep. Jeff Dotseth’s domestic abuse incidents. As a board member of an area domestic abuse program, I know about the destructive patterns of domestic abusers. Physical violence in particular leaves actual and emotional scars that don’t go away. Victims are left traumatized forever.

Rep. Dotseth has denied some of the allegations, but the records show that an arrest occurred, and that Dotseth had supervised visits with his daughter. Those are the facts. According to a statement from Dotseth, he admits to having gone through a difficult divorce. I understand difficult divorces. My sister was shot and killed during a contentious divorce.

Now that I have read that Rep. Dotseth was barred from using or possessing firearms temporarily, his opposition to gun laws that would keep guns away from domestic abusers (red flag and background checks) makes more sense. He reportedly had lots of guns and left them around the house loaded and accessible to his kids. When I visited with Rep. Dotseth at the state capitol to ask for his support for passing the red flag and background check bills, he would not, and said passing those laws would be a slippery slope, whatever that means.

Domestic assaults, domestic violence, domestic abuse, domestic shootings occur every day in our country. That is the slippery slope. Doing something to make women and children safer is important to our communities. I trust Pete Radosevich to do the right thing when it comes to protecting our children, women and our communities. I have observed him with his family and have seen a man who cares deeply about his family and who has the values and character that would make him an excellent representative of the people in district 11A.

Joan A. Peterson

Stoney Brook Township

Joan is board member of the Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs based in Duluth.