In 37 states, restraining orders for sexual or domestic violence can be denied simply because either ... [+]
During a January 2022 visit to her hometown of Honolulu, Nazeehah Khan’s world turned upside down. She was sexually assaulted. When she attempted to obtain a restraining order against her perpetrator, the order was denied. Why? Because Khan lives in California, while her perpetrator lives in Hawaii.
Within one year after the attack, Khan launched a campaign to change the law.
“The helplessness and injustice I felt after being denied a restraining order was unbearable,” explained Khan. She found that in 37 states, restraining orders for sexual or domestic violence can be denied simply because either the survivor or the perpetrator is not a resident of the state.
“After realizing 25 million survivors are exposed to the same laws, I knew I had to take action,” she said, describing the total population of interstate victims of sexual assault. This group includes college students living away from home or anyone who travels across state lines for work or vacation.
Nazeehah Khan, founder of Restraining Orders Without Borders, meets with lawmakers at the U.S. ... [+]
Khan decided to rewrite the law. She launched an intiative called Restraining Orders Without Borders (ROWB). The campaign centers around the concept that safety is a basic human right and should not be denied to survivors due simply to geography and logistics. Initially a team of one, Zoha Raza joined ROWB as a Communications Consultant in late 2022. “I was ready to give whatever it took to support the fight for borderless protection,” Raza said after hearing Khan’s story.
When Khan began to share her story more broadly, she was met with overwhelming support. She authored a petition that has gained more than 43,000 signatures. She researched and wrote draft legislation, working with lawmakers in the Hawaii State Legislature to introduce HB 752 and SB 1267. This legislation would give survivors the right to submit themselves to out of state court to seek a restraining order for protection from their abusers. The companion bills passed unanimously through their first chamber, signaling likely adoption during the current legislative session. The ROWB team is also working to pass federal legislation.
Beyond passing laws, the ROWB team wants survivors to feel seen, heard, and protected. “I want [survivors] to live in a world aligned with their truth, to live in a world that is safe, to live in a world that is full of healing and makes room for them,” Khan said. She values receiving messages from other survivors about how the ROWB-initiated laws will help them. “It's [the survivors] I think of when I have difficult days.”
When asked what advice she has for others, Khan said she lives by the motto to just try. “The worst that'll happen is someone will tell you no,” she encouraged. “Your campaign is one of many avenues towards reclaiming your power, regardless of the fate of your bill.”
