By Trendsetter Tribune 
A first-of-its-kind survey conducted inside a women’s prison has unveiled disturbing stories of domestic abuse that were never disclosed during court proceedings, highlighting systemic failures in the justice system’s ability to protect and understand victims of intimate partner violence.
- Pervasiveness of Trauma: The survey, which reached 156 women at the Mabel Bassett Correctional Center in Oklahoma, revealed that 80% of the participants had experienced domestic violence, and 64% had experienced sexual violence as an adult.
- Intersection of Abuse and Crime: The narratives showed a direct connection between the abuse the women suffered and the crimes they were convicted of. Many were prosecuted for crimes committed alongside their abusers under threats of harm, or for failing to protect their children from their abusive partners.
- Systemic Blind Spots: The study illuminates how fear and terror prevented these women from speaking out during their trials, and how court systems failed to fully consider their histories of abuse during sentencing decisions.
- Legislative Action: These findings are being used to support new legislation, such as the Oklahoma Survivors Act, which would allow survivors of domestic violence to seek reduced sentences if their crimes stemmed directly from their abuse.
This study underscores a critical need for trauma-informed approaches within the criminal justice system to ensure that justice is informed by the full context of a defendant’s lived experience.