Restorative justice can be a challenging approach to domestic violence, but it can also be rewarding when the people involved are participating with genuine desire to find a path forward.
Seeking safety and support when fleeing domestic violence can feel like navigating a terrifying video game鈥攂ut there are 鈥渃heat codes鈥 and secret power-ups to be unlocked, if you know the right words.
Even after leaving a domestic violence situation, survivors are often saddled with mountains of debt incurred by their abusers. Can a new California law offer protections?
Addressing domestic violence solely through the criminal justice system often doesn鈥檛 fix the problem or promote healing, and may actually cause additional harm. More holistic, trauma-informed approaches can give people a chance to process the deeper reasons for their behavior and allow them an opportunity to change.
鈥淏ecause no one had talked with me as a teen about what a real, healthy relationship looks like, I didn鈥檛 know what to do when my boyfriend became abusive.鈥
Given the escalation of this problem during the pandemic, it鈥檚 time to fund more effective responses to domestic violence that truly make our families and communities safer.
Young people across California are sparking conversations in their schools and communities about what healthy relationships look like and how to recognize abusive behaviors.
In most cases, calling the police on abusers is unhelpful at best, and at worst makes survivors feel less safe: 鈥淚t鈥檚 really time that we recenter on what the survivors are telling us.鈥
Relationship violence threatens not only students鈥 physical safety and emotional well-being, but also their academic prospects. Some campuses are finding solutions to help keep survivors in school.