Post

ProPublica
@propublica.org

Inside a women’s prison, a domestic violence victim began collecting others’ stories of abuse. 156 women answered her call. Together, they became “survivor sisters” — and helped shape a new law offering them a path toward freedom. But would it work? Listen to the full episode:

propub.liConvicted of Killing Their Abusers, These Women Got Another Chance at FreedomA new law gave people sentenced for the murders of their abusive partners a rare pathway to freedom. That wasn’t the end of the story.

2.6K reposts8.5K likes

Iophiel
@archangel-iophiel.bsky.social

As a DA survivor who had the chance to kill their abuser and didn't, I think so. There's a tipping point where it becomes to kill or be killed. Is it wrong to defend yourself in that situation? We need to do better for people in those situations instead of shaming them to literal death.

zora-r.bsky.social
@zora-r.bsky.social

By the time a woman kills her abuser, she’s endured more abuse than most people realize and is truly afraid for her life. Her freedom should be taken from her by the state. It’s not murder, it’s self defense.

northernrednekk.bsky.social
@northernrednekk.bsky.social

My mom used to make children's pyjamas for the local women's shelter. She would buy the material, cut out the different sizes for boys and girls, then sew it all together. Women would flee the house with children with just the clothes on their back. She was well loved in the community.

4gabriel.bsky.social
@4gabriel.bsky.social

Weird how men esp tell us we didn’t fight hard enough and then when we do- it’s off to jail. i mean if we succeed we might make all men afraid even though not all men assault but somehow it’s always a man

Angry Redhead
@angryredone.bsky.social

Good created Adam and Eve and Samuel Colt made them equals. The prosecutors should never be allowed to take that tone. If they can't help themselves then victims should be allowed to submit recorded testimony.

Hedley Lamar's fugly sister
@endora-laduce.bsky.social

For MEN, that's called "STAND YOUR GROUND". Remember Trayvon Martin? What "threat" did his Skittles and ice tea pose to George Zimmerman, who was aquitted of that unarmed young mans murder? LAWS FOR THEE, BUT NOT FOR ME...??? Justice of CONVENIENCE ⚖️

Sherrerd
@duerpress.com

Important stories. Most Americans prefer to believe that vicious abuse happens only in TV movies, or to a few 'women who were asking for it.'

CNiec
@centuryride.bsky.social

How about you rewrite your headline to say something to the effect of: How society protected for decades men who were scum of the earth for beating up women and, yet, put the women in jail?

Pragmatic Politic
@pragmaticpolitic.bsky.social

The police don't help. The courts don't help. CPS is often used as a tool of abuse, so they don't help. When you're being beaten black and blue, systematically being stripped of your dignity, and no one will believe you or help you... Fuck yes. In any other situation it would be called self-defense.

ohheckno5.bsky.social
@ohheckno5.bsky.social

If I ever become rich I want to pay a good lawyer to help women in prison for killing their abusive husbands/partners. I’ve been saying this for a long time; it just doesn’t look like I’ll ever be rich.

Onyx
@advantage87.bsky.social

i love how @propublica.org shed light on this remarkable true story of women who found healing through sharing their experiences in a women's prison

3 Sides🪶⬛️🍁⬛️🖇️
@3sides.bsky.social

❗️WOMEN NEED TO READ THESE❗️ The Gift of Fear And other survival signals that protects us from violence Gavin De Becker The Bonobo Sisterhood Revolution Through Alliance Diane L. Rosenfeld Weapons Of Fitness The Women’s Ultimate Guide to Fitness, Self Defense & Empowerment Avital Zeisler

delorme1
@xavier205.bsky.social

I used "The Gift of Fear" as a textbook when I taught high school English. It is, without a doubt, the best primer on taking care of yourself and keeping yourself safe in a world of uncertainty and lawlessness. DeBecker is himself a gift to potential victims everywhere!

3 Sides🪶⬛️🍁⬛️🖇️
@3sides.bsky.social

When a male bonobo ape assaults a female, her troop sends out a special cry to ALL FEMALES. They respond by gathering & BEAT the male so severely he NEVER reoffends. The laws will NOT protect us, we must do it ourselves! JS! Unite! Teach! Believe! The Bonobo Sisterhood! End female abduction & abuse!

CJ. De Rosa
@retrokidvet4blue.bsky.social

A few wks ago in Arkansas a man was found Not Guilty for murder’g another man w/whom his 15 year old daughter was carrying on a consensual sexual relationship. The father found out, sought out the unarmed man & shot him dead. YET, women being abused cannot defend themselves when the Law fails them.

alwayswailing.bsky.social
@alwayswailing.bsky.social

Whatever happened to self defense? Can't a woman defend herself? U see questionable people always shooting unarmed people claiming they were "in fear of their lives", and getting off. A woman defends herself in a most tragic situation and she's thrown in jail? RELEASE ALL THE EPSTEIN FILES!!!

KarenButNotAKaren
@kaybee19.bsky.social

With almost 83,000 women killed every year in the world, and the majority of perpetrators are intimate partners, hell yeah, survivors of dv who kill their abuser shouldn’t be locked up.

Iophiel
@archangel-iophiel.bsky.social

Women coming out of these situations are often left without any support. People assume that they're safe so everything is ok. I had a chance and didn't. (I can barely kill bugs.) It would pushed me over the edge to be paid or treated like a hero to defend myself. My kids would have lost me.

Alexis Nomides
@alexisdesigns.bsky.social

Well, that depends...how would you react if someone was abusing you? Personally, I would leave, but everyone reacts differently. If you felt powerless and depressed. If you were financially dependent with no skills. Sometimes people just SNAP.

PiercingWhineOfMitchMcConnellsHeartMonitor
@blogndog.bsky.social

I’m more interested in the broader reality that people are not 1 dimensional cartoon villains. It’s mostly intellectual laziness— people ignore nuance generally and eagerly accept simplistic binary categorisations. People *love* the idea that there are “bad guys”. People love the convenience…

PiercingWhineOfMitchMcConnellsHeartMonitor
@blogndog.bsky.social

…of being able to label someone a “felon” or a “murderer”, and believing the label provides all the information they need to consider about that individual. We need a simplistic label we can apply to people who “think” this way that enables us to dismiss them as irrelevant.

DragonMusing
@dragonmusing.bsky.social

Given that about a third of women are abused in their lifetimes, that means how many men are abusers? How many of them are judges and prosecutors? How many women are judges and prosecutors in these cases? Or "expert witnesses?" Or on the original juries? Not many.

sozcog.bsky.social
@sozcog.bsky.social

I think if you kill an abuser it's self defense. At a certain point you fear for your life and lash out. We don't blame the animal for biting the abuser. I don't blame these women.

Rachel Wales
@rachelwales.bsky.social

Sometimes it's the only way to stay alive. An abuser will not let you leave, they will keep stalking you. They don't care about restraining orders so in my mind it's justifiable. No way out sometimes.

nohate23.bsky.social
@nohate23.bsky.social

Firm believer that children & women who kill their abusers should walk. It would make the rest of the abusers re-consider before they manipulate the people, who love them, with words & fists.

FemBotsUnite
@fembotsunite.bsky.social

SNS, if you’re a survivor who killed your abuser, you’re a fucking hero and we should be celebrating you, watching movies about your life, and giving you free shit for silly reasons, like oh it’s Tuesday, here have a fresh bagel, you fucking badass, thank you for making the world a little safer.

Dave
@spaceblatt.bsky.social

If we, as a society, won’t protect them (the courts even let the abusers keep guns) then they should be allowed to protect themselves and their children any way possible.

Rosa Rugosa
@tucket55.bsky.social

If I could have killed The Evil One I think I would have. Never had the opportunity. But my beloved Karma helped me. He died alone in a city hospital with cancer of the asshole. 😂 When my Mother told me I said the world was a better place. She agreed.

Sparrow J
@summergirl505.bsky.social

Yes, they should be free. Yes, even if it was premeditated. The police and courts can't protect them. And they can't wait until they are actively trying to kill them or their children.

R.G.
@tigertux.bsky.social

It depends. Did the accused walk up behind someone while they were watching TV and put a knife through their neck, or did they do it while the act of abuse was taking place? You ask a question that demands details of each circumstance.

Pragmatic Politic
@pragmaticpolitic.bsky.social

It depends. Was she 110 lb to his 200 lb and had no chance in hell of defending herself in a face-to-face fight but knew she was going to be beaten black and blue yet again, especially if she tried to leave? Especially if last time she left he found her dragged her back and beat her nearly to death?

noiseysprite.bsky.social
@noiseysprite.bsky.social

Our judicial system is not perfect. I pray that these women are healed from all of the abuse they have experienced, both from their partner and society. May the “survivor sisters” endure and encourage and strengthen others in abusive situations.

Angry Redhead
@angryredone.bsky.social

All I get from this is that far more men refuse to think of women as people than I expected. The complete and utter lack of putting themselves in our shoes shows complete disregard for reality. We, especially white women, need to start standing the fuck up for *all* women.

Robin F
@robin4497.bsky.social

Except the "victim" Kimberly Perrigo really is a stone cold murderer, not a victim of domestic abuse. She murdered her ex years after their divorce so she could collect SS Survivor benefits for their son who was 12 at the time. Her victim hadn't even seen her or his son for years.

Cass
@ms-cass.bsky.social

In the 1980s an English police chief said that women should not fight back they should simply phone the police. I phoned the radio show & told him he was talking out of his arse, because if it got to court and there were no bruises no cuts, no broken bones everyone would say the woman was lying.

Cass
@ms-cass.bsky.social

But then when a woman fights back she has to make sure her attacker is not getting up again, so she ends up in prison. So they want proof you are beaten without you putting up resistance. Then they will slap his wrist. It's misogyny.

emote_control
@emote-control.bsky.social

The state failed them by allowing them to be abused in the first place, and then punished them for doing the job themselves. Of course they should be freed. If you don't want people killing their abusive partners, DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE ABUSIVE PARTNERS.

Random Bummer Generator
@unknownstory.bsky.social

now i see what you're doing, ProPublica. you're "just asking questions" about if women who kill their abusers should be allowed to "walk free." is "abuse" enough of a reason to lethally retaliate? yes. the answer is always yes. do you know why? (1/3)

Random Bummer Generator
@unknownstory.bsky.social

i don't know of a single woman who killed someone who "lightly" abused them. every time you hear this story of women killing their abusers, the abuse is either so prolonged and torturous (to the point of holding them hostage) OR it was in an extremely hostile situation (violent sexual acts) (2/3)

Politisphere
@politisphere.bsky.social

20+ yrs ago I did some publicity to support a woman who killed her husband after 14yrs of horrific abuse. The judge said to her “You are now free to live your own life - you have already served your sentence”. To actually walk free in those days (& even today) is a beautiful outcome. Zero tolerance.

Ken
@kenwnc.bsky.social

Even though they report the abuse, so many are seemingly ignored or are altogether. Eventually not being able to take it any more they resort to doing what they can to stop it themselves. They should never have been convicted of any crime to begin with except human suffering at the hands of another.

shortandtall.bsky.social
@shortandtall.bsky.social

If the laws of the land do not impose the punishments that fit the crimes enough to deter said crimes, then there should be a certain degree of leniency enacted upon the vigilantes who would take that burden upon themselves. Or a fucking cash dollar reward, actually.

Divanyst
@divanyst.bsky.social

Short answer: YES!!! In a country where murderers of unarmed children, innocent people during routine traffic stops, nonwhite immigrants and Black people minding their business go free, the only answer is HELL YEAH!

Miriam
@gr82bus.bsky.social

If your abuser tells you they will hunt you down & kill you if you ever try to leave, your only recourse is to stay & take it or formulate a plan to kill the abuser. It seems extra cruel to punish someone who has been so trapped by a judicial that WILL NOT help them.

libramoon
@libramoon4.bsky.social

waaay back last century, when I was a teen, I was arrested for "one quarter of a marijuana cigarette" according to the charge sheet. In the holding cell, I met a woman in for murdering her abusive bf to save her life. She cried the whole time.

Tony W
@tonywrocks.bsky.social

We can't give blanket pardons to those who kill their abusers. There are many forms of abuse, and vigilantism is not the solution to it. Education is.

Zahariel🍁
@xergg.bsky.social

Depends on the level of abuse, like emotional manipulation no but they should be punished for it. Rape yes and physical abuse should be punished with a or several very harsh beatings from a large well trained dude.

PoochPest
@poochpest.bsky.social

If Society won't intervene, it is self-protection to stop your attacker or abuser. People think government restricts people. It protects them from getting killed.

we-are-the-world.bsky.social
@we-are-the-world.bsky.social

Yes Texas "Stand Your Ground" law removes the legal duty to retreat before using force to defend yourself. You can stand your ground and use proportionate force—including deadly force—if you reasonably believe it is necessary to protect against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury.”

llaw1.bsky.social
@llaw1.bsky.social

Into the 1890s rapist walked free and women were imprisoned since the CHURCH stated, "Women seduced them." No MALES should run these females prisons and NO ONE KILLING IN SELF DEFENSE SHOULD BE JAILED, as these women are for defending themselves.

Miriam
@gr82bus.bsky.social

Absolutely. I thought it was called Self-defense. Most of these assholes threaten to kill their wives/GF for ever trying to escape & that also is a crime - false imprisonment. None of these women should ever have gone to prison.

EtherealSpirit
@etherialspirit.bsky.social

If laws actually protected domestic abuse victims (both women and men) then perhaps there would be fewer women convicted of murdering the abuser. Many women suffer in silence. They feel trapped. But many reach out to law enforcement and receive no protection. A PPO is useless to a determined abuser.

Skibs McDangle
@skibsmcdangle.bsky.social

Killing abusers should be praised and rewarded. It is a social benefit, a collective good, and its disregard for secular order in favor of ethical justice is a roadmap for social transformation.

Turnip
@cannedoats.bsky.social

They should be given therapy and probation, not a prison sentence. Victims that refuse to be victim anymore being punished because we have a system that doesn't care/doesn't believe them is frankly kinda insane.

Lostscrews
@lostscrews.bsky.social

If it's self defense, yes they absolutely should. The effects of physical and mental abuse run deep. It affects you for life. But first you have to start believing women.

jnovem.bsky.social
@jnovem.bsky.social

Should cops and judges that have a pattern of siding with abusers be allowed to walk free? No. These women did what they needed to, to protect themselves and others, and I’m sure many of them were failed time and again when they tried to get help.

starant.bsky.social
@starant.bsky.social

The trial should include all the police reports, the photos of bruising or hospital admissions with broken bones etc. then the judge throws out the case and says… that’s self defense!

starant.bsky.social
@starant.bsky.social

Why aren’t they given a pass? If they hadn’t killed their abuser then they would eventually have been killed. It’s called self defense. Especially since our society doesn’t help them to get away from the abuser. We all know those protective &/or restraining orders don’t work.

Susetoo
@sqgs.bsky.social

Hmmm, another example of women having to organize, go through “proper channels” Get laws changed Men would just get their lawyers to get them off, wouldn’t have been in prison in the first place. #GOP and #malerun democracy is exhausting

Tim
@blue-co-tim.bsky.social

Yet, we have an alignment of 'poor young white 'men'' being told that they have a right to be the authority. Domestic violence takes many forms, from the obvious physical assaults to psychological threats & intimidation. Until women earned 'the right' to financial independence, they were captive.

Tim
@blue-co-tim.bsky.social

We have 'conservative' politicians who protect pedophiles, the SBC that bans women from being pastors, and an admin that believes that 'might makes right'. Will ALL women stand up to destroy this assault on THEIR rights? Will (most) ALL men who love their wives, mother, daughters, sisters?