Domestic violence is an urgent issue, harming people from all walks of life. It is common for the legal system to question whether a survivor of domestic violence is credible because they do not behave, look, or speak, the way the court may expect. Our society, including the legal system, is rife with racism and implicit biases that often result in survivors not being believed.
In response, NYLAG has launched the #RethinkCredibility campaign to highlight why the legal system’s failure to understand the intersections of racism, poverty, and trauma often results in a denial of justice for domestic violence survivors. And what we can do change it. Below are highlights from a live Twitter chat we held with a number of domestic violence leaders and providers on this issue.
