DVSJA HISTORY
1985
In 1985, incarcerated women at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, New York’s maximum security women’s prison, started a movement to advance the rights of survivors of domestic violence charged with and convicted of crimes.
At a legislative hearing held inside the prison, women provided testimony that connected their experiences of domestic violence to their criminal legal involvement and proposed ideas on how to respond to the ongoing punishment of women who have survived violence.
1985 Bedford Hills Hearings - the first time a public hearing on domestic violence was held inside a prison facility.
2009
The Coalition for Women Prisoners continues this fight and launches the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act advocacy campaign.
Currently and formerly incarcerated women, many of whom were survivors of domestic abuse, begin to build the campaign in partnership with domestic violence advocates, sentencing experts, attorneys, judges, criminal reform organizations, women’s organizations, and community leaders.
2009 DVSJA Advocacy Campaign - their goal was to interrupt the system of punishment and criminalization with legislation that would expand judicial discretion to offer survivors more fair and just sentencing.
2011
The New York State Legislature introduces the first version of the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act
The same year, the Avon Global Center for Women and Justice and the Women in Prison Project at the Correctional Association released the research report From Protection to Punishment: Post-Conviction Barriers to Justice for Domestic Violence Survivor Defendants in New York State which recommended legislation that would reform sentencing laws for survivors of domestic violence.
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2012
The District Attorneys Association strongly opposes the DVSJA, arguing that it fails to consider “innocent victims” and taking the position that domestic violence survivors who face criminal charges already have “numerous avenues of redress.”
2012-2019
Over 130 state and national organizations join the Coalition’s DVSJA campaign. Countless advocates return to Albany each year to educate elected officials on the need for the DVSJA and the way domestic violence survivors are further harmed by harsh sentencing in New York. The NYS legislature finally passed the DVSJA in 2019. It was signed into law on May 14, 2019.
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Advocates celebrating the passage of the DVSJA in 2019.
“Being able to organize with women who experienced the criminalization and victimization of abuse and the legal system was one of most powerful & enlightening experiences of my lifetime.”
— Anisah Sabur-Mumin
DVSJA Campaign Supporters (2019)
Alcoholism Council of New York
Alternatives for Battered Women
American Association of University Women of NYS
American Association of University Women – Buffalo Branch
American Association of University Women – Islip Area Branch
American Association of University Women – Jamestown Branch
American Association of University Women – St. Lawrence County Branch
American Association of University Women – North Shore Branch
American Association of University Women – Yates County Branch
Arbor Housing Development Domestic Violence Shelter
Arizona State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence
Bridge Street AME Church
Brighter Tomorrows, Inc.
Brooklyn Defender Services
Call to Action - Metro NY Chapter
Catholic Charities of Buffalo, NY
Center Against Domestic Violence
Center for Community Alternatives
Center for Family Representation
Children’s Project Fund
Child Welfare Organizing Project
Coalition of ATI/Reentry and Victims Advocates (CAVA)
College and Community Fellowship
Community Service Society of New York
CONNECT
Correctional Association of New York
Day One: www.dayoneny.org
Death Row Support Project
Domestic Workers United
Downstate Coalition for Crime Victims
Drug Policy Alliance
Dutchess County Public Defender
Erie County Coalition Against Family Violence
Equinox Domestic Violence Services
Family Enrichment Network
Family Counseling Service of the Finger Lakes
Foreverfamily Atlanta
Fortune Society
Girls Educational & Mentoring Services
Grace Smith House
Greenhope Services for Women
Harlem United
Haven for Hope Foundation
Herstory Writers Workshop
Honorable Betty J. Williams, in her personal capacity
Honorable Cheryl J. Gonzales, in her personal capacity
48. Honorable Marcy Kahn, in her personal capacity
49. Hour Children
50. Idaho Coalition Against Domestic Violence
51. Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence
52. International Institute of Buffalo
53. Lawyers Committee Against Domestic Violence
54. Legal Action Center
55. The Legal Aid Society of Rochester
56. Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
57. Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center
58. Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence
59. MADRE
60. Mechanicville Domestic Violence Advocacy Program
61. Men Can Stop Rape
62. Middle Ground Prison Reform
63. Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center
64. My Sisters’ Place
65. Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
66. Nassau Inmate Advocacy Group
67. National Action Network
68. National Advocates for Pregnant Women
69. National Lawyers Guild – NYC Chapter
70. National Women’s Liberation, NY Chapter
71. Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem
72. Network New York State, c/o Fund for the City of New York
73. New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic Violence
74. New Hour for Women and Children-LI
75. New York City Bar Association, Criminal Justice Operations Committee
76. New York City Bar Association, Domestic Violence Committee
77.New York Harm Reduction Educators
78. New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
79. New York State Defenders Justice Fund
80. New York State Public Affairs Committee of The Junior League
81. New York Therapeutic Communities, Inc.
82. Office of the Appellate Defender
83. Ohio Domestic Violence Network
84. Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence
85. Osborne Association
86. Pace Women’s Justice Center
47. Honorable Cheryl J. Gonzales, in her personal capacity
88. Police Reform Organizing Project
89. Prison Action Network
90. Prisoner Correspondence Project
91. Prisoners Are People Too!
92.Prison Families Anonymous, Inc.
93. Prisoners Legal Services of New York
95. Putnam/Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center
96. The Real Cost of Prisons Project
97. Rebecca Project for Human Rights
98. Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence
99. Rochester/Monroe County DV Consortium
100. Rockland Family Shelter
101. Safe Homes of Orange County
102. Safe Horizon
103. Sakhi for South Asian Women
104. Sanctuary for Families
105. Sex Workers Project
106. Social Responsibilities Council
107. Southern Center for Human Rights
108. Spanish Action League of Onondaga County, Inc.
109. STEPS to End Family Violence
110. St. Ann’s Corner of Harm Reduction, Inc.
111. STOP Domestic Violence/BHSN
112. Suffolk County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
113. Trinity Presbyterian Church
114. Union of Black Episcopalians, NYS Chapter
115. Unity House Domestic Violence Services
116. Urban Justice Center
117. Urban Resource Institute
118. V-Day
119. Vera House
120. Vermont Network Against Domestic Violence
121. VIBS Family Violence and Rape Crisis Center
122. Violence Intervention Program:
123. VOCAL-New York
124. Wakefield Umoja AARP Chapter #5396
125. The Washbourne House
126. Washington State Coalition Against DV
127. Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence
128. Women & Justice Project
129. Women’s City Club of New York
130. Women On The Rise Telling Her Story
131. Women’s Prison Association
132. YWCA of North Eastern New York