Resources

Myths and Misconceptions: Criminalized Survivors

by the National Defense Center for Criminalized Survivors

October 2023

Myths and misconceptions about domestic violence and victims of intimate partner violence are widespread and often negatively impact victims and survivors.

While these false narratives can lead to barriers for all survivors, criminalized survivors are at particular risk of being harmed by mistaken beliefs about domestic violence. For example, misinformation can undermine a survivor’s legal defense, limit options to seek safety, or be used by the victim-defendant’s partner as a tool to further abuse.

Related resources

Intimate Partner Violence Survivors’ Perspectives of Safety and the Risk of Firearms

BWJP conducted a series of interviews with survivors of intimate partner violence affected by firearms to understand their own perceptions…

Understanding Firearms and Intimate Partner Violence Through Rural Law Enforcement Perspectives

Rural communities face unique barriers to addressing the risk of firearms in intimate partner violence. A series of listening sessions…

Domestic Violence Laws in the Early United States: Using the Historical Record in Litigation 

Supreme Court precedent calls for us to look at the early United States' historical record to determine whether modern day…