In Georgia and across this country, Black women survivors of domestic violence are often invisible until we are put on trial, either in the criminal legal system or in the court of public opinion.
The Georgia Survivor Justice Act (HB 582), enacted in May, is a necessary step to correcting that injustice by bringing context into the courtroom in allowing judges to consider evidence of abuse when sentencing survivors who have committed offenses because of their trauma.
As a Black woman, mother and survivor who has experienced firsthand the blind spots in our legal system, I know how critical this bill is, not just for me, but for so many others whose stories remain untold.
Firsthand experience with domestic violence opens my eyes
Credit: hand
Credit: hand
Growing up, I was immersed in the world of law thanks to my mother, who rose through the ranks from being a receptionist to becoming vice president at a New York law firm.
That early exposure shaped my understanding of the criminal-legal system and its limits.
After moving to Georgia, I left to intern at the White House, worked in corporate America and later became deeply involved in grassroots justice work. But when I experienced domestic violence myself this year, I saw how the system treats Black women firsthand.
Like many of us, I was reluctant to call the police. We are taught to keep our pain private, to be strong, to endure and to protect our families, no matter the cost to our bodies and psyches. There is stigma in naming abuse, and fear of what happens when we do.
When the police arrived at my door, their focus wasn’t on my injuries, but on a broken door. I wasn’t seen as a survivor; I was seen as a problem.
Cassie, Megan Thee Stallion endure abuse for speaking out
Black women are too often criminalized for surviving abuse, miscast as aggressors when we defend ourselves and held to a higher burden of proof despite lacking the “perfect” documentation.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Recent high-profile cases involving famous Black women exemplify this bias.
R&B singer Cassie’s civil suit, supported by disturbing video footage, detailed the abuse she said she endured and finally led to Sean Combs’ arrest on federal sex trafficking charges; yet as she testified, online commentators asked why she “didn’t just leave,” as if the video didn’t show the results of her attempts. The case was settled and Combs denied any wrongdoing.
Since rapper Megan Thee Stallion bravely spoke out about being shot by Tory Lanez — a claim backed by forensic evidence and eyewitness testimony, resulting in Lanez being convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison — she has endured relentless online harassment since he was arrested and convicted.
These high-profile cases are just the tip of the iceberg of what Black women experience. They reinforce why HB 582 is necessary: Judges must be able to consider past trauma and abuse to understand survivors’ full histories, not just a single incident. Without a cultural shift in how we listen to and consider survivors, too many Black women are punished for fighting back.
Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
Here’s why Georgia also needs a Second Look law
HB 582 isn’t just about sentencing, it’s about survival. We refuse to let the criminal-legal system punish Black women for not being the “perfect victim.” It’s about creating a world where we don’t have to choose between safety and criminalization.
I share my story because I believe in change and know there are women reading this right now who feel unseen, unheard and unsafe. You are not alone.
We also need to hold our communities accountable. We must start talking openly about harm, not just violence, but also control, fear and generational silence. It’s time to reclaim the community-based accountability, rooted in love and protection, long embedded in Black traditions.
HB 582 cannot be the last step. What about the people disappeared behind the walls, serving decadeslong or life prison sentences without hope of release?
That’s why we need a Second Look law in Georgia — one that gives incarcerated people, including all survivors, a meaningful chance to be resentenced based on who they are today, not who they were when charged years ago. Second Look and HB 582 are inseparable: They recognize that people change, context matters and our criminal legal system must evolve.
To every Black woman who has ever hidden her scars or wondered whether anyone would believe her: We see you, we hear you and we are mobilizing on your behalf. Justice is not just a one-off stroke of the pen, but an ongoing commitment.
We cannot tolerate a legal system that writes off human potential with finality. By uniting around survivors’ justice and Second Look legislation to help end extreme sentencing, we can build a justice system grounded in accountability, compassion and true community safety.
Dominique Grant is the campaign and community organizer for Women on the Rise GA.
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