Like many people, I was outraged when I saw the video of Florida judge Jerri Collins throwing a woman in jail after holding her in contempt of court for not showing up to testify against her allegedly abusive husband.
The victim, a young woman whose husband had allegedly choked her and slammed her head into a microwave in front of their one-year-old child, tearfully recounted to the judge the trauma and anxiety she had been experiencing. The judge callously berated and retraumatized the woman before sentencing her to three days in jail. (Her husband received just 16 days in jail.)
This incident in a Florida court smacks of a total lack of understanding of the dynamics of domestic violence and underscores why so many victims do not seek legal help. Judge Collins's behavior shows other victims who might want to pursue legal action against their abusive partners that the courts are not on their side. If they come forward, they will be harangued, shamed, ignored and even arrested. A judge who behaves this way is no better than an abusive partner, using fear and intimidation against a victim to control her and produce a desired outcome.
There are many reasons why an abuse victim might not want to testify against their partner, and most of them stem from fear: fear of retaliation from their partner, fear of not being believed, fear of being shamed, fear of being arrested, fear of losing their home or children. Almost all of these fears came true for the young woman in Judge Collins's court.
Our legal system is designed to protect victims and prosecute perpetrators, not the other way around. Too often, it shamefully fails to do so in cases of domestic violence. According to a recent survey co-conducted by the National Domestic Violence Hotline, one in four women who had experienced domestic violence reported they would not call the police regarding the abuse, and more than half said that calling the police would make things worse. The events in Judge Collins's court confirm many victims' perception and worst nightmare: that no one, not even the justice system, will help them.
Victims of domestic violence deserve support and resources to help them live free from abuse. There are many judges, lawyers and law enforcement officials that do an amazing job of supporting domestic violence victims and understanding their needs. But, clearly, there is still much work to be done.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides lifesaving tools and immediate support to enable victims to find safety and live lives free of abuse. Resources and help can be found at www.thehotline.org or 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or for Deaf callers, 1-800-787- 3224 TTY.