Survivors of domestic violence are too often criminalized for the very actions that kept them alive. When courts view these cases without the full context of trauma and coercive control, self-defense is misunderstood and justice is put at risk. Domestic Violence Expert Witnesses play a vital role in bridging that gap, helping judges, juries, and prosecutors understand how prolonged abuse shapes perception, fear, and decision-making.

What happens when the very system designed to protect survivors becomes a new source of harm? This piece explores how the family court system can mirror the cycle of abuse—re-traumatizing survivors of domestic violence, punishing protective parents, and prioritizing procedure over safety. Through the story of one mother’s fight to protect her daughter, the article illustrates how legal systems, when blind to the dynamics of coercive control, can become tools of continued abuse.

A must-read for therapists, advocates, and anyone working at the intersection of trauma and justice.