The last few decades has seen  the dramatic rise of the criminalization of domestic violence perpetration across the globe.   As a result, police have received a large share of domestic violence funding and partnerships between law enforcement and advocates have become the norm.  But if only 20% of survivors feel safer after calling the police , then it is important to think critically about the relationship between survivors and their advocates, and the criminal justice system. 

In this episode, David & Ruth explore the relationship between advocates and law enforcement  with author and law school professor Leigh Goodmark and a team from Embrace, a network of Refuge's serving communities rural Wisconsin.  The Embrace team shares the story of how funding was clawed back by a sheriff and local government council  who objected to their support for the Black Lives Matter movement, racial equity and police reform. They discuss the realities of advocacy in the current atmosphere of calls for police reform, and how law enforcement's response sometimes has a chilling effect on victims of violence seeking assistance. Leigh Goodmark shares  her insights into the history of advocacy within the context of the carceral system.

To learn about the Embrace program: https://www.embracewi.org/

To donate to Embrace: https://www.gofundme.com/f/embrace-loses-county-funding-over-blm-support

Read Leigh's New York Times op-ed on decriminalizing domestic violence

Purchase Decriminalizing Domestic Violence by Leigh Goodmark

Now available! Mapping the Perpetrator’s Pattern: A Practitioner’s Tool for Improving Assessment, Intervention, and Outcomes The web-based Perpetrator Pattern Mapping Tool is a virtual practice tool for improving assessment, intervention, and outcomes through a perpetrator pattern-based approach. The tool allows practitioners to apply the Model’s critical concepts and principles to their current case load in real

Check out David Mandel's new book "Stop Blaming Mothers and Ignoring Fathers: How to transform the way we keep children safe from domestic violence."