Robyn Hasan-Simpson on why Georgia’s Survivor Justice Act is “better” than others around the nation

TW: Domestic violence

“LaToya Dickens says her husband, whom she met when they were teenagers, physically abused her for years.

“‘By the time I was 18 years old, he and I had three children together,’ Dickens said. ‘The abuse continued to get extensive. One time, I can recall that he lifted me up waist high to him and threw me off the porch while I was eight months pregnant.’

“There were instances where the police were called, but Dickens said she didn’t press charges. At the time, she felt she had nowhere else to turn. That’s until January 1999, when Dickens ended up stabbing her husband one time while struggling over a knife. He died three days later.

“‘It was devastating to say the least,’ Dickens said. ‘People just think, ‘Oh, she killed her husband, and she thinks she gets to walk away scot-free from that.’ That was never the case.’

We just shared our story of how by having this law, it basically protects us for trying to survive.

“According to Dickens, at no point during her trial did the court consider her backstory before she was convicted of felony murder. …

“In the end, Dickens served 25 years in prison and is now on parole for the rest of her life, but she hopes Georgia’s Survivor Justice Act, which took effect on Tuesday, will allow her case to be re-examined, giving her a chance at full freedom. …

“Robyn Hasan-Simpson [Leading with Conviction™ 2022], executive director of the Atlanta-based advocacy group Women on the Rise, is a domestic violence survivor, too. She and Dickens met while they were both serving time behind bars. But most recently, they came together to push for change.

“‘It was a lot of work on the back end,’ Hasan-Simpson said, ‘but once we got legislators involved, we got [HB 582] passed this session, which was huge, because that normally takes two or three sessions. Our role was getting women involved who are currently incarcerated and formerly incarcerated … and so we just shared our story of how by having this law, it basically protects us for trying to survive.’

“Two major reasons people don’t leave abusive relationships are because they’ve become financially dependent on a partner or it’s become more dangerous to leave than to stay, Hasan-Simpson said.

“Oklahoma and a few other states have similar laws to protect domestic violence survivors from excessive prison sentences, but Hasan-Simpson says Georgia’s Survivor Justice Act is ‘better’ because it’s retroactive.

“‘That never happens,’ she said. ‘Normally, when we pass a law, it’s like, okay, it’s effective July 1, 2025, but if you got a sentence 20 years ago, it doesn’t affect you, which is crazy because you’ve changed the law!’

“For Dickens, having a criminal record and being on lifetime parole has cost her a full-time job opportunity at a mental health counseling center. She said she’s trying to start her own cleaning business, but getting the money to do it has been difficult, so she’s trying to get re-certified to be a nursing assistant. She’s also had to pay for and take a domestic violence class.

“‘Some people will listen to what happened to you, and they will give you a second chance,’ Dickens said. ‘So, you know, I’m just waiting for that opportunity.’”

Read the full story at WABE.org.