LETTER FROM OUR CEO: “Survivors Need Support, Not Prison Sentences”

For generations, women who resisted or spoke out against abuse were punished or ignored. Now, as more women fight for their safety and claim ownership of their bodies, they are being criminalized for surviving.

When I first began working in women’s prisons in Louisiana, the majority of women serving life sentences were domestic abuse survivors. This criminalization of survivors is a substantial problem across the country, with studies showing that women are incarcerated at twice the rate of men, and up to 95 percent of women incarcerated in the U.S. have experienced domestic or sexual violence at some point in their lifetime. The National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women also finds that women who were abused are much more likely to be incarcerated than women who are not.

As an organization that has worked to restore the lives of countless criminal legal system-impacted women who are victims of domestic violence, we know and understand firsthand that survivors need support and resources. By removing barriers and creating opportunities for education and employment, we have helped women secure stable housing and create safe environments for themselves and their families.

Operation Restoration stands with all survivors – especially those who have faced criminalization as a result of experiencing violence at the hands of others. Let this month be a reminder that we all have a role to play in eliminating domestic violence and making our communities a place where women not only survive, they thrive.

In Solidarity,

Syrita Steib

Founder, President & CEO

Operation Restoration