Although more than two dozen U.S. states have self-defense laws that allow the use of force when someone is threatened in their home or other locations, some women, especially women of color, are not benefitting from that legal protection, according to a new investigation and podcast. When victims cannot effectively avail themselves of these self-defense provisions, they face the risk of penalties themselves. In domestic violence, when systems actors do not effectively identify the primary aggressor, victims can be mis-identified as the perpetrator and punished for defending themselves.
Compiled from: "The legal pitfalls domestic violence victims face when they defend themselves," PBS News Hour, July 28, 2023.