In several states, police are cutting ties with domestic violence organizations that support Black Lives Matter. Senior reporter Melissa Jeltsen reported on Embrace — a group in northwestern Wisconsin that posted a Black Lives Matter sign at its four locations — and the backlash it has seen from local law enforcement. Must Reads talked to Jeltsen about her story and how the situation puts survivors and their advocates in a tough position.
How did you come upon this story?
I was on Twitter and I saw a link to a GoFundMe for a domestic violence program in Wisconsin that lost $25,000 in funding because of its support for Black Lives Matter. I knew immediately I wanted to cover the story. For months, I’ve been talking to domestic violence advocates who are reflecting on their symbiotic relationship with police in light of the Black Lives Matter movement.
There is a sharp divide in the anti-violence world between advocates who believe the criminal justice system is the only appropriate response to abuse, and those who believe that police and prosecution cause more harm, with plenty of people falling in the middle. But this was the first example I’d seen of a domestic violence program facing retaliation for supporting Black Lives Matter.
You’ve written a bit about calls to “defund the piece” and where that intersects with help for survivors of domestic violence. But how does the inaction of local law enforcement agencies — in this case, because of support for the Black Lives Matter movement — put domestic violence groups in another complicated situation?
As it currently stands, police are the first-line responders for domestic violence incidents. One of the key things they do is to connect victims to local domestic violence organizations for help. Many times, victims don’t know where to go or what services are available to them. They may not have transportation or money to get there. By refusing to refer victims to Embrace, the domestic violence shelter in Wisconsin, law enforcement is ultimately penalizing people who are already in a crisis situation.
What does an effective relationship between law enforcement agencies and domestic violence groups look like?
It is always going to be a somewhat fraught relationship because the goals of domestic violence survivors are not necessarily the same as the goals of the criminal justice system. (Examples of incidents that can cause tension between the two groups include police jailing victims for acts of self-defense or prosecutors forcing victims to testify against their will, both of which happen.)
I’d say open lines of communication between the two sides and a shared commitment to keping survivors safe. It helps if local police are willing to be trained by advocates on the dynamics of domestic violence so that they’re better equipped to interact with survivors. In some parts of the country, police and advocates have set up targeted, high-risk response teams to track victims who are at highest risk of being seriously injured or killed. That model has been quite effective.
What has been the response to your piece so far?
There’s been an outpouring of support for Embrace, the local domestic violence organization. It has raised over $80,000 on GoFundMe. I’ve also heard from domestic violence programs across the country about their own struggles navigating support for Black Lives Matter and anti-racism without alienating their police partners.
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