Idaho needs Marsy’s Law to strengthen victims’ rights and help them heal

For the past 18 years, I’ve worked as a trauma advocate for crime victims, specifically victims of relationship violence — cases such as child abuse, dating violence, domestic violence and elder abuse. My dedication to helping victims stems from my own childhood and adult experiences with this type of violence, and from my work as a researcher, professor, writer and speaker in the field of victim advocacy and violence prevention.

I’m frequently asked about my support for Marsy’s Law for Idaho, and what it means for our state and future victims of crime. For me, the answer is simple and goes to the heart of what victims need on the road to healing.

One important aspect of Marsy’s Law is that it provides a constitutionally protected voice for victims thrust into our legal system. My experience with victims, and research shows, that having a voice — or an opportunity to reclaim your voice — is essential to recovering from the trauma inflicted by violence and abuse.

When a violent act is committed, the victim’s story is hijacked by the offender and the challenging journey with trauma begins. What I mean by this is that each of us has developed a running narrative for our lives, a storyline we create. For example: I grew up in a small town in southern Idaho, worked hard to put myself through college and married my college sweetheart. Together we raised two beautiful girls while I started my own business and lived happily ever after.

But what happens when the college sweetheart turns out to be a batterer? Or a drunk driver swerves into that loving family’s car? What happens to the family, the business and the “happily ever after?” In the wake of violence, someone else takes over, leaving victims with no control over his or her own life story.

This may sound simplistic, but it’s part of the real struggle facing victims. Each of us takes for granted the ability to write our life stories. But things change dramatically when the unimaginable occurs and we’re no longer in control. This loss of agency and safety is the essence of trauma, and healing from that trauma is difficult and takes time.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with hundreds of clients and patients over the years, supporting them in the transition from being victims to survivors, to once again being the heroes in their own lives.

What I’ve found to be most helpful through this process is getting victims to focus on strengthening their voice, an essential step to helping them take back their life and write a happier ending to their story.

Criminal justice is a critical piece in this process. Often, it can be one of the most challenging for victims. When we work with a client, we focus on the process of engaging in the criminal justice process rather than outcomes. We talk about the empowerment that develops from telling the story in your own voice to a detective, prosecutor, judge, jury or parole board.

The highly skilled and dedicated professionals working in Idaho’s legal system care very much about victims, their stories and the desire to find justice. Too often, these professionals lack the legal tools to ensure that victims have a participatory voice in the process.

Our criminal justice system protects the rights of defendants for good reason, and Marsy’s Law has no intention of changing defendants’ rights. Instead, Marsy’s Law seeks to strengthen the rights of victims and create space for their voice in our justice system. By doing so, Idaho sends a message that victims can participate actively through the criminal justice process and begin reclaiming their life stories.

This story was originally published January 15, 2019 at 11:59 AM.