Louisiana Survivors for Reform, an advocacy organization for victims of violence, hosted their fourth annual Lobby Day on April 25, where survivors and advocates gathered at the capitol to build community and connect with legislators.
LSR is a coalition of crime survivors, victims’ families and related groups that work to change the state’s criminal justice system by offering a voice to crime victims through legal advocacy and monthly support group and organizational meetings.
Over a hundred people attended Lobby Day, including victims of domestic violence, gun violence and women who had been criminalized as a result of their abuse, according to LSR Lobby Day organizer Natalie Sharp.
“The goal of the day was to connect with one another, and what we heard from survivors over and over again was that we want to see an investment in resources and violence prevention strategies in order to build a safer state for survivors, and also all community members,” Sharp said.
At Lobby Day, Louisiana State Representatives Tammy Phelps and C. Denise Marcelle spoke with survivors.
Marcelle authored HB 631, known as the Justice for Survivors Act, which would offer sentence reconsideration for victims of domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual assault if their abuser was the victim in the crime for which they were incarcerated, or if their abuser coerced them into committing the crime.
“What we see all too often is that victims of abuse themselves become criminalized and incarcerated for taking desperate actions that they needed to take to survive,” Sharp said. “So that can look like perhaps defending themselves against an abuser or being coerced into committing a crime that their abuser or trafficker forced them into.”
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LSR estimates there are 30-50 survivors currently incarcerated with life sentences at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women. The Justice for Survivors Act would have offered sentencing relief for these women, something LSR supported.
On April 9, LSR members, including formerly incarcerated survivors, testified before the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee in support of the bill. Despite their testimony, the committee voted 7-6 against the bill, tabling it for the session.
This is the third year the Justice for Survivors Act has been brought to the legislature. Sharp said LSR will continue to fight for this bill with the support of many throughout the state, including formerly incarcerated survivors, members of law enforcement and trafficking and abuse experts at the Human Trafficking Prevention Commission.
While LSR was at the capitol, the Louisiana House of Representatives voted to approve the nearly $48 billion state budget. The Louisiana Illuminator reports the budget allocated an additional $52 million to the prison system and $22 million more to the state agency that oversees the Louisiana State Police, some of this money creating a new police troop in New Orleans.
Sharp said it was important for LSR members to speak with legislators about the budget.
“Especially this year, there has been a huge investment in incarceration and punishment, and we actually don’t see that as preventing violence or creating safety,” Sharp said. “When we think about public safety, we want to see an investment in resources, schools, affordable housing, equal and adequate pay. These are the things that we heard from survivors that they think will build a safer Louisiana.”
Sharp said victims’ rights were ignored by legislators during the special session on crime and the general session, despite claims these efforts were to support victims.
“…We heard over and over again legislators invoking ‘victims rights’ in order to pass legislation that hurts our communities and increases punishment,” Sharp said. “We really staunchly rebuff any action by legislators that is supposedly in the name of victims that doesn’t actually include the voices of victims.”
Lobby Day also aimed to connect community members with the survivor and advocacy resources they might need. Several survivor advocacy organizations were at the event to spread their message, including the anti-gun violence organization Forever Takes a Village and the civic engagement group Power Coalition of Equity and Justice.
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Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response attended Lobby Day to connect with survivors. STAR provides free supportive services to survivors of sexual violence throughout the state, including advocacy, counseling and legal representation to survivors, such a 24-hour crisis hotline, accompaniment to legal hearings and access to individual and group counseling sessions.
Maya Jammulapati, a resource advocate at STAR, said attending Lobby Day gave her the opportunity to meet her representatives. Jammulapati said Lobby Day was important because it allowed for survivor and survivor advocates to interact with their legislators.
“It’s the most important thing that they can do because otherwise there is always going to be a disconnect between the peoples’ experiences and how that is reflected in the law,” Jammulapati said.
STAR’s advocacy coordinator Kennedy Dozier emphasized the importance of spreading information about survivor resources within the community. She hopes legislators will learn more about sexual violence through events like these, and apply their new knowledge to their legislation.
“One person’s experience does not invalidate another, and all experiences are extremely valid and you have to understand that,” Dozier said. “I think that’s something to remember: no matter where you fall on that spectrum, it is still sexual violence, and we need to understand and create policies that reflect those lived experiences of survivors.”
