To the Editor:
As a survivor of domestic abuse, I know what it is like to feel voiceless and afraid. I was verbally and physically abused by my previous partner and realized the breadth of danger I was in when he attempted to shove me down the staircase with our one-year-old son in my arms. Not only did he jeopardize my life, but the life of our son.
Unfortunately, this is not a unique story. There are many crime victims in our state who suffer first at the hands of their abuser, and later, from a flawed and one-sided criminal justice system.
Kentucky is just one of only 15 states that do not provide constitutional rights for victims of crime.
Marsy’s Law for Kentucky is a real solution to this problem. Marsy’s Law would establish a victim’s bill of rights in the Kentucky constitution granting protections for crime victims and their families— something the accused and convicted are already afforded.
It is time to balance Kentucky’s unjust system with Marsy’s Law. I urge Kentuckians to support this critical legislation so that we can vote for crime victims’ rights on the ballot in 2018.
Felicia Davis
Florence, Ky.