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Coalition Launches Campaign to Pass Historic Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act in Connecticut

Rep. Jon Echols speaks to attendees in a wood paneled room
Rep. Jon Echols of Oklahoma speaks to attendees at the kick-off event.

On Sept. 25, 2024, Yale Law School’s Criminal Justice Advocacy Clinic (CJAC) hosted a reception to kick-off a campaign to pass a historic Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA) in Connecticut. The event featured special guest Oklahoma Majority Floor Leader Rep. Jon Echols, who recently led successful efforts to pass a similar bill in his home state. 

A DVSJA bill in Connecticut will provide pathways for trauma-informed sentencing and commutation relief for those who can prove their criminal conduct arose out of their personal experience of abuse and domestic violence, according to members of the clinic. The CJAC has spent the past year working to build a coalition of partners to generate support for the legislation, which, if passed in Connecticut, would be the first of its kind in New England. The event marked the official start of the coalition’s efforts to pass Connecticut’s DVSJA during the 2025 legislative session. 

Professor Miriam Gohara speaks to a room of attendees
Professor Miriam Gohara, Director of the Yale Law School Criminal Justice Advocacy Clinic, welcomed attendees to the kick-off event. 

During the event, Echols spoke about his experience leading the near-unanimous passage of the Oklahoma Survivors’ Act earlier this year. The bill allows sentencing courts to resentence survivors of domestic violence whose victimization was a significant factor in their underlying offense and gives courts the ability to impose lower sentences on survivors of domestic violence in the future. Echols was joined by Alexandra Bailey, a Senior Campaign Strategist at The Sentencing Project, who spoke about importing the lessons from Oklahoma into Connecticut’s fight to pass a DVSJA bill. 

Also in attendance were domestic violence and criminal law reform advocates, legislative staff, and affected community members. 

“Oklahoma is proud to be a leader in protecting domestic abuse survivors,” said Echols. “There is much work yet to be done. However, we can always do more together than we ever could on our own. I am proud to support Yale Law School in its effort to expand these protections across the country.” 

“The evening was a testament to the bipartisan and universal desire for systemic change around our justice system, and extreme sentencing,” said Alexandra Bailey, a Senior Campaign Strategist at the Sentencing Project. “Seeing two legal and organizing communities that I am proud to be part of come together in a way that puts aside partisanship and agenda in favor of justice and common sense is something we need more of. I hope the state of Connecticut will follow Oklahoma in implementing a robust Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act.” 

“One in four women are domestic violence survivors, and 75% of women in prison have experienced domestic violence,” said Clinical Professor of Law Miriam Gohara, the Director of the Criminal Justice Advocacy Clinic. “Legislation like the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act is a much-needed step toward supporting system-involved survivors. I am thrilled to work with this coalition to see this legislation passed in Connecticut.” 

To learn more about the Connecticut DVSJA coalition, interested parties can join the first coalition meeting via Zoom on Oct. 8, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Please RSVP here: bit.ly/4gIbkw8.