BEARING WITNESS

Blog & Research

Dive deeper into our investigations with case analyses, expert interviews, opinion pieces, and legislative breakdowns that go beyond our podcast episodes.

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Content Warning
Featured
Investigative

The Invisible Crisis: How Court Backlogs Are Silencing Victims of Domestic Violence

Our six-month investigation reveals how pandemic-related court delays have created a dangerous backlog of domestic violence cases, leaving thousands of victims in legal limbo and at continued risk of harm.

Dr. Rebecca Martinez
April 28, 2023
15 min read
Digital Stalking: The New Frontier of Intimate Partner Violence
Content Warning
Case Study
12 min read
Digital Stalking: The New Frontier of Intimate Partner Violence
By Samantha WrightMay 1, 2023

How abusers are weaponizing technology to monitor, control, and harass their victims, and why current laws are struggling to keep pace with these evolving threats.

Interview: Detective Lisa Morgan on Transforming Cold Case Investigations
Interview
10 min read
Interview: Detective Lisa Morgan on Transforming Cold Case Investigations
By Michael ChenApril 22, 2023

Twenty-five years into her career, Detective Morgan discusses how advances in DNA technology and digital forensics are helping solve decades-old cases of violence against women.

The Failure of Mandatory Reporting: When Systems Meant to Protect Actually Harm
Opinion
14 min read
The Failure of Mandatory Reporting: When Systems Meant to Protect Actually Harm
By Dr. Rebecca MartinezApril 15, 2023

An examination of how well-intentioned mandatory reporting laws can sometimes discourage victims from seeking help and potentially increase their danger.

Breaking Down the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022
Legislative
18 min read
Breaking Down the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022
By Jasmine Washington, J.D.April 8, 2023

A comprehensive analysis of the latest reauthorization of VAWA, highlighting key changes, new protections, and the gaps that still remain in federal legislation.

The Sarah Mitchell Case: A Timeline of Systemic Failures
Content Warning
Case Study
20 min read
The Sarah Mitchell Case: A Timeline of Systemic Failures
By Emma RodriguezApril 1, 2023

A detailed chronology of the Sarah Mitchell disappearance, documenting each missed opportunity for intervention and the institutional breakdowns that allowed her abuser to evade justice.

Opinion: Why We Need to Stop Asking 'Why Didn't She Just Leave?'
Opinion
8 min read
Opinion: Why We Need to Stop Asking 'Why Didn't She Just Leave?'
By Dr. Aisha JohnsonMarch 25, 2023

The dangerous misconceptions behind this common question, and how it fundamentally misunderstands the complex dynamics of abuse, coercive control, and the very real dangers of leaving.