When Domestic Violence Victims Are Imprisoned for Their Abusers’ Crimes

Lindley’s story anchors BuzzFeed’s sweeping investigation into how some state laws are attempting to protect children from domestic abuse by penalizing other victims in the household—largely, women. Campbell uncovered at least 28 similar cases in 11 states, where mothers have been “sentenced to at least 10 years in prison for failing to prevent their partners from harming their children.” In each case, “there was evidence the mother herself had been battered by the man.”

Slate