Petition: End Violence and Survivor Blaming in Santa Barbara County

 

The Issue: 

 

The Domestic Violence Prevention Act (DVPA) was created to protect victims of domestic violence, particularly addressing the most common form: violence inflicted by men against their wives, domestic partners, dating partners, or minor children. While this statute is a crucial tool for real victims, it is being misused by individuals like my ex-partner to unjustly target and impose severe hardships on innocent individuals and families—including mine.

 

Why This Matters:

 

MISUSE OF RESTRAINING ORDERS

Two significant issues contribute to this alarming trend:

 1. Broad and Abusable Definitions:

The DVPA’s wide-ranging definition of “abuse” can be exploited by malicious individuals to manipulate the system, targeting innocent people without sufficient evidence.

 2. Overreach of Legal Remedies:

While the DVPA has expanded to provide essential resources for domestic violence victims, it inadvertently imposes severe hardships on wrongfully accused defendants. This includes financial burdens, reputational damage, and emotional trauma—further exacerbating the cycle of abuse.

 

DEMAND 

 

 1. Fair and Transparent Legal Processes:

Santa Barbara County courts must implement stricter evidentiary standards and safeguards to prevent the DVPA from being weaponized against innocent individuals.

 2. Accountability for False Accusations:

Establish clear penalties for individuals who exploit domestic violence laws for personal gain, ensuring that false claims are treated with the seriousness they deserve.

 3. Support True Victims, Not Abusers:

Ensure that resources are directed towards genuine survivors of abuse, not those manipulating the system to harm others.

 

Join Us in Making a Difference

 

By signing this petition, you stand against the misuse of the DVPA and support fair treatment for all. We aim to:

 • Protect genuine survivors of domestic violence.

 • Prevent the wrongful targeting of innocent individuals.

 • Promote justice and accountability within our community.

 

Together, we can ensure that Santa Barbara County remains a place of safety and fairness for all.

 

Sign this petition to demand change and protect true victims of domestic violence.

 

Every signature brings us one step closer to justice.

 

WELCOME TO SANTA BARBARA COUNTY 

 

 

• The enactment of the Domestic Violence Prevention Act provided an essential toolkit for protecting victims of domestic violence, especially in its most common form—violence inflicted by men against their wives, domestic partners, dating partners, or minor children. However, the statute has been misused by my ex in this case, who has deployed it to impose unreasonable burdens upon me and my family whom he has targeted. 
• This phenomenon is primarily the result of two factors: (1) the opportunities which the broad statutory definition of "abuse" offers to unscrupulous plaintiffs to manipulate the judicial system, and (2) the accretion, through amendments, of numerous remedies that have made the statute function as a legal acute-care center for the myriad social and economic problems confronting domestic violence victims, at the cost of imposing undue hardship upon defendants.
• The DVPA statute's definition of "abuse" encompasses many offenses that would be chargeable. These include: assault and aggravated assault; sexual assault; criminal threatening; terrorizing; stalking; sex trafficking; and unauthorized dissemination of certain private images. However, the definition is broad enough to also include conduct that neither rises to the level of criminal culpability nor poses an appreciable risk to the life, health, or safety of those in the defendant's family or household.