My Fight for Justice

My name is Charlene, and I am a survivor of abuse that was not only inflicted by a person I once trusted, but also perpetuated and magnified by the very legal system that was supposed to protect me. What I endured was not just personal—it is systemic. The current laws, including Marsy’s Law and California Family Code § 4324.5, were weaponized against me through my abuser’s malicious and falsified claims. This is my story, and I share it not only to seek justice, but to advocate for change.

My abuser used these laws as a shield while turning them into a sword. By making false accusations, he found a way to strip me of my rights, my freedom, my child, and my ability to live a dignified life. Rather than being protected, I was punished. Rather than being heard, I was silenced.

How the System Failed Me:

Emotional and Psychological Abuse: I was forcibly separated from my child for months, and again for over a year and a half. The trauma of this forced estrangement deeply affected both me and my child. We were denied the right to love and care for one another. These decisions were based on lies, and I was powerless to stop it.

Forced to submission – Desperate for freedom after 7 months of incarceration and many failed efforts to be released with mental health diversion I qualified for I had to plea to a felony I wasn’t guilty of.  

Silencing of My Voice: Law enforcement ignored my pleas and refused to consider that I might be the actual victim. My abuser's version of events was accepted without question. This left me feeling psychologically confused, retraumatized, and powerless.

Legal and Financial Abuse: I was incarcerated and convicted of a felony based on my abuser's lies. This was a continuation of the abuse I had already suffered emotionally, psychologically, and financially. Instead of help, I received a criminal record.

Loss of My Business and Livelihood: My abuser was allowed to remain in our home and destroyed my business assets. I lost my home-based business, my source of income, and any sense of stability. Severe depression and trauma made it impossible to rebuild.

Barriers to Employment:Now labeled a convicted felon, I face immense challenges in finding employment. My abuser, meanwhile, successfully petitioned to avoid paying spousal support, furthering my financial hardship.

Homelessness: With no family support, no financial assistance, and nowhere to go, I lived in my car for three months. The system that should have supported me abandoned me.

Physical Damage / Pain and Suffering: The unrelenting stress and trauma had catastrophic effects on my health:

I lost the ability to bear children. Chronic stress caused hormonal shifts so severe that my body began physically masculinizing. My ovaries were removed to prevent permanent damage. After surgery, symptoms like facial/chest hair, enlarged muscles, and an enlarged clitoris subsided—but the emotional toll of losing my fertility is irreversible.

I developed chronic skin conditions that would not heal, ultimately leading to sepsis and hospitalization.

Photographs from when the abuse began to now, show clear physical decline. I lost weight, and depression left me unable to care for myself properly and that lead to drastic change in my appearance.

Since 2021, my health has rapidly deteriorated. I was perfectly healthy and then I suddenly became prediabetic, developed plantar fasciitis, and was diagnosed with a precancerous colon polyp so advanced that doctors said they normally only see it in patients nearing age 100. I’m 45. Chronic stress and inflammation created a fertile ground for disease.

My eyesight has worsened dramatically. I developed cataracts during this time.

Call to Action:

This isn’t just my story. This is the story of a broken system that can be exploited to harm, silence, and destroy survivors. The protections under Marsy’s Law and Family Code § 4324.5 must be re-examined. There must be accountability for those who use these laws in bad faith. There must be safeguards for survivors like me.

We need:

Independent review panels for domestic violence allegations with criminal consequences.

Stronger evidentiary standards before issuing life-altering protective orders.

Clear consequences for filing knowingly false claims.

Mandatory inclusion of both parties’ history in domestic violence assessments.

Restorative justice and support for victims of legal system abuse.

I share my experience as an urgent plea for change—not only for myself, but for every person who might be vulnerable to the same misuse of power. We can’t let laws designed to protect become weapons in the hands of abusers.