Criminalized Survival: When the System Punishes Victims with Justine van der Leun

What happens when a survivor's fight for safety is labeled a crime? In this powerful and essential episode, Dr. Kate Balestrieri sits down with investigative journalist Justine van der Leun to explore the harrowing reality of "criminalized survival." Justine spent years inside prisons, listening to women who killed, maimed, or broke the law, not because they were monsters, but because they were survivors who ran out of options. Her book, Unreasonable Women, tells the unforgettable stories of these women, revealing how the legal system often erases their histories of abuse and paints them as cold-blooded perpetrators instead of victims of intimate partner violence. In this conversation, Justine and Dr. Kate discuss the thin, blurry line between victim and perpetrator, the sexist and racist tropes used to prosecute women, and the profound lack of support that sets survivors up for failure. This isn't just their story; it's a stark examination of who society allows to be violent and who is expected to endure it. Tune in for a moving conversation that will change the way you see justice, survival, and the women the system has deemed "unreasonable." Key Topics Discussed: What is "Criminalized Survival"?  The Case of Nikki Addamando The "Reasonable Man" Standard The Three Prongs of Victim Blaming The Role of Sexism and Racism The High Cost of Violence A Call for Change Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices