Pennsylvania State Sen. Amanda Capalletti recently announced her intention to propose legislation that would allow people convicted of crimes related to resisting their own abuse to ask for shorter sentences. The legislation also enables those already serving long sentences for crimes substantially related to their experiences of violence to seek resentencing.

The law is meant to offer hope to people who are facing long sentences for crimes related to their victimization: women who kill their abusers, for instance, or victims of sex trafficking who harm the people who have trafficked them. These people are often referred to as criminalized survivors, recognizing their dual status as victims and defendants. Similar laws have already been passed in California , Illinois , New York ,

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