Nearly half of all domestic violence cases go unreported, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and survivors who do press charges often face significant challenges in navigating the justice system.
“I was a victim, OK. Until I chose to leave,” said Tanja Davis, who vividly remembers the day she called the police for domestic violence on Oct. 22, 2023.
“The last straw for me was looking into his eyes as he hit me on the side of my face with a rock glass. And with ceramic coasters, and there was just this deadness, and I knew that that day had to be the last day, because the next time I was going to be dead,” Davis said.
She suffered a broken nose and jaw but found the strength to end the abuse. However, her journey for justice was far from straightforward. Davis said there was a delay in Jefferson Parish deputies making an arrest, leaving her vulnerable.
“He’s at my job. He’s at my daughter’s school. He’s riding around my neighborhood. So what am I supposed to do?” she said.
An altercation in Gretna eventually led to her abuser being arrested.
“Gretna issued the warrant and then decided to do the report,” Davis said.
When the case finally went before a judge, her abuser was sentenced to five years of hard time for domestic abuse battery causing bodily injury in February 2024. But Davis had to endure a series of hearings and court dates before the punishment was handed down.
“If you don’t follow through, it goes away,” she said. “So I had to show up every time.”
Each appearance required her to retell her story, reliving the trauma.
“I survived the trauma. And now I have to survive this, this system,” Davis said.
To navigate the process, Davis kept a binder of evidence.
“Do you have something to prove? What I need to prove is that our system is broken and we are not doing enough,” she said.
She also faced the recurring question: Why didn’t you leave sooner? Davis said it’s never that simple, and the stigma surrounding domestic violence often keeps victims trapped.
“The shame is not mine to carry. And that is why abuse thrives the way it does. Because it’s in secret,” she said.
Just when she thought justice had been served, Davis learned from a friend that her abuser was released from jail in August without notice from the Department of Corrections.
“This whole process is so disconnected and disjointed,” said Davis, adding that he served only half the time instead of the required 75 percent.
When asked if she considers herself brave, Davis said, “I don’t know what to call it. I think I’m pissed. I’m pissed. That it’s this hard to get justice.”
Davis continues her journey for justice and healing. As part of her transformation, she shaved her hair, embracing her appearance as a symbol of strength.
“Now you have to look at me, you have to look at my face, and you can’t escape that,” she said.
She is determined to create a new life for herself and her daughters.
“I didn’t want my story to be something that they had to recover from,” Davis said.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, there is still time to reach out for help.
READ MORE:Domestic violence survivor shares struggles with the justice system
