The dangerous unintended consequences of a domestic violence registry

“Plead guilty so you can go home to your kids.” That was what a defense lawyer advised an abuse survivor who later sought help from the UC Irvine Domestic Violence Clinic. After experiencing two decades of physical and sexual abuse, when the survivor called the police for help, her husband falsely claimed that she injured him. She was arrested and pleaded guilty to domestic violence, while her husband went free.

Another client filed for child support after breaking up with her abusive boyfriend. The father of her child was enraged and sent hundreds of threatening text messages before arriving at her apartment and breaking down the door. She called the police for help, yet she was arrested because she inadvertently scratched him while trying to push against the door. I received a call from her sister, saying, “Can you help? My sister’s been arrested for felony domestic violence.”

This legislative session in California, there is considerable discussion about a state domestic violence registry, a publicly accessible, searchable list of those who have been convicted of domestic violence. While obviously well-intentioned, a registry of this kind would list many wrongfully charged and convicted abuse survivors. Such a registry would also likely decrease domestic violence reporting and keep survivors in abusive situations. 

For the millions of Californians who have experienced domestic violence, leaving an abusive situation is fraught. In addition to the risk of physical harm that can come with attempting to flee, many survivors face the prospect that seeking safety could mean losing their housing and ability to financially support themselves and their children. Survivors frequently weigh one harm against another, the possibility that abuse might escalate even further against the real risk that they and their children might end up homeless in a state where we know that at least 74,000 survivors of domestic violence and 24,000 children of survivors were homeless in 2024. 

A state domestic violence registry would complicate this already complex financial picture. Domestic violence survivors are often married to their abusive partners and/or share children with them. Many offenders listed on a domestic violence registry would be unable to provide child and spousal support, as publicly listing their names will essentially render them unemployable. Evidence from the sex offender registry shows that listed individuals face severe barriers to securing housing and employment; a significant percentage of those listed on California’s sex offender registry are homeless. 

To be clear, every time a survivor has to make these choices, it is a policy failure. Every time a survivor stays in an abusive relationship out of fear that their children might be homeless, it is because we have constructed a system that makes it extraordinarily difficult to leave and reach safety. A domestic violence registry would unfortunately make it even more difficult, adding yet another consideration to the calculations that survivors make about whether it is safe to seek help. 

And with many abuse survivors themselves being wrongfully convicted of domestic violence, a domestic violence registry would permanently hamper their ability to support themselves, recover, and survive. 

Studies show that most women in prison have experienced intimate partner violence, and their abuse is often intertwined with the reason for their incarceration. Listing abuse survivors on a domestic violence registry, with permanent implications for their lives, does not serve public safety. 

Domestic violence survivors and advocates know what will work in ending domestic violence. Sustained investments in services and in housing, and robust funding for prevention efforts, can enable people to reach safety, end cycles of abuse, and recognize the signs of an unhealthy relationship before abuse escalates. Rather than establish a domestic violence registry, California should invest in the solutions proven to create safer communities free from domestic violence. 

Jane K. Stoever directs the UC Irvine Domestic Violence Clinic and the UCI Initiative to End Family Violence.