Conference looks at defendant/victims of domestic violence

October 30, 2014

GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- UF Law’s Survivors Defendant/Victims of Domestic Violence Conference will discuss domestic violence victims who wind up on the wrong side of the law when they respond to violence against them.

The conference will be held Oct. 30-31 at the UF Law campus and is sponsored by the Criminal Justice Center and the Center for Children and Families. The full agenda can be found here.

The Survivors Conference will feature leading experts in domestic violence, including attorney and author Joshua Safran, attorney Natalie A. Jackson of the Women’s Trial Group, and Linda A. Osmundson, the executive director for Community Action Stops Abuse.

Safran fought for the release of Debbie Peaglar, a domestic violence survivor who served 25 years in prison for her alleged involvement in the death of her husband who abused her and forced her into prostitution.

The fight to free Peagler is chronicled in the award-winning documentary Crime After Crime, which will be screened at the conference on Oct. 30 at 3 p.m. in UF Law’s Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom, HOL 180. A question-and-answer session and discussion will follow with Safran.

The following day will feature presentations by Safran, Jackson and Osmundson in the Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center. The speakers will participate in a panel discussion following the presentations.

The event is free and open to the public, legal community and media. Parking restrictions are lifted at the UF Law campus for the days of the conference. Click here for registration information. Attendees may choose to attend one, several or all of the events. The conference is approved for seven general CLE credits and five marital and family law CLE credits.