Brenda Clubine, The Woman Behind the MissionBrenda Clubine
Brenda Clubine endured broken bones and skull fractures — her face bruised and battered. By the time she was put behind bars for killing her husband in 1983, she felt worthless. She received a sentence of 15 years to life and had to give up her son for adoption. She thought she was the only woman in her situation, but Brenda soon discovered that she shared the common experience of love turning violent with many of her fellow inmates. Like many of the CWAA women, Brenda's years of inflicted abuse were never fully revealed in her trial since, prior to 1992, California law did not allow a legal defense to include evidence of battering. Through careful orchestration of letter-writing campaigns, media coverage, and senate hearings, a movement was born. Because of CWAA's advocacy, new laws were set in place in 1992 and 2002 that allow incarcerated survivors to utilize the defense of Battered Woman Syndrome and even challenge their original convictions. As a result, battered women across the country currently receive lesser sentences. Advocates are urging other states to follow in the steps of what CWAA accomplished by permitting inmates the opportunity to seek a new trial if they were convicted before the laws recognized the importance of expert testimony on the effects of battering. After years of meeting in the prison yard and telling each other their whispered stories, Brenda started CWAA, and her revelation inspired the support group — the first group of its kind in the entire U.S. prison system. After 26 years in prison, on October 22, 2008, founding member Brenda became the 20th CWAA member to gain her freedom. With it came a chance to walk on the beach. A chance to be with her son, who she was told by his adoptive parents had died just after her incarceration. A chance to continue her advocacy and be a voice for the women of CWAA in the free world.
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