Domestic violence survivor works to spread awareness for possible offender registry

By: Darren Doyle

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- A local Domestic Violence survivor is advocating for a Colorado woman's petition to establish a registry for Domestic Violence Offenders.

Depending on laws and location, a Domestic Violence Offender can get certain charges expunged from their record. Renee Lopez from Denver, Colorado, wrote a petition calling for a nationwide registry to keep individuals safe. 

Lopez caught inspiration for this possible countrywide registry from Clare's Law in the United Kingdom. Although some details aren't quite worked out for how the registry would work, it is hoped to provide an open-access resource to partners or potential partners to find out if their partner has a history of Domestic Violence. 

Getting the law established is not only for anyone who has already survived traumatic relationships, but also for those who haven't had the experience, according to Lopez. 

"A lot of people, thankfully, were brave enough to leave their stories, you know. When you look at these stories, you realize, I'm not alone in this," said Lopez. "But also that's really staggering that this many people have, at least once in their life, experienced some form of domestic violence".

One local survivor has been highly vocal about this possibly life-saving tool, which she hopes will be developed. 

Cassandra Brandon is a survivor of an 11-year traumatic relationship where she endured abuse from her then-partner. After being made aware of the petition, she's been doing what she can to spread awareness and help make it a reality.

Not being able to search her partner's past is one of the factors she said led her into her situation. 

"My abuser was able to, after two felony charges, he was able to remove those and keep them off public record. For me, I think that was the biggest shock, but also like the biggest blow," Brandon shared. "There was nothing to hold him accountable or prevent him from doing that to somebody else, and you just kind of feel like you're just invisible in some ways."

Since the petition began three weeks ago, it has received over 12 thousand signatures.