Episode 60: She Called Police for Help and Was Arrested — Thanks, Mandatory Arrest Laws

Did you know that in over half the states in the U.S., mandatory arrest laws denote at least one, if not both parties, will be arrested when police respond to a domestic violence call? As they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and though these laws were originally designed in the '80s to take the burden off a survivor of pressing charges on the scene, they're actually doing the opposite in some cases and resulting in survivors being the ones arrested. Who knew that abusive partners could lie so well? (Oh, we did.) Now these laws are a barrier for many survivors to call the police.

Kayla Fassio, host of the podcast Habits You Love, dialed 911 during a physical altercation with her then-boyfriend. Scared at how the fight was escalating, she hoped police would intervene but they thought it best if they took Kayla to jail. What does getting locked up do to someone who's trapped with a toxic or abusive partner? Does it empower them to leave safely? (If you said no, give yourself a gold star.) Kayla chronicles her whole journey through this destructive relationship on her BFF's podcast, It Doesn't End Here, and today, shares with us a little bit about life after a toxic partner and her journey to overcoming the shame that often comes along with it.

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE

Kayla Fassio’s Website and Podcast

Hear Kayla’s full story on "It Doesn’t End Here"

"I Got Arrested Too, Now What?” On DomesticShelters.org