Harralyn Rawls

Harralyn Rawls, a survivor of domestic violence and a victim advocate, is also the co-founder of Fellowship Community Outreach, an organization that helps victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual assault. She shared her story in a short interview where she discussed her experiences with the court systems, the lack of support within her community, her PTSD, and how counseling and Marsy’s Law have helped her recover from a lifetime of abuse.

Can you share your personal experience as a crime victim within the Georgia court system? What were some of the challenges you faced and how did the system respond to your needs?

There were not many resources available for me at the time. I did not know about domestic violence shelters or organizations. All I knew was to go to a church. At the time, because of my strong religious beliefs, the church was not very helpful in that respect because I was not married. I had eight different abusers, and the court system was not in my favor. The four abusers that went to court had more rights than I had. I was only allowed to speak on my behalf in one of the cases. And in that particular case, I was pretty much treated as if I was the abuser. This was 25 years ago and it was not something that people talked about a lot. Domestic violence at the time was seen as something that was your business, not the community's business.

In your specific case, what would you say was the most significant impact that Marsy's Law had, or continues to have, on your pursuit of justice and healing as a crime victim?

I advocate for victims because I do not have a voice. I didn't have anyone to speak on my behalf. In 2016, I met Ann Casus and I started volunteering for Marsy's Law. I partnered up with quite a few organizations and Marsy's Law was a great help in getting the churches to understand. Through Marsy's Law, I was able to get in front of so many churches. As a field rep, I had the opportunity to go across the state of Georgia to different churches talking about domestic violence, and the response of these pastors has been amazing.

Reflecting on the passage of Marsy's Law for Georgia, how do you believe it has been instrumental in aiding and supporting crime victims since its implementation? Are there any notable changes or improvements that you have observed?

Marsy's Law has opened a door for so many advocates to get in front of people and make a difference, not just for the notification part, but to get them to take domestic violence seriously. It's not just a Black thing. It's not a White thing. It's not Asian. It's not Hispanic. It's a US thing. It's human. We’re all a part of it. We're all affected by it.

As someone who has navigated the justice system as a crime victim, what advice or words of encouragement would you offer to fellow victims who are currently going through similar experiences? How can they find strength and resilience during their journey?

Unfortunately, in a Black community, we're taught, to take a pill and go about our business. You’re strong. You don't need therapy, you don't need this, you don't need that. That's what we were taught. I didn't get therapy until last year and my husband at that time worked with me and prayed with me.