Jessica Gonzales v United States: An Emerging Model for Domestic Violence & Human Rights Advocacy in the United States

This article discusses the Jessica Gonzales v United States case, heard by the Inter- American Commission on Human Rights (IAHCR) in March 2007. Gonzales was, a domestic violence survivor from Colorado. She fought for justice after her three children were abducted by her husband and killed when police failed to enforce a restraining order against her husband. After seeking redress through the American judicial system and having her claim denied by the U.S. Supreme Court, Gonzales filed a petition with the IAHCR. This author finds this significant because it was the first time the Commission was asked to consider the nature and extent of the United States' affirmative obligation to protect individuals from private acts of violence. The author notes that as a result of Gonzales' petition, domestic violence has also been reframed as a human rights issue. This has now encouraged domestic violence advocacy groups to integrate a human rights element in their fight against injustice.

Caroline Bettinger- L´opez, Jessica Gonzales v United States: An Emerging Model for Domestic Violence & Human Rights Advocacy in the United States (2008) 21:2 Harv Hum Rts J 183.