Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women, more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined. Every year, 1 in 3 women who is a victim of homicide is murdered by her current or former partner. Dana Being Dana’s “Drew Peterson: Document the Abuse“ episode features a powerful conversation with DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin, Devonna Judd, a domestic violence survivor, and Norma J. Peterson, Executive Director of Document The Abuse. Norma is also the sister-in-law of Drew Peterson, a former Bolingbrook police sergeant and convicted murderer of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. His fourth wife, Stacy Ann Cales Peterson is missing and has never been found. She was 23 years old when she disappeared on October 28, 2007.
The group sits down to discuss stalking, domestic violence, turning conversations into action, and how critical it is to document the abuse.
What Is An Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit?
Document the Abuse empowers the victim to tell their story through the Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit (E.A.A.). The E.A.A. was created as a direct result of the Stacy Peterson case. The E.A.A. ensures that the victim’s words about their fears and previous violence will not disappear if they do.
It helps the victim document their history and experiences in a notarized document. Victims can add documentation such as police/hospital reports, photos, letters, emails that help substantiate their stories and DNA samples if possible. The goal of this type of Affidavit is to eliminate the hearsay argument that was such a hurdle in the Kathleen Savio case. Making multiple copies will ensure that this information will find its way to law enforcement in the event anything should happen to the victim and they cannot testify on their own behalf.
The E.A.A was created by violence expert Susan Murphy Milano and it combines videotaping (of the victim’s actual words attesting to the abuse) coupled with creative witnessed and notarized legal documents that successfully satisfy legal hurdles often faced in these cases. A unique packaging of testimony, documentation, perpetrator historical profiling, and pre-collected evidence delivered to established safe and legal persons, wrap this delicate issue up for successful prosecution.
About Dana
Dana Davenport is a Naperville resident who is passionate about life. Originally from the northern suburbs of Chicago, she is now a Naperville resident and a graduate of Spelman College and the University of Chicago Law School. An attorney and mother, Dana divorced in 2015, unleashing a new lease on life. She has a live radio show on intellectualradio.com on Wednesdays at 9 pm and is excited to bring that show to television audiences on Naperville Community Television each month.
Previously, Dana has appeared on “He Said She Said” with Wanda Bee, “The Drive at 5” with Roman, and “Jaw Jackin” with Bob and T.C., and she was a relationship advisor on the “Gift of Gab Show” with Gabby Smith.
Guests on the Show
- Norma M. Peterson, Executive Director-Document the Abuse
- Robert Berlin, DuPage County States Attorney
- Devonna Judd
