FOR FAMILIES AND SURVIVORS
Share your story.
On your terms.
Families living with the gap Addie’s Law seeks to address can help lawmakers understand what is at stake. You decide what to tell, when to tell it, and whether your words may be shared beyond a private conversation.
You do not need a perfect story
A few sentences about what your family faced can help explain a gap that legal language alone may miss.
START SMALL
Share only what feels right.
You could begin with the question you faced, a decision you had to make, or what you wish lawmakers understood. You do not have to recount painful details to be heard.
PROTECT PRIVACY
Leave out identifying details
Please do not include you or your child’s full name, school, address, photographs, case documents, or details that could identify another child in an initial note.
CHOOSE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Publicly sharing requires consent
Sharing privately allows you to be able to discuss whether to use your first name, remain anonymous, speak to a lawmaker, share with the general public for awareness, or keep the story private.
A few places to begin
These are prompts, not requirements. You can skip any of them.
What happened after the conviction?
Describe the question your family faced about custody, parental rights, or safety without naming children or recounting graphic details.
What was hard to explain?
Tell us what people assumed, which steps were confusing, or where you struggled to find a path forward.
What would you change?
Explain what kind of opportunity to be heard, safeguard, or support you wish had existed, even if it isn’t outlined in the Addie’s Law proposal.
BUILD THIS WITH US
Work in law, advocacy, or child protection?
There is a separate place to learn how professional partners can contribute.