GabriellaGissellesGarden :
My name is Gabriella Rodriguez. I am a mother in East Tennessee, and I am speaking because I was denied my constitutional right to due process in court this week. My child’s safety and my own safety were decided without my voice being heard.
In my recent hearing, I was not allowed to speak on my own behalf. I was not allowed to present evidence—evidence that proves my daughter and I are in danger with her father. Instead, the judge made a decision that forces me to spend hours under supervision with the man who abused me. This is not only unjust, it is a violation of my Fourteenth Amendment right to due process.
This is not an isolated incident. Less than a year ago, my abuser was involved in a domestic violence case where he assaulted his pregnant girlfriend. The behavior in that case mirrors the violence I endured while pregnant, including being choked. This history demonstrates a pattern of abuse and raises serious concerns for the safety of my child and myself.
This is bigger than one case. Women across Tennessee and the United States are being silenced in family courts, stripped of the chance to defend themselves, and forced into dangerous situations. When courts refuse to hear a woman’s testimony or review her evidence, they are not only failing her—they are failing the children they are sworn to protect.
I am sharing my story because it is time for this to change. No mother, no woman, should be forced to live in fear because a courtroom refused to hear her voice. I am fighting for my daughter, but I am also speaking for every woman who has been silenced, ignored, and left unprotected by the system.
I would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss my experience with you and your audience. My hope is that sharing my story can raise awareness about the dangers women face when courts fail to hear survivors and enforce protections, and empower others to speak out.
“Justice requires fairness. Fairness requires a voice. And I refuse to let mine be taken from me.”
I very much appreciate your time and any help or direction you may be able to provide.
Gabriella Rodriguez
2025-09-08 22:51:29