Through the stories of Dr. Jamila T. Davis, Cassandra Severe, Nafeesah Goldsmith, Donna Hylton, Dawn Jackson, Denise Staples, and Myrna Diaz, Set Her Free reveals the devastating link between trauma and incarceration—an epidemic where survivors of abuse are too often punished instead of protected.

These women, all formerly incarcerated, share how cycles of violence, poverty, and untreated trauma led them into the justice system—and how healing, advocacy, and sisterhood have become their path to freedom. Their journeys expose what has come to be known as the trauma-to-prison pipeline, challenging society to see beyond the crime to the pain that came before it.

With expert insights from Dr. La’Tesha Sampson and Angelo Pinto, Esq., the film bridges personal truth and policy reform, proving that healing is not separate from justice—it is justice.

The survivors featured in Set Her Free joined forces with Senator Angela McKnight, who gave them a seat at the table to help shape New Jersey Senate Bill 4586, the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA). This landmark legislation introduces a domestic-violence survivor mitigating factor in sentencing and creates opportunities for resentencing and trauma-informed reentry supports for those already incarcerated.

At its core, Set Her Free is an urgent call to expose the epidemic, create awareness, and demand trauma-informed services so survivors can be healed from the inside out—not penalized or warehoused.

“We’re not just telling our stories—we’re determined to expose and change the system.”