In Tennessee, more than half of the crimes committed against persons are domestic violence-related. Statistics tend to dilute the gravity of human tragedies by reducing people to mere numbers, but here it properly frames the issue. Domestic violence is a neglected and frighteningly prevalent problem in Tennessee, and the measures to protect and empower survivors tend to be prioritized only after tragedy. As a result, harm is needed as proof for change.
As of Jan. 1, 2026, Tennessee officially enacted Savanna’s Law, which Governor Bill Lee signed back in May 2025. The new law puts into place a registry that will list the names of repeat domestic abusers. The inspiration for the bill emerged after Savanna Puckett, a deputy in Robertson County, was shot multiple times and had her house set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, James Conn, in 2022. It was later discovered that Conn had “a history of domestic violence arrests,” hence the proposal for the registry. The new registry will include people with two or more offenses, with the second offense taking place either on or after Jan. 1, 2026. The registry will provide the date of birth, conviction date, county of conviction, and photo of the offender.
Although implementing the registry is an important step in combating the issue of domestic violence, it follows the dangerous trend of addressing systemic issues in a reactive rather than proactive manner. Issues that are treated reactively problematically compound in two ways: by overlooking the roots of systemic issues and by taking action only after a tragedy has already occurred. By constantly addressing these issues two steps behind and failing to investigate the root causes, little is done to halt the cycle of suffering and violence. Waiting to take action only after tragedy speaks to the prioritization of legislative attention and political response over the safety and lives of human beings. No proof should be needed to validate people’s worth.
Sadly, this method of only reacting to consequences seems to be a pattern in the way Tennessee approaches systemic issues. Tennessee allows domestic violence offenders to give their guns to third parties, but providing their names is not a requirement, which has become a loophole in the legislation. Domestic violence offenders can theoretically give their arms to someone in the household or nearby, therefore basically keeping them in their possession and easily accessible, without the state knowing where the weapons went.
Due to the lack of initiative at the state level, counties have taken action by implementing space to state the external party’s name. In 2024, Scott County, a rural area near the Kentucky border, made changes to its form to require the third party’s name, which was done only after hearing the stories of survivors such as Jade Peters. In 2009, Peters’ ex-boyfriend, who had been continuously stalking and threatening Peters, shot her. Luckily, Peters survived, but she expressed how “if these reforms had existed… she would have known where to get help.” Again, only after tragedy are these issues addressed with measures that should have been established in the first place. Recently, the Domestic Violence State Coordinating Council met to vote to reform this legislation. Yet, due to “a procedural misunderstanding”, they postponed the meeting to March. What pain and suffering will have to continue to prove that change is needed?
Breaking the cycle of reactivity starts with small steps. One goal is to continue fighting for the addition of the aforementioned third-party identification reform at the county level until it is state-mandated, which could help alter people’s beliefs in favor of better gun control. Additionally, paralleling this initiative with requiring domestic abusers to attend more comprehensive programs by law and increasing the funding of organizations that research why domestic abuse happens in the first place, will help to achieve positive change, bringing justice to survivors.
However, actions taken at both the federal and state levels continue to raise the already existing barriers that prevent progress. President Donald Trump’s budget cuts in the Big Beautiful Bill have devastated funding for domestic violence initiatives. The Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic Violence has said that 60% of their budget comes from federal grants, and that not having access to this money proves detrimental to their efforts. Adding to the already tenuous situation, members of the Tennessee State legislature recently introduced HB 2064, which would have allowed guns in public spaces and given misdemeanor domestic violence and stalking offenders their guns back after five years. The legislation, as originally proposed, contradicted the current state law of a permanent ban on domestic violence offenders accessing firearms. It was later amended on March 12 to only allow offenders to petition for their firearms after three years, which still leaves the door open for further violence.
Passing this bill, compounded by the lack of funding for supporting domestic violence advocacy work, further perpetuates our reliance on reactive measures. It minimizes our ability to address the root causes of such a complex problem. Life will continue to be ruled by the dangerous aspirations of lawmakers and legislators choosing the flashiness of reactive measures over addressing the reality of the hardships their constituents face. These priorities blatantly dehumanize survivors and, as a result, everyone who loves them — a reminder that the oppression of one is the oppression of us all.
