Students engage in an inspiring afternoon

By Brianna Wallen

News Editor

Almost six out of 10 women in prison and under community supervision are victims of domestic abuse according to a report from the Centre for Women’s Justice. 

With the alarming trend of “unjust criminalization” of female victims, there is a direct link between violence inflicted against women resulting in legal ramifications for those attempting to escape their abuser.  

With more than 60% of cases, many know of victims that have been locked away. For author and advocate Michelle Horton, her sister, Nikki Addimando, was a victim.  

 The Department of Sociology, VPAS Center, K9 Jules Foundation, the Office of Career and Professional Development and the New Haven Women’s Resettlement Working Group hosted the event, An Inspiring Afternoon with Michelle Horton and Nikki Addimando, on Oct. 15.  

 In the Adanti Student Center Theater, students, staff and faculty attended a reading from Horton’s book, “Dear Sister: A Memoir of Secrets, Survival, and Unbreakable Bonds,” and a Q&A session.  

The narrative shares the lives of two sisters tied in a crucial case: Horton, who was left to raise Addimando’s children and deal with the intricacies of the criminal justice system, and Addimando, who was imprisoned for the murder of her longtime abuser.  

The emotional night started with the sisters expressing their personal journey through trauma, resilience and the unbreakable ties of family, as attendees were invited to reflect and learn about  the often overlooked narratives within the criminal justice system. 

“The system is the second abuser,” Addimando said. “All these women go away and just disappear.” 

Despite their extensive evidence of abuse, charges were not dropped.  

 “There was the DA office in Dutchess County: knew about her as a victim. And then a gun goes off, but it’s not the victim, it’s the perpetrator who they knew to be the perpetrator. And everyone got really quiet, and the district attorney’s office recused themselves from prosecuting,” Horton said.  

Instead, Horton said that the judge denied ever seeing any evidence of abuse and gave her a sentence of 19 years to life.  

Addimando, who had two young children at the time, was convicted and sentenced in February of 2020 after her arrest in September of 2017. 

Horton said that her sister was vigorously persecuted by Dutchess County. 

She describes it as “textbook victim-blaming” of twisting of narratives, victim-blaming and slut-shaming.  

It was not until the U.S. Court of Appeals acknowledged her as a survivor that Addimando was granted a resentencing under the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act. 

“The only reason that she’s home right now is because a higher court said ‘We believe you. You were a victim,’ and they gave her seven and a half years,” Horton said. 

From 2017 to 2021, Horton worked to build the Nicole Addimando Community Defense Committee, where she spoke out against her sister’s criminalization.  

“We made so much noise. We wouldn’t shut up, kept growing in numbers, and it made us undeniable,” Horton said.  

 Addimando was released nine months ago.Since then, Horton has reflected on the signs of domestic violence and ways that people can help. 

“My blanket advice is that when the time is right, ask them if they’re safe, and just show that you are somebody who can handle their truth without judgment,” Horton said. “Second, reach out to your local domestic violence agencies.” 

Many audience members also related to the tale of these two sisters. 

Business major Juwell Clay, a sophomore who attended the event, said that she was happy about the outcome of Addimando’s case.  

 Clay revealed that a family member would have had the same fate as Addimando if the charges were not dropped. 

“It really goes to show about how the justice system really is,” Clay said. “When it comes to these cases, they don’t go in the victim’s favor most.”