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Empowering Survivor-Advocates

Free Battered Texas Women (FBTW) is a survivor- and women-led education and advocacy group whose mission is to stop arrests of female abuse survivors; to promote clemency; and to support incarcerated/formerly incarcerated survivors, ensuring they live whole, productive lives.

Our Journey

Our Cofounder & Executive Director Dr. Cathy Marston birthed the idea of FBTW from inside the Texas prisons, where she served 9 years related to acting under duress from abuse as she advocated for criminalized abuse survivors from the inside. When she came home in 2014, she met our Cofounder & Board Treasurer US Army (Ret.) SFC Cheryl Craig, MA, who is also a formerly incarcerated survivor who served 90 days in prison for acting in self-defense. FBTW’s mission is rooted in what Cathy and Cheryl needed as criminalized survivors but didn’t have: creating survivor-advocates is the heart of our work. Read More…

Our Impact

  • 28 survivors pardoned since 2020!
  • 26 survivors released since 2014!
  • 85 survivors served!
wide-Why Women Kill post film panel (Large)
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wide-DenimDay (Large)
wide-CherylJoeBillMunozCat at LRFF (Large)
wide-ChertlCatAlisonMiaNairobifundraiser (Large)
2023-12-03 FBTWCherylAlison (Large)
2024-04-21 CherylBrendaCatRobinFBTWexhibitpremiere (Large)
2024-04-21 Exhibit UUSAT long shot panels (Large)
2015-10 hcdvcccattobycherylstephenmatbonnie (Large)
2023-12-03 Card party 2 (Large)
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User comments
2019-01-23 FBTW UIW Why Women Kill post film panel with Gonzalez, Castillo, Marston, Bush, and Piper (Large)
Margaret Crayton 2022 (Large)
“My abusive husband does not have a hold over me anymore. The fact that you never forgot about me assured me that there are people out there that do care about our fate. And know that you guys are making a difference. I’m so proud to know that your organization is growing, changing women’s lives, and giving us hope.”
Martha Hernandez
Getting mail from FBTW made me feel happy. It made me feel good. I had hope. I told my friends, “When I get home, I'm going to call Cathy and tell her my story and hope that it helps some of y'all women that's in prison to get out.”
Margaret Crayton
Free Battered Texas Women is part of my self-care through advocacy. These women are a part of my story and healing.
Dr. Cathy Marston
Free Battered Texas Women was always there for me, especially writing parole letters and supporting my family when they didn’t know what to do when I was on the inside. FBTW was instrumental in me making parole!
Geraldine Swaim
Free Battered Texas Women is my way of helping other women that might have experienced the wrongdoing that I, as well others, felt and experienced while defending ourselves. It is part of my self healing.
Cheryl Craig

FINAL FALL FLING MAIL PARTY 9/13/2026

Please join us for our FINAL FALL FLING MAIL PARTY on Sunday, 9/13/26 at the Lounge and Fellowship Hall at The First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio from 12:15 – 1:30 p.m. We will will enjoy light refreshments as we sign, stuff, and address our final letter to the incarcerated and released sisters to connect them with resources. Thank you for celebrating our legacy with us! Time permitting, we will set up our exhibit also.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Please help FBTW make a difference by donating to our cause. Our goal is to raise $20,000 by October 31.

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