Ready to make a difference? This page is all about turning knowledge into action. The Shaken Baby Debate isn’t just an issue to read about – it’s a cause that needs your voice and your heart. Here, we’ll show you concrete ways to stand up for innocent families and push for positive change. Every signature, every share, and every story can have an impact. Join us in our fight to prevent wrongful convictions and to keep loving families together. Here’s how you can help:
1. Sign the Petition – Stand Up for Justice
Add your voice to our flagship petition calling for a re-examination of questionable Shaken Baby Syndrome convictions. With a single click, you can join thousands of others demanding justice. Our petition urges lawmakers and prosecutors to review old cases where convictions were based solely on the now-disputed SBS diagnosis. You’ll be able to see a live counter of supporters – watch the number grow as people around the world unite for this cause! We’ve already gathered over 133,000 signatures and counting. Each signature sends a loud and clear message: we care, we are watching, and we insist on science-backed justice. Petitions have power – in one recent case, a petition like this helped persuade officials to halt an imminent execution and take a closer look at evidence that had been ignored. So please, sign the petition (if you haven’t already) and share it with your friends, family, and social networks. Your signature could be the one that tips the scales toward a second chance for a wrongfully convicted parent.
2. Contact Your Legislators – Be a Voice for Reform
Lawmakers need to hear from people like you. Many don’t realize that outdated medical theories might be putting innocent parents in prison. By reaching out (via email, letter, or phone) to your local representatives, you can spark their interest in this issue. Not sure what to say? We provide a handy template and key talking points. For example, mention that courts are acknowledging problems with SBS evidence, such as the Texas court that said the SBS hypothesis hadn’t “withstood scrutiny as science evolved”. Point out that states like Texas have even passed a “Junk Science Law” to reopen cases with new scientific evidence – a sign that we know some past convictions could be wrong. Urge your lawmakers to implement similar review laws, or to hold hearings on the reliability of SBS diagnoses in criminal cases. If 86 bipartisan legislators in Texas can unite to support an innocent man’s case, there’s hope that leaders in your state can come together on this issue too. We’ve seen that when enough citizens speak up, leaders listen. (And if you get a positive response, let us know – we love to highlight advocacy success stories!)
3. Share Your Story – Break the Silence
Nothing is more powerful than truth told from the heart. If you or someone you know has been affected by a false SBS accusation or a related wrongful conviction, we invite you to share your story. On this site and our social media, we feature personal accounts that put a human face on this issue. You can choose to share publicly or anonymously – what matters is that your voice is heard. Every time a mother, father, grandparent, or babysitter comes forward with their story, it chips away at the stigma and helps others understand that these accusations can happen to good families. Maybe you’re a parent who was accused but later cleared when doctors found your baby had a rare medical condition. Maybe you’re a relative who watched a loved one go through a wrongful trial. Your story can help educate the public and policymakers that “it happened to us, and it can happen to anyone.” We provide a safe and supportive platform for you to tell your truth. (Just reach out through our contact form, and we’ll guide you from there.) By sharing, you not only help yourself heal but also strengthen this community and protect future families from the same pain.
4. Donate or Support the Cause
While ShakenBabyDebate.com is a labor of love, fighting injustice can incur costs – from funding educational materials to helping wrongfully accused families with legal expenses. We welcome any support you can offer. Donations can be made through our secure online tool, and every dollar goes directly toward advocacy efforts (we’ll be transparent about how funds are used). Even a small contribution can print dozens of fact sheets for distribution, or help maintain an online petition platform. If you prefer, you can also donate to partner organizations like the Innocence Project or local legal defense funds earmarked for SBS cases – we provide links to those on our Resources page. Not able to give money? No problem – consider donating your time or skills. Are you a graphic designer, a writer, or a community organizer? Get in touch! There are so many ways to help: organize a local info session at your library or church, distribute our brochures at a pediatrician’s office (with permission, of course), or simply spread the word online. Every bit of support amplifies our impact.
5. Celebrate and Replicate Success – Be Part of the Change
Advocacy does yield results, and we want you to be part of our success stories. On this page, we will keep updating you on victories achieved through collective action. Did our petition lead to a case being reopened? We’ll announce it here. Did a letter-writing campaign persuade a governor to grant clemency? You’ll hear about it. For instance, because of public pressure and new expert reports, Andrew Roark – convicted in 2000 – was granted a new trial after 24 years in prison. And in Wisconsin, relentless advocacy by innocence organizations led to Audrey Edmunds’s conviction being overturned in 2008. These successes are fuel for our movement. We’ve seen lawmakers hold special hearings, judges acknowledge mistakes, and communities rally behind wrongfully accused neighbors. When you contribute to advocacy, you become a part of these stories. We encourage you to take pride and share these wins on your social media or community bulletin boards. Show others that change is possible! The more people see that “Hey, they got a new law passed” or “This innocent dad is home now because people spoke up,” the more our movement grows.
By taking any (or all!) of these actions, you become part of a compassionate army for justice. This is how we move from heartbreak to hope: together. If you ever wonder whether one person can make a difference, remember that it was a group of determined parents and allies who helped push Texas to create a law to reconsider junk science convictions. It was everyday people writing letters and signing petitions that moved mountains in Robert Roberson’s case. Your voice can be the next to make history.
Thank you for standing with us. Let’s keep going until no innocent family lives in fear of a knock on the door and a false accusation. Let’s ensure that when tragedies happen, we respond with science, compassion, and truth – not blind blame. Together, we will transform outrage into outcomes and make the world safer for families and children.
Connect and Volunteer
Interested in volunteering or collaborating? Get in touch – we’d love to have you on our team.