Why is the State prosecuting when the victim doesn't want to?

The reasoning is explicit in the statute. The Legislature determined that domestic violence should be treated as a criminal act rather than a private family matter, and required each state attorney to adopt a pro-prosecution policy.

The policy rationale is that if cases ended whenever a complaining witness asked, the outcome would be determined by whoever had more influence in the relationship — which in some situations is the person accused.

So prosecutors proceed on evidence that doesn't depend on cooperation: 911 audio, officers' observations, photographs of the scene and any injuries, medical records, and statements made at the time.

Whether that's the right policy is a genuine debate. What isn't in question is that it's the policy, and that a defense built on the expectation that she'll drop it is not a defense.

The realistic path runs through the evidence — what the recording actually shows, what the officer actually observed, and whether the State can prove its elements.