By Courtney Downs
Kentucky Youth Advocates
In June, the second annual Statewide Domestic Violence Data Report was published, detailing a devastating reality for thousands of adults and children across the Commonwealth.
Domestic violence is “a systematic pattern of power and control that’s perpetrated by one intimate partner against another.” It’s the willful use of a range of abusive behaviors that can include being:
• isolated from family and friends
• threatened with weapons
• coerced into committing crimes or engaging in other activities against their will
• denied access to their money or transportation
• physically and/or sexually abused
Some key takeaways from the 2023 report:
• The rates of physical violence, sexual violence, and/or stalking were relatively unchanged from 2022, with 32.9% of men and 44.5% of women experiencing DV and its related impacts.
• A state-by-state comparison of domestic violence rates shows that the rates of violence against women in Kentucky continues to be one of the highest in the country.
• As a result of Senator Westerfield’s SB 271 (2022), the Department for Community Based Services created a data indicator on the presence of intimate partner violence and added it as a required question for all child welfare intake screens. This newly acquired data shows that between April 2023 and December 2023, there were 26,582 unique reports of alleged child abuse where there were also allegations of domestic violence.
Data from the U.S. Department of Justice shows that just over half (53.8%) of all violent incidents of domestic abuse are reported to the police, supporting the assertion that “the true prevalence and impact of domestic violence goes far beyond the scope of the data captured within this report.”
It’s understandable if the magnitude of this report feels overwhelming – it’s hard to think about the people in our lives who make up this data. However, the more we know about the scope of the problem the better equipped we are to meet the needs of survivors and their children, hold abusers accountable, challenge the societal norms that perpetuate the cycle of violence, and advocate for policy and practice changes that can reduce (and eventually end) domestic violence in Kentucky.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or dating violence, you’re not alone.
Support and resources are available anywhere in the state.
• The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-7233. You can also chat with an advocate online or text “START” to 88788.
• Kentucky’s 15 regional domestic violence programs are listed here. They each have a 24-hour hotline and provide services including emergency shelter, court advocacy, counseling, and more.
• If you’re a survivor of sexual violence, RAINN has a 24-hour national hotline (800-656-4673) and an online chat. They also have information and resources for advocates, survivors, and their families.
• Kentucky’s 13 regional sexual assault programs and crisis centers provide free and confidential services to people of any age, including counseling, advocacy, referrals, and more.
• Teens who are experiencing dating violence, have questions about relationships, or need support can visit loveisrespect.org. They have a 24-hour hotline (1-866-331-9474), an online chat, or you can text “LOVEIS” to 22522.
• Safety planning information is available here and information about filing for an emergency protective order can be found here.