Domestic Violence

Victims of domestic violence face challenges when seeking help, such as fear, lack of support, and obstacles in the legal system. Hope House is a domestic violence shelter that provides counseling, advocacy, and other services to victims. They emphasize the importance of education and community support to break the cycle of violence. To support their mission, visit their website or call their hotline for help. What do you do if your partner hits you? Who will believe you? Will everyone know the personal details of your life if you report it? Will your partner be arrested? What happens if you must go to court? When will this be over? These are just some of the questions that victims face in our domestic violence relationship. Domestic violence touches all of us, yet we don't know how to support and connect victims to resources. Victims that do report abuse are faced with obstacles when trying to leave the relationship. There are multiple court dates within the civil and criminal justice systems. These judges that preside over these cases aren't always educated on domestic violence resulting in minimal consequences for the abuser. Victims that choose to file for an order of protection don't always get their day in the court if the abuser isn't served. These cases will be dismissed after four attempts to serve the abuser and a new incidence of violence must occur before it can be refiled. Victims that share a child with the abuser are sometimes forced to supervise the visit, increasing their chances of being re-victimized. Abusers that are ordered to provide financial support to the victim for a child they share or other responses will refuse, causing financial ruin. The number one reason why victims stay is because of fear. Domestic violence is about power and control. The violence doesn't stop when they leave. It intensifies and can lead to homicide. Hope House Incorporation is one of the largest domestic violence shelters in the state of Missouri. They provide free counseling, court advocacy, hospital advocacy, course management systems, access to attorneys, supervised visitation and exchange services, and shelters. Their 24-hour hotline provides an immediate connection to these services and is confidential. Hope House has been a support to victims for over 40 years and works to educate the community and first responders on how to assist victims. I'm asking everyone to help Hope House continue their mission of breaking the cycle of violence by working to educate our schools, courts, communities, all on domestic violence. Education is key to understanding these dynamics and learning their red flags. It's important that our court systems be educated on domestic violence to hold abusers accountable, resulting in safer communities. Hope House can't do it alone and needs your support to employ training specialists that educate our schools, courts, and communities on the dynamics, but most importantly, how to connect victims to resources. Please visit our website at www.hopehouse.net to get educated, volunteer, and or donate. If you or someone you know needs help, please call 816-461-HOPE. That's 816-461-HOPE.