Safe Homes, Safe Streets 2007
Press conference Comments by Sandy Barnett, Executive Director of KCSDV
2.8.07
Good morning and welcome to the fourth annual Safe Homes, Safe Streets event. I'm Sandy Barnett, executive director of the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence or K-C-S-D-V. I'm excited to see you here in spite of the cold weather and long travel times for many of you.
Thank you to all the advocates here today for coming - I realize how busy you are serving victims and I am grateful that you are here devoting your time to Safe Homes, Safe Streets. I'd like to thank the legislators here today who are also taking time out of their very busy schedules to attend the press conference.
KCSDV and advocates across Kansas are here to call upon the Legislature to address sexual and domestic violence. Addressing this violence and achieving safe homes and safe streets takes all of us, including our elected officials.
With me today are members of the Legislature, here from both political parties. They'll speak after me. Today we ask that legislators recognize the crisis that sexual and domestic violence has on our state. This violence impacts every part of a community from health and welfare to criminal justice systems, from child welfare to public education systems, and from employment to housing. We have to work together as a state to end the violence.
KCSDV, its 30 member programs, and our allies work for safety, accountability and justice for victims of sexual and domestic violence in Kansas. Currently, only about 40% of Kansas counties have sexual or domestic violence advocacy services readily available. Despite this fact, programs responded to more than 30,000 crisis calls from victims of sexual and domestic violence, provided more than 65,000 shelter nights, and provided services to more than 22,000 victims during the state's last fiscal year.
Today we ask the Legislature to help address that gap in services. We know that serving victims in rural and remote areas is possible if we have resources to do so. Achieving safe homes and safe streets takes all of us elected officials, state agencies, community advocates, and the public.
Every legislator is receiving a copy of "Beyond Statistics: Lethal Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women in Kansas." This report tells the stories of women murdered and nearly murdered during sexual and domestic violence incidents in Kansas. Since the report's initial release in October, another 9 women have been murdered. More than half were murdered by their current or former husband or boyfriend. Three of them were raped before being murdered. Although the news stories are not specific, it is likely most were also stalked.
These acts of sexual and domestic violence have occurred all across Kansas, in both small towns and bigger cities. Women's bodies have been found in their homes and outside on deserted roads and fields. They have been shot, stabbed, strangled, and set on fire. In many instances, their children have been home during their murders and have found their mothers' bodies.
We hope that this report helps legislators remember these women and recognize the devastating impact their murders have had on their families, friends and communities. Legislative leadership can make a huge difference in the lives of thousands of women and children in Kansas.
Addressing sexual and domestic violence and achieving safe homes and safe streets takes all of us.
The legislators speaking today are Representative Bob Bethell, Senator Vicki Schmidt, and Representative Barbara Ballard.
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