Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence

Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence MOCADSV unites Missourians with a shared value that rape and abuse must end.

June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month. A common misconception is that only war veterans experien...
06/12/2026

June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month. A common misconception is that only war veterans experience PTSD. The truth is that anybody who experiences something deeply traumatic, such as domestic violence or sexual assault, can develop PTSD.

Advocates at domestic and sexual violence support agencies can help connect survivors to resources to heal from and cope with their PTSD. Find an agency near you by visiting mocadsv.org/How-to-Get-Help, or learn more about PTSD and available national resources by visiting SAMHSA.

All survivors deserve to be safe and have access to supportive resources. This month is Pride Month. Members of the LGBT...
06/08/2026

All survivors deserve to be safe and have access to supportive resources. This month is Pride Month. Members of the LGBTQ+ community often experience specific barriers when accessing safety, such as limited access to LGBTQ+-specific resources. Additionally, some abusive partners may use the survivor's identity to further harm and isolate the survivor.

Domestic and sexual violence support organizations can help connect survivors to resources that meet their needs. Visit mocadsv.org/How-to-Get-Help/ to find resources near you.

Fi****ms increase the risk of an abusive relationship turning lethal. Abusers may use fi****ms to intimidate or harm the...
06/07/2026

Fi****ms increase the risk of an abusive relationship turning lethal. Abusers may use fi****ms to intimidate or harm their partner. Survivors who know their abuser has access to a firearm may also delay leaving due to the fear of their abuser using the firearm against them.

Today is Gun Violence Awareness Day, and June is Gun Violence Awareness Month. Today is an opportunity to honor the lives lost due to gun violence, as well as a reminder of the importance of gun safety.

Long-term survivors of HIV who have or are experiencing domestic violence often have to carry two separate traumas: the ...
06/05/2026

Long-term survivors of HIV who have or are experiencing domestic violence often have to carry two separate traumas: the trauma of experiencing abuse and the trauma of experiencing a chronic illness.

Abusers may use their own health status or the status of the survivor against them to maintain power over the victim. This is especially true in cases where the abuser intentionally spreads sexually transmitted diseases like HIV, or in situations where the survivor relies on the abuser for access to health insurance, transportation to appointments, or assistance paying for treatments.

Services through advocacy organizations like domestic or sexual violence support agencies can help survivors of abuse find resources relevant to them that are trauma-informed. Visit mocadsv.org/How-to-Get-Help/ to find an agency near you.

Older adults are less likely to report domestic and sexual violence. While there are many reasons why a survivor might n...
06/04/2026

Older adults are less likely to report domestic and sexual violence. While there are many reasons why a survivor might not report their experiences of violence, some reasons are unique to this demographic, such as:

- Societal and community norms that promote or enable domestic violence or sexual assault
- The survivor's prior experiences of assault that make them fearful of reporting the violence
- The survivor's reliance on the abuser for things like housing, food, healthcare, or other necessities

Domestic violence and sexual assault can occur at any age. It's important that older adults have the resources and support systems to tell others when they've experienced an assault or abuse. Find resources near you by visiting mocadsv.org/How-to-Get-Help/

If we could shout it from the rooftops, we would! You are not to blame for someone else's decision to abuse or harm you....
06/03/2026

If we could shout it from the rooftops, we would! You are not to blame for someone else's decision to abuse or harm you.

If you are experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, visit our website at mocadsv.org/ to find help near you.

We're here to clear a few things up about sexual violence.Sexual violence encompasses a wide variety of behaviors, inclu...
06/02/2026

We're here to clear a few things up about sexual violence.

Sexual violence encompasses a wide variety of behaviors, including sexual harassment (unwanted jokes or comments that are sexual in nature), threatening to commit sexual violence against another person, and unwanted touching or sexual acts.

You can learn more about sexual violence, including where to find resources in Missouri, by visiting mocasv.org/

This is not a drill! Registration for our 2026 conference, Living Your Legacy, is now open! MOCADSV's 2026 Conference wi...
06/01/2026

This is not a drill! Registration for our 2026 conference, Living Your Legacy, is now open!

MOCADSV's 2026 Conference will be held November 4-6, 2026, in Columbia, MO. Every other year, MOCADSV hosts a conference for advocates, allied professionals, and students interested in learning how to further their advocacy and support for survivors. This three-day event will include workshops from MOCADSV staff and Missouri advocates, a keynote speech (speaker to be announced), gift basket drawings, and more!

We hope you can make it to our 2026 Conference this November! Learn more and register today: mocadsv.org/2026-conference/

URGENT: Governor Mike Kehoe is currently reviewing the FY2027 Missouri State Budget, which includes funding for domestic...
05/29/2026

URGENT: Governor Mike Kehoe is currently reviewing the FY2027 Missouri State Budget, which includes funding for domestic and sexual violence survivors and service providers.

Before the legislative session ended, the General Assembly restored $1 million in Domestic Violence Shelter & Services (DVSS) funding and included $9 million in Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding in the state budget.

In the last five years, there has been an 87% increase in unmet needs from survivors of domestic violence seeking services. While funding has continued to decrease for many agencies, both the requests for services and the costs to provide those services have increased significantly.

For the past four years, Missouri’s Governors and Legislative Budget Committees have supported the VOCA fund and victim service providers through allocation of state general revenues. These funds preserved services and allowed victims to fully participate in the criminal justice process as they exercise their constitutional rights.

A reduction in funding would mean longer waitlists, reduced overnight and weekday coverage, and delayed responses to survivors in crisis. Reduction in funds would be especially problematic for rural service providers, likely resulting in agency closures.

Here's how you can help: Call Governor Mike Kehoe at (573) 751-3222 and request that he maintain the Domestic Violence Shelter Services (DVSS), Sexual Violence Shelter Services (SVSS), and Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding as approved by the General Assembly. Without this funding, services for survivors will suffer.

Domestic violence and sexual assault support services continue to report that survivors' requests are going unmet as fun...
05/27/2026

Domestic violence and sexual assault support services continue to report that survivors' requests are going unmet as funding remains stagnant or decreases.

MOCADSV's most recent Unmet Needs report highlights the number of requests survivors made that domestic and sexual violence shelters were unable to meet. In 2025, unmet requests for domestic violence (DV) shelter reached an eight-year high at 39,943 unmet requests. Reasons for unmet needs could include: transitional housing units are full, an in-house provider had no available times to meet a counseling request, no capacity to provide legal representation, and more. Often, these limitations stem from limited capacity due to funding cuts.

Here's how you can help: Governor Mike Kehoe will soon sign the state's budget. Before the legislative session ended, the General Assembly restored $1 million in domestic violence funding and included $9 million in VOCA funding in the state budget. Call Governor Kehoe's office at (573)751-3222 and request that he maintain the Domestic Violence Shelter Services (DVSS), Sexual Violence Shelter Services (SVSS), and Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding as approved by the General Assembly. Without this funding, services for survivors will suffer.

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217 Oscar Drive
Jefferson City, MO
65101

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