Advocates working to prevent domestic violence believe Kentucky needs to do more to protect victims.
In 2023, the state had the second worst rate of domestic violence in the United States, according to World Population Review . So far this year, Kentucky ranks the worst.
One of the proposed legal changes would help give victims a way out before the physical violence often begins. Rep. Stephanie Dietz, R – Edgewood, told lawmakers on the Interim Judiciary Committee that Kentucky does not offer help for people being harmed through coercive control.
“For years, we’ve used words like mental abuse, emotional abuse, and verbal abuse. But here is what coercive control is: it involves a pattern of behavior aimed at undermining a victim’s autonomy and freedom,” said Dietz. “This could include manipulation, isolation, financial control, and threats – none of which could involve physical violence, but are equally devastating. For example, a victim may be isolated from family and friends or prevented from accessing financial resources, leaving them trapped in an abusive relationship.”