Kentucky stands out on this map, and it’s not for good reason. Every state in red or pink offers some some kind of civil protection for victims of dating violence who have not lived with or had a child with the abuser. Except Kentucky. 

Advocates and legislators have tried for years to address Kentucky’s lack of protections for dating partners. Darlene Thomas, our Executive Director,  talked about the need and efforts toward the law in this article. A bill unanimously cleared the House with the help of Judiciary Chairman John Tilley last year, but it faced an “uphill battle” in the Senate.

The Kentucky General Assembly will convene again in the new year. And advocates will again be working for dating violence protections.

Now’s the time to prepare. If you aren’t sure of the names of your state legislators, this information is available from the Kentucky Legislative Research Center website. You can also call the Legislative Message Line at 1-800-372-7181 to leave a voice mail for state officials. This line is open 8  a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for most of the year. During General Assembly, the hours are longer.

This post is part of this year’s 17 Days/17 Ways Campaign to end intimate partner abuse.