Administration focused on stopping the crime, seeking justice for survivors

FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 30, 2023) – The Beshear-Coleman administration has compiled the first statewide data report on domestic violence statistics to assist the state in combating crime as well as seeking justice for survivors.
 
The Governor said it is unacceptable that in Kentucky more than 45% of women and 35% of men experience intimate partner physical violence or rape in their lifetimes.

“I continue to fight for justice and healing for victims of crime," said Gov. Beshear. “Every Kentuckian deserves to be safe and to feel safe, and this inaugural, baseline report allows us to take a big step forward in creating that better, safer Kentucky for survivors of domestic violence."

To further combat this violent crime, the Governor signed Senate Bill 271 and House Bill 535 requiring the collection and analysis of data related to domestic violence in the commonwealth, including domestic violence fatalities, domestic violence shelter use and reports of child abuse.

According to the 2022 Domestic Violence Data Report:

• 38,708 electronic JC-3 forms were filed in 2022
• 8,867 arrests were made in 2022 for incidents involving domestic violence
• 16,402 Emergency Protective Orders were served by Kentucky State Police in 2022
• 16,046 individuals received services from ZeroV's 15 regional domestic violence programs in 2022
• 21,241 crisis/hotline calls were received through ZeroV's 15 regional domestic violence programs in 2022

 
The data for this report was compiled by the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's Criminal Justice Statistical Analysis Center, Kentucky State Police, Cabinet for Health and Family Service and the Administrative Office of the Courts.

“Quality data is critical for the criminal justice system as we work to enhance public safety," Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Kerry Harvey said. “Better data will lead to more effective prevention efforts and will be a useful tool for law enforcement agencies, courts and service providers."

Even before his time as Governor, Gov. Beshear consistently championed reducing and preventing domestic and dating violence and abuse while helping victims and survivors receive the services they need.

As attorney general, his office arrested record numbers of child predators and trained thousands of Kentuckians to recognize, report and prevent child abuse and human trafficking. Then-Attorney General Beshear also created the Office of Child Abuse and Exploitation Prevention.

His work has continued in the Office of the Governor.

Yesterday, Gov. Beshear joined by Secretary of State Michael Adams to celebrate Senate Bill 79, which became law yesterday. The bi-partisan effort creates the Safe at Home Program, which will be administered by the secretary of state. The effort will protect the residential address of survivors of domestic violence and other sexual crimes as well as the addresses of those who reside in the same household as the victim. To gain this protection, the crime victim or the individual residing in the victim's home needs to apply to the secretary of state's office to have the address protected.

The Beshear-Coleman administration has also awarded more than $104 million in grant funding to victim service agencies across the commonwealth and another $27 million is expected to be awarded this year, increasing the ability for more Kentuckians to get the support and assistance they need.

Recently, the Governor signed Senate Bill 282 increasing available funding for victims of crime. By signing this bill, the Governor doubled the weekly amount available for lost wages to $300 per week from $150 per week; increased the amount available for funeral expenses to $7,500 from $5,000 and increased the overall total award available to $30,000 from $25,000.

On March 27, Gov. Beshear signed into law three bills to protect children from abuse by strengthening reporting requirements when Kentuckians have reason to believe a child has been abused, neglected or is a victim of human trafficking; clarified the legal definition of incest to make sure more people are protected from this hideous crime; and ensured that registered sex offenders cannot come within a 1,000 feet of a high school, middle school, elementary school, preschool, publicly owned or leased playground, or licensed day care facility.

In December, the Beshear-Coleman administration awarded more than $2 million in grant funding to 33 agencies to stop sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking, as well as to enhance victim services.​