March 23, 2022 — The Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MOCADSV) reiterates our unequivocal support for survivors and condemns all forms of domestic violence, sexual assault, and harassment committed against survivors and their families.
Survivors, their families, and the advocates who work alongside them know that abusive individuals use their power to silence victims and maintain control over them. Coercive control is a tactic used by perpetrators of violence to isolate, intimidate, and keep victims from leaving or seeking help. This insidious tactic of abuse makes it more difficult for survivors to come forward publicly. MOCADSV has an ongoing commitment to listen to, believe, and support survivors. We thank those who come forward to share their stories and experiences.
News stories can be triggering for survivors of violence and abuse. If you need support or services in Missouri, go to https://mocadsv.wpengine.com/how-to-get-help/ to find providers in your area. You can also chat with advocates at the National Domestic Violence Hotline at https://www.thehotline.org/ or at 1-800-799-7233, or call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
Update: April 27, 2022 — The Supreme Court of Missouri ruled the effort to block the Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA) can continue. Everytown Law filed an amicus brief in the case on behalf of MOCADSV earlier this year. The Supreme Court’s decision is a procedural one. They declined to reach a decision on any of the plaintiffs’ claims that SAPA is unconstitutional. Instead, the case will go back to the Cole County Circuit Court where the parties will continue to litigate the constitutional issues. Read the full press release here.
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In an amicus brief filed December 2021, MOCADSV, alongside Everytown Law, urged the Missouri Supreme Court to strike down the Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA). SAPA could have a significant impact on survivors of domestic violence, and make it easier for abusers to acquire and keep firearms.
“[SAPA] has chilled that cooperation with federal law enforcement, putting domestic violence survivors at increased risk of becoming victims of armed abusers,” MOCADSV said, in a recent article from the Missouri Times.
Read the full amicus brief here.
Jefferson City, MO—The Board of Directors of the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MOCADSV) has announced the December 2021 retirement of the Coalition’s long-time CEO, Colleen Coble, who has served in that position since December 1988.
“For more than 30 years, MOCADSV has had the good fortune to be led by Colleen, one of the strongest and most effective advocates in the country,” said Coalition Board Chair Brendan Cossette. “The good she has done for victims and in the cause of ending domestic and sexual violence is immeasurable. She will most definitely be missed, but her retirement is very well deserved and the Board of Directors wishes her the best going forward.”
Thirty-three years ago, Colleen joined the Coalition with a passion for social change and dedication in her heart to help survivors. With a half-time staff person at her side, and in a borrowed office space from the local domestic violence shelter, Colleen led a handful of member agencies in building an alliance to change laws and change lives for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
During her tenure, she has remained devoted to ensuring service providers have the support, financial resources and training they need to thrive. She has a legislative legacy that includes passage of the many laws since 1989 that affect the safety and wellbeing of survivors of violence and their children.
In 2015 Missouri Scout readers voted Coble, “Most effective in-House Non-Profit Lobbyist.” Coble’s public policy and legislative legacy includes: dozens of far-reaching domestic violence statutes; adding lack of consent to felony rape crimes; establishment of the crime of domestic assault; criminalization of marital rape and stalking; first-time state funding for domestic and sexual violence services; funding for sexual assault evidence exams; local funding initiatives for domestic violence shelters; custody and visitation changes to protect abused women and their children; protection orders for sexual assault victims; and statewide collection of law enforcement and homicide data on domestic violence crimes.
In the mid-1990s, Coble developed Missouri’s statewide project to address the needs of impoverished victims of domestic violence through training more than 6,000 staff of the Department of Social Services. In 1994 she obtained the nation’s first federal disaster relief funding for domestic violence services.
Coble was reappointed by U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft in 2004 to serve her second two-year term on the National Advisory Committee on Violence Against Women. Coble has been appointed by the Supreme Court of Missouri to serve on various statewide bodies addressing gender issues in the courts and has been appointed to statewide committees and task forces by Missouri Governors. In 2002 she authored the first report of the Governor-appointed Missouri Task Force on Domestic Violence. Coble is also a founding member of the Missouri Battered Women’s Clemency Coalition, and a founding member of the National Network to End Domestic Violence where she also served as Public Policy Chair.
During a 2009 ceremony at the U.S. Library of Congress, Coble was awarded the national Diane Reese Award by The National Network to End Domestic Violence for her “outstanding commitment to social justice and advocacy for battered women.”
The list of her accomplishments is long and varied, and for three decades her leadership has served as a guiding light for advocates and allies of our work to unite around the shared value that rape and abuse must end. It is evident, for those fortunate to have worked alongside her, no one will ever take the place of Colleen.
“When we found Colleen to head MOCADSV in 1988, we truly found a jewel,” said Mary Ann Allen, former Board chair, Public Policy Committee chair and Executive Director of MOCADSV member agency, Haven House. “It has been an honor to serve with her and a thrill to watch what she has accomplished to improve the lives of abuse survivors and their children. Under her leadership we have grown from a small group of well-intentioned advocates to a network of well-trained professionals throughout the state. I wish her all the best in retirement.” Allen and Coble have worked alongside each other for 34 years.
The MOCADSV Board will make additional announcements about Ms. Coble’s retirement, the ways in which people can express what Colleen has meant to them and their work, and the process for identifying the person who will lead the Coalition in the years ahead.
“Onward,” has long been Colleen’s rallying call, a message of solace and solidarity over the years. While this is a change for the Coalition—the MOCADSV staff, Board, and 124-member agencies—we remain steadfast in Colleen’s rally call: Onward.
August 12, 2021 – Earlier this week, Cole County Judge Jon Beetem ruled the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) cannot deny enrollment into Medicaid for Missourians who qualify under expansion. Although Missourians voted to expand Medicaid in August 2020, the state legislature refused to fund it, which led to a court case to resolve the issue. The latest and final court ruling from Judge Beetem means that right now all who are eligible under the qualifications for the expanded Medicaid population can apply. Accessing life-saving care provided by Medicaid promotes public health, safety, and wellbeing. MCADSV looks forward to the positive impact this will have for survivors of violence and their families.
What is Medicaid?
Medicaid is low-cost or free health insurance for low-income people and their families. Low-income people seeking Medicaid must go through their state’s program. Missouri’s Medicaid program is called MO HealthNet, and with the change in rules, more people are able to enroll in the program.
Who is eligible?
Under the new rules, a single adult making up to $17,774 a year or a family of four making up to $36,750 a year qualify for Medicaid through MO HealthNet. For the first time, more adults qualify for low-cost or free health insurance through MO HealthNet. This includes parents who have not qualified before, as well as childless adults.
Why apply?
For many families, healthcare costs can be a significant burden. Without healthcare insurance, people are forced to choose between their health and caring for their family’s needs. With Medicaid, you can get the care you need without going bankrupt from medical bills.
If you receive health insurance through MO HealthNet, you can get the care you need when you need it. MO HealthNet covers doctor visits, yearly checkups, prescription medicines, and more. Additionally, you can get mental health services, dental care, and many preventive care services including cancer screenings, medical exams, and routine shots – at no cost to you.
How to apply:
Apply for Medicaid through MO HealthNet on the Missouri DSS website. Even if you have previously applied for Medicaid and did not qualify, check again. The rules have changed and Medicaid may be an option for you. If you received medical services on or after July 1, 2021, Medicaid may cover those costs. You must include this information in your application and submit (or postmark) by October 31, 2021.
Right now, if a newly eligible person applies online, they will likely receive a message from the pre-screening tool that they are not eligible. That is because the tool is referring to old eligibility thresholds. You can hit “next” to continue with the application. It is expected that this glitch will be addressed soon. DSS will begin making eligibility determinations once MO HealthNet’s software is updated. DSS will be reassigning existing employees from their current assignments and responsibilities in order to receive and evaluate MO HealthNet applications. However, due to current staffing capacity and funding restraints, the required system update is anticipated to take up to 60 days.
You can get free help to understand your health insurance options, including Medicaid through MO HealthNet. Call 1-800-466-3213 or visit CoverMissouri.org/help to find a trained expert near you.
July 1, 2021 – The Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MOCADSV) condemns the violence of white supremacy and racism. We grieve the recent loss of life of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Dreasjon Reed, Tony McDade, as well as the countless black and brown lives lost to racist violence. We reflect on the legacy of violence in our own community as we near the six-year anniversary of the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson. Right now in Missouri there are 21 active hate groups operating that are affiliated with the Ku Klux Klan and white nationalist organizations. Let us be clear when we say this: racism has no place here.
MOCADSV staff know that we must do more than condemn white supremacy, grieve for its victims, reflect and recognize our own state’s history and ongoing racism. The moral imperative of our work is to take action, to address the racism that harms the individual survivors of color who represent one in three of those served by Missouri domestic and sexual violence agencies.
We reaffirm our principles that we are called to address racism, and its expression through overt and covert violence, as inherent in our movement to end rape and abuse. Our mission is to unite Missourians with a shared value that rape and abuse must end, and we advance this through education, alliance, research and public policy. We are committed to advancing our mission through the critical lens of racial equity and justice.
Education: MOCADSV provides education and training to a broad range of audiences, and we acknowledge the different values and perceptions that exist in our state. We invite others to join us in learning how biases and structural barriers keep communities of color from being able to access resources vital to safety and well-being.
Alliance: Advocates of color have been organizing and advising the domestic and sexual violence movement for decades, but are often left on the margins. MOCADSV will continue providing leadership ladders for advocates of color to have their expertise centered in our work to end rape and abuse.
Research: One of MOCADSV’s ongoing priorities is educating the general public about domestic and sexual violence. Part of that work is compiling annual statistics on the work our member agencies do, demographic information about individuals provided with life-saving services in Missouri. MOCADSV will continue researching the extent to which survivors of color experience domestic and sexual violence, and the inequitable access to criminal justice, healthcare, education and housing.
Public Policy: We represent the voices of Missouri’s survivors. We ensure their stories are heard, and that government responds appropriately to one of the most pressing social justice issues of our time—domestic and sexual violence against women, men and children. MOCADSV is committed to centering our public policy work on health and racial equity. We have joined many other state coalitions and our national partners at the National Network to End Domestic Violence and the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence in signing a letter from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights calling for federal reform to policing. We are also endorsing the ballot initiative to expand Medicaid in Missouri. In our work to end rape, abuse and racial violence, we must address the underlying conditions that perpetuate violence and oppression.
What is Teen Dating Violence?
Teen dating violence (TDV) is a pattern of behavior that includes physical, emotional, verbal or sexual abuse used by one person in an intimate relationship to exert power and control over another.
TDV is generally defined as occurring among individuals between the ages of 13-19 years old. Like intimate partner violence among adults, TDV occurs without respect to age, race, religion, socioeconomic status and sexual orientation.
What does Teen Dating Violence look like?
Approximately 25 percent of teens report experiencing TDV annually (Noonan & Charles, 2009). It can include emotional, verbal, physical and/or sexual abuse. In most cases of TDV, violence is used to get another to do what he/she wants, to gain power and control, to cause humiliation and to promote fear, and to retaliate against a partner (Foshee & Langwick, 2010).
How does Teen Dating Violence differ from Adult Intimate Partner Violence?
An article published by the National Institute of Justice discusses current research on TDV and concludes that there are three key differences between adult and teen dating relationships:
- Abusive teen relationships typically lack the same unequal power dynamic found in adult intimate partner violence relationships. Adolescent girls are not often dependent on their partner for financial support and do not typically have children to provide for and protect.
- Teens have limited experience with romantic relationships and negotiating conflict.
- Teen relationships are more readily affected by the influence of peers.
Because the dynamics of intimate partner abuse are different in adolescent and adult relationships, it is important not to apply an adult framework of intimate partner violence to teen dating violence.
