Onward: A Celebration of Colleen Coble’s Contribution to the Movement
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 the passage of the many laws since 1989 that affect the safety and wellbeing of survivors of violence and their children.
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.
“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.
Onward: A Tribute to Colleen Coble from MOCADSV staff, member programs, and other allied professionals
Onward Event for Colleen Coble's Retirement
Colleen Coble Education Center dedication
Media throughout Colleen's career
After 33 years advocating for victims of domestic violence, Colleen Coble is retiring. December 29, 2021 – Former Attorney General Chris Koster called Coble a ‘gift to the State of Missouri.’ It was spring of 1989, and Colleen Coble had been working as a lobbyist in Jefferson City for just a few months. She stood in the gallery of the Missouri House of Representatives, waiting for a bill regarding protections for domestic violence victims to come up for a vote. It had to pass out of the House that day, or the ground-breaking bill – to require law enforcement officers to make an arrest if they are called to the same address twice within 12 hours and have probable cause of a domestic-violence violation – would die.
‘Onward’: Colleen Coble retiring from MOCADSV after 33 years. September 8, 2021 – After more than three decades, Colleen Coble is retiring as the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence CEO. Coble joined the Coalition (MOCADSV) nearly 33 years ago, watching as it transitioned from a two-person team with 13 members to an organization with more than 120 member groups focused on domestic and sexual violence prevention, prosecutors, law enforcement, child counseling, and more.
Missouri domestic violence victims will be allowed to ask for a lifetime protection order. June 29, 2021. Missouri will allow domestic violence victims to ask for a lifetime order of protection against their abuser. Gov. Mike Parson has signed a bill into law today that means if a judge grants the victims a lifetime order, the victims will not have to repeatedly face their abuser in court.
Bill to help adult and child sexual abuse victims goes to Missouri Governor. May 12, 2015 – A bill has gone to Governor Nixon that would do a number of things for victims of sexual abuse in Missouri. One provision in the plan would allow, for the first time, victims of sexual assault to seek orders of protection against their attackers. Colleen Coble, Chief Executive Officer with the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, says a protection order is more than just a piece of paper.
Advocate: Law change could put Missouri at forefront of prosecution of rape. July 5, 2013 – A proponent for victims of sexual and domestic violence says a bill signed by the Governor could put Missouri ahead of other states in how it deals with such crimes. Colleen Coble is the CEO of the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence. She says House Bill 215 makes significant changes to all of Missouri’s laws regarding sex crimes.
Budget plan would give biggest boost to domestic violence services in a decade. March 29, 2013 – The budget proposal passed yesterday by the House includes an increase of $1.9 million dollars in state support for the fight against domestic violence. That would raise the amount that goes to help victims to more than $8.4 million dollars. CEO Colleen Coble with the Missouri Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Violence says that would be spread between about 90 programs across the state including 70 shelters. “This increase, $1.9 million more dollars for domestic violence services is the biggest increase we’ve had for more than, gosh, 10 years.”
Read more about MOCADSV’s legislative history and Colleen’s impact in our Legislative Advocacy History publication.
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