For more than 40 years, MOCADSV has worked with lawmakers at the federal and state level to develop public policies necessary to protect the health and safety of victims of domestic and sexual violence. Our public policy work has been—and will always be—focused on the needs of survivors and supporting the service providers that assist them.

MOCADSV’s dedicated public policy staff is a fixture at the state Capitol, where we advocate for funding, enhanced protections for survivors, and increased accountability for perpetrators of domestic and sexual violence. During four decades, MOCADSV has taken the lead in pushing for lasting change, including: making marital rape a crime; establishing Orders of Protection; legal protections for survivors; enhanced confidentiality for domestic and sexual violence survivors; and ensuring the state pays for sexual assault forensic exams, not the victim. Practically every law that affects sexual assault survivors has been crafted with the assistance of MOCADSV and its members.

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.

Whether it’s through testifying at public hearings or one-on-one meetings with lawmakers, we’ve established a track record of legislative successes. This advocacy work has made MOCADSV the go-to organization on any public policy issue related to domestic violence or sexual assault.

MOCADSV will continue to advocate for the needs of survivors and the more than 100 member programs that serve and assist them. We change laws. We change lives.