By Tisha Pletcher, Kentucky Lantern · May 5, 2026

Over the past month, we have witnessed many heartbreaking and senseless acts of violence in both our community and our neighbors’ communities.

We are grieving the recent shooting in Adair County that claimed the lives of three individuals, the intimate partner stabbing in Tennessee that claimed the life of Samarah Smith from Murray, Kentucky, the fatal stabbing of a Mary Clayborn by her boyfriend in Harlan County, the eight children killed by an abusive partner in Louisiana, the loss of Dr. Cerina Fairfax, killed by her husband and former Virginia lieutenant governor, and the many other victims of domestic and intimate partner homicide whose stories have not received the same level of public attention. We hold their families, loved ones, and communities in our hearts.

The news of violence and the violence itself have been relentless. If you are feeling the weight of these tragedies, know that your experience and emotions are valid and that you are not alone. We cannot turn back the clock to prevent the deaths of those taken from us by abusive partners, but we can honor them by taking action to make our communities safer.

At ZeroV, we make communities safer by supporting our coalition of state-designated domestic violence programs, the lifeline for survivors and their children who are fleeing abuse and rebuilding their lives in the aftermath; helping survivors get back on their feet through our housing program; providing DV-specific training to community partners; and advocating for survivors at the policy-making table.

This legislative session, we are grateful to legislators who answered the call to strengthen protections for survivors of domestic violence and took action to improve our state’s response to domestic violence, keep survivors and their children safe, protect the relationship between survivor-parents and their children, and hold abusive partners accountable for their violent, coercive behavior.

We are grateful to Rep. Stephanie Dietz for sponsoring HB 611, which modernizes the domestic violence data collection process and creates a 10-year IPO for victims of domestic and dating violence.  We also appreciate Rep. Jason Nemes and Sen. Julie Raque Adams for sponsoring HB 418 and SB 122, the Family Preservation and Accountability Act, which will strengthen families and keep our children safe. Additionally, we thank Rep. Steven Rudy for sponsoring HB 521 to strengthen Kentucky’s stalking laws, allowing for more meaningful intervention before escalation and potential harm.

Each of these bills reflects what it looks like to turn grief into action. Together, we are working to transform our communities into safer places where survivors are supported and abusive partners are held accountable. We are grateful to each of our legislative partners for the care they have demonstrated through their leadership, and to the full legislature for prioritizing support for domestic violence programs in the state budget.

Whether you’re a survivor advocate, legislator, business owner, coworker, homemaker, friend, or family member, everyone has a role to play in creating safer communities. If you are concerned about someone who may be experiencing domestic violence, reaching out with care, listening without judgment, respecting their decisions, and helping them connect to a domestic violence advocate can make a meaningful difference.

By focusing on the actions each of us can take to support survivors, we can build a safer future together—one step, one policy, and one act of care at a time.

For free and confidential help, survivors and supporters can contact the National Domestic ViolenceHotline at 1-800-799-7233, text 88788, or chat via thehotline.org. In Kentucky, local domestic violenceprograms are available across the state with DV advocates standing by 24/7 to help. Find your local program at zerov.org/shelter_programs.