Behind Every Number Is a Survivor: Kentucky's New Domestic Violence Dashboard Makes the Data — and the Need — Visible

Data has always driven the work we do at BRASS, Inc. Now, for the first time, every Kentuckian can see that data for themselves.

This week, First Lady Britainy Beshear announced the launch of the Kentucky Domestic Violence Data Dashboard, a new interactive tool that makes it easier than ever for the public to explore domestic violence statistics — statewide or right here at home. Users can compare data by county and Area Development District and find specific information on offenders, domestic violence shelters and support services, and law enforcement outcomes.

The dashboard was built and will be maintained by the Criminal Justice Statistical Analysis Center (CJSAC) within the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, which has compiled the state's annual Domestic Violence Data Report since 2023.

In announcing the dashboard, First Lady Beshear emphasized that the resource will help Kentucky better target services across the state so that every survivor knows support is available to seek justice, rebuild, and move forward. CJSAC Executive Director Andrew Ritzel echoed that quality data is essential to preventing crime while supporting victims and equipping law enforcement, advocates, and other stakeholders.

We couldn't agree more.

What the 2025 Report Tells Us

Alongside the dashboard, Kentucky released its 2025 Domestic Violence Data Report, built from data provided by the Kentucky State Police, the Administrative Office of the Courts, and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The numbers tell a story of both persistent need and communities reaching out for help:

• 33,786 electronic JC-3 forms related to domestic violence and/or dating violence were filed statewide. These forms are completed by law enforcement officers responding to reports of domestic or dating violence — they track incidents and arrests and help survivors file for emergency protective orders.

• 8,301 arrests were made for incidents involving domestic or dating violence and abuse — a 4.23% increase over the previous year.

• 20,129 emergency protective orders and temporary interpersonal protective orders were ordered by Kentucky courts.

• 19,481 crisis and hotline calls were received through ZeroV's 15 regional domestic violence programs — of which BRASS, Inc. is proud to be one.

• 14,338 individuals received services through those same 15 regional programs.

The report noted a slight decrease in the number of individuals served by ZeroV's member programs compared to the previous year. But fewer people served does not mean fewer people in need. Barriers like distance, transportation, and program capacity keep many survivors from reaching help — on a single day in September 2025, Kentucky's domestic violence programs were unable to meet 222 requests for services due to capacity limitations, according to the National Network to End Domestic Violence's annual census.

The gap between need and reach is real, and closing it is at the heart of our work.

Overall, levels of domestic violence remained stable compared to the year before — a reminder that the need for services in our communities is constant, not occasional. And these figures reflect only what is reported; many survivors never reach out at all.

Why This Matters in South-Central Kentucky

Statewide numbers tell one story. But this dashboard lets Kentuckians explore the data closer to home — and for us, home is a nearly 4,000-square-mile, ten-county region: Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, and Warren counties, which together make up the Barren River Area Development District.

Every data point in that region represents a neighbor. A crisis call answered at 2 a.m. A safe night of shelter for a mom and her kids. An advocate sitting beside a survivor in a courtroom. A family beginning again.

That's why tools like this dashboard matter. When our community can see the scope of the need, our community can respond — as donors, as volunteers, as advocates, and as informed neighbors who recognize the signs of abuse and know where to turn for help.

It's also why BRASS, Inc. continues to expand how we deliver services, including our new Mobile Advocacy Unit, which is bringing advocacy, safety planning, and resources directly to survivors in every county we serve — because the data is clear: domestic violence doesn't stop at the county line, and neither do we.

Explore the Dashboard

You can view the Kentucky Domestic Violence Data Dashboard and read the full 2025 Domestic Violence Data Report here on the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's website.

Survivors should also know about Kentucky's Safe at Home Program, administered by the Secretary of State's office, which protects the residential addresses of survivors of domestic violence and members of their households.

You Are Never Alone

If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence, BRASS, Inc. is here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call our crisis line at 1-800-928-1183. All services are free and confidential.

To support survivors in south-central Kentucky, visit brassinc.org/donate.

Believe. Support. Empower.