TOPEKA (KSNT) – Survivors of sexual and domestic violence met at the Kansas Statehouse Thursday to share their stories.
The Silent Witness Project is a collaboration between families, advocacy agencies and survivors to tell the stories of real Kansans who have experienced sexual and domestic violence.
“It impacts everyone,” said Jennifer Ruvalcaba, Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center. “No matter what kind of community it is, whether it’s a large city, rural, urban, it’s out there, so hopefully they can kind of stick up for us when those things come up in the House or the Senate.”
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Each Silent Witness Silhouette represents the story of a Kansas victim who lost his or her life to sexual assault, domestic violence or stalking.
“We want to make sure that people understand that these deaths are preventable, and so there are action steps that people can take,” said Michelle McCormick, Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. “There is support that people can provide to the program that provides these services, and ultimately want to make sure that if anyone in our state is experiencing domestic and sexual violence that they know that there’s help available.”
Last week, lawmakers introduced a House Bill 2754, which they’re calling the Providing Civil Relief from Coerced Debt Act. It’s aimed at helping survivors remove fraudulent, abusive debt from their credit reports.
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