Joanna Phillips Domestic Violence Prevention Act
After Joanna Phillips’ Murder, West Virginia Enacts Stronger Domestic Violence ProtectionsCHARLESTON, W.Va. —Representatives from the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic…
West Virginia survivors of domestic violence shared their experiences through an anonymous statewide survey. Their voices reveal a clear truth: domestic violence is complex, widespread, and deeply misunderstood. Survivors describe emotional abuse, coercive control, family court failures, CPS inaction, barriers to safety, and long‑term trauma that continues long after leaving an abuser.
This packet organizes their words into themes so legislators can see the patterns that emerge across counties, ages, genders, and life circumstances. There are no policy recommendations — only the lived experiences of West Virginians who want to be heard.
These stories are powerful on their own. Together, they form a chorus.
