‘And go where?’ The reality of leaving domestic violence

By LYNELL COOPER

More than 16 million people in the U.S. suffer from intimate partner abuse each year, according to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS). In 2024, Indiana was the only state rated an “F” for its resources and protections for survivors of intimate partner violence. Ninety-five percent of shelter requests went unmet, and the state still lacks firearm protection laws for abusers.

One of the oldest questions survivors face is, “Why didn’t they just leave?” As a survivor, professor of social work, and licensed clinical therapist, my response is usually “And go where?” or “And feel protected where?”

Institutions — including law enforcement, community organizations, places of worship and even families — must take inventory of who’s failing in this na