Our History
Kentucky’s first domestic violence shelter opened in Louisville in 1977 and by 1980 there were six shelter programs serving battered women and their children in the Commonwealth. The Kentucky Domestic Violence Association (now known as the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence, KCADV) was founded in 1981 by the staff of the existing programs as a statewide coalition whose membership was to include all domestic violence programs in Kentucky. Early on, the Commonwealth committed to providing regional domestic violence services and by 1987 there were programs (shelters) operating in each of Kentucky’s fifteen Area Development Districts. The purpose of KDVA (now KCADV) was to provide mutual support, information, resource sharing and technical assistance; to coordinate services; and to collectively advocate for battered women and their children on statewide issues. KCADV and its members have advocated for changes in state laws to help victims of domestic violence since 1982. The group’s efforts have helped pass legislation addressing warrantless arrest, emergency protective orders, marital rape, dating violence and increasing resources for victim services.
