Support right now
The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers free, confidential support, 24 hours a day. Call, text, or visit its website to speak with an advocate.
Call 800.799.7233Text START to 88788Visit The Hotline for live chat ↗For victims, survivors, and those who care
Your voice matters.
Your safety comes first.
You deserve to feel safe, to be heard, and to know your options. Find support and information at your own pace.
No account needed. No story required.
Meet the founder
Founder Melinda Ward
Survivor. Advocate. A voice for change.
Why I started Breaking the Silence
I started Breaking the Silence because my own experience with domestic violence showed me how difficult it can be to seek safety, protect your children, and make your voice heard. I know what it feels like to ask for help and feel unheard. I want other survivors to know that their experiences matter and that they deserve support.
My experiences are why I care. I am not asking for laws to change my own case or for anyone to intervene to give me a different outcome. I am advocating for change so other survivors and their children do not have to experience the same harm.
Through Breaking the Silence, I want to help people understand abuse, find resources, and know their options. I am committed to stronger protections for survivors and children, better education about domestic violence, and accountability in the systems people turn to for help.
I will not be silenced. And I will keep speaking for the change survivors and their children deserve.
Read our mission ↓EMPOWER · EDUCATE · ADVOCATE · PREVENT
Start where you are
You do not have to figure
everything out today.
Choose the kind of help you need. These links connect you with independent support organizations. Breaking the Silence INC does not operate a crisis line.
Help in Kentucky
Use ZeroV’s directory to find the domestic violence program serving your county. Ask the program about available shelter, advocacy, and other support.
Find your local program ↗Explore your options
A safety plan can help you consider your situation and your needs. The Hotline offers a guided tool you can explore when it feels safe.
Visit the safety planning tool ↗If you face immediate danger in the United States, call 911 if you can safely do so. Calls, texts, and website visits may leave records on your device or account. Standard messaging and data charges may apply.
Information you can use
A place to take
your next step.
You choose what to explore and when. These resources can help you find information, support, and services.
Links open external websites in this tab. Each organization sets its own privacy practices and service availability.
National support and information ↗
Explore relationship abuse information and ways to reach an advocate.
Kentucky support directory ↗
Find your county’s domestic violence program through ZeroV.
Legal information from WomensLaw ↗
Explore state specific legal information. For advice about your own situation, speak with a qualified attorney.
Ayuda en español ↗
Información y apoyo de la Línea Nacional contra la Violencia Doméstica.
Our mission statement
Empower. Educate.
Advocate. Protect.
Breaking the Silence INC exists to empower victims and survivors of domestic violence, educate communities about abuse, advocate for meaningful change, and help protect survivors and their children.
We work toward that mission by raising awareness, sharing support resources and information about legal protections, and advocating for informed, accountable responses to domestic violence. Our goal is a future where survivors can seek safety, make informed choices, and have their voices heard.
Every survivor deserves to be heard. Every child deserves safety.
This website offers a starting point for finding information and outside support. It does not provide emergency response, legal representation, or counseling.
Know your options
Your Kentucky law toolkit.
Plain language information about domestic violence protections in Kentucky. Open a topic below and follow its official source to read more.
General legal information, not legal advice or a prediction about your case. Laws and court procedures can change. A Kentucky attorney can explain how the law applies to you. Sources checked October 19, 2026.
What counts as domestic violence under Kentucky law?
KRS 403.720 covers physical injury, assault, stalking, sexual assault, strangulation, and fear of imminent specified harm between qualifying family members or members of an unmarried couple. It also covers specified harm or threats involving a household pet used to control or intimidate someone with a close bond to that animal.
The relationship matters. Covered relationships include current or former spouses, specified relatives, people with a child together, and unmarried couples who live or previously lived together. Adult siblings also fall within the statutory definition of family member. A different protective order process can cover dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault.
EPO, DVO, TIPO, and IPO. What is the difference?
An EPO is an emergency protective order for domestic violence. A DVO is a domestic violence order issued after a hearing. TIPO and IPO refer to temporary and longer term interpersonal protective orders for qualifying dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault cases.
A court reviews an EPO petition immediately. If it shows immediate and present danger, KRS 403.730 directs the court to issue emergency protection without first hearing from the respondent. The initial hearing is scheduled within 14 days when the petition meets the statutory basis. Service issues or later court orders can affect timing. Read your paperwork and confirm your date with the clerk.
Read KRS 403.730, emergency review ↗
Official Kentucky Courts protective order guide, PDF ↗
What can a DVO do, including protection for children?
After a hearing, a judge may issue a DVO upon finding by a preponderance of the evidence that domestic violence and abuse occurred and may occur again.
Possible terms include restricting contact, keeping the respondent away from specified places, requiring departure from a shared home, and preventing property damage. Subject to the applicable legal standards, the court may grant temporary custody, temporary child support, or possession of a shared pet. Ask about the protections you and your children need. The written order controls.
A DVO can last up to three years and may be reissued for further periods of up to three years. Reissuance requires court action. Check the expiration date and seek advice before it expires.
How do I start, and does filing cost money?
Contact the Circuit Court Clerk in your county of residence, or the county where you are staying after leaving home to escape abuse. After business hours, contact local law enforcement about obtaining protection. A local domestic violence program may help you navigate the process.
KRS 403.745 bars charging a petitioner costs, fees, or a bond for covered filings, hearings, service, and orders. A court cannot require mediation, conciliation, or counseling as a condition of issuing protection.
Find your Circuit Court Clerk ↗
Kentucky Courts forms and guided interviews ↗
Read KRS 403.745, fees and conditions ↗
When does an order bind the respondent, and how can it change?
Under KRS 403.745, an EPO or DVO binds the respondent after personal service or notice of its existence and terms from a peace officer or the court, whichever happens first. A party may ask the court to amend an order by properly filing a motion. Do not treat an informal agreement as a court approved change.
What if someone violates a protective order?
KRS 403.763 makes an intentional violation after service or notice a criminal offense. Violations generally carry a Class A misdemeanor classification. Certain repeat violations involving force or threats can be Class D felonies when the statute’s requirements apply. The law also provides contempt proceedings, but bars pursuing both routes for the same violation once one begins.
In immediate danger, call 911 if you can safely do so. Otherwise, report suspected violations to law enforcement and ask an advocate or attorney about next steps. Preserve relevant messages, dates, and records if safe. Whether conduct violates an order depends on its actual terms and the facts. A social media post or third party contact does not automatically prove a violation.
Can the court issue orders against both people?
KRS 403.745 permits mutual protective orders only when both parties filed separate petitions and the orders contain enough detail for an officer to identify which party violated the order. KRS 403.740 also sets the evidentiary requirements for a DVO. Ask a Kentucky attorney to review any order entered against you and any deadline for challenging it.
Read KRS 403.745, mutual orders ↗
Read KRS 403.740, findings for a DVO ↗
What should I bring to a hearing?
The Kentucky Courts guide recommends bringing relevant witnesses and evidence, such as police reports, photos, and medical records. Print phone evidence when possible so the court can receive it. Ask the clerk about subpoena forms if you need a witness to attend. A lawyer can help you address admissibility, deadlines, and court procedure. Gather evidence only when it is safe.
Where can I find legal help and order notifications?
Use the Kentucky Courts self help portal to reach legal information, forms, Kentucky Justice Online, and Kentucky Free Legal Answers. Eligibility and availability vary. A local domestic violence program can help you locate advocacy resources.
Kentucky’s VINE Protective Order service offers free, anonymous registration for order status updates. Choose a safe contact method. Notifications do not replace reading your order or checking court dates.
Find legal resources through Kentucky Courts ↗
Find a local advocate through ZeroV ↗
Learn about VINE Protective Order notifications ↗
This toolkit does not assess eligibility, draft a petition, or change any court order. For current statutory text, use the Kentucky Legislature’s Chapter 403 index.
In your own words
Your story.
Your choice.
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Survivor voices
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A few things you may be wondering
You can ask for support.
Do I have to share my story to use this site?
No. You can browse every resource here without an account, a form, or telling us what happened. Outside services may ask for information to help you, and you can ask about their privacy practices before sharing.
Can I get help if I am unsure what to call my experience?
You can contact The Hotline to talk through your concerns. You do not need to have all the answers before reaching out.
Can I find help for someone I care about?
Yes. The Hotline can also help people who are concerned about someone else. You can ask an advocate how to offer support while respecting that person’s choices.
Does the quick exit button clear my history?
No. It replaces this page with Google. It cannot remove your browsing history, call records, text messages, downloads, or activity captured by monitoring tools. Consider a device the person causing harm cannot access when seeking help.
Can I contact Breaking the Silence INC here?
The story form accepts stories for review, but it is not a request for services. For support now, use the verified resources in the Find support section. Do not wait for a response from this website in an emergency.
Support survivors and their children
Help make safety possible.
Your donation helps domestic violence victims and their children obtain housing, food, transportation, and legal aid.
Every gift helps us meet urgent needs and build support for survivors. Thank you for helping Breaking the Silence turn its mission into action.
Choose how you give
Donate through PayPal or support our GoFundMe fundraiser for survivors and their children.
We are working toward IRS recognition under section 501(c)(3). We do not currently represent donations as tax deductible.
Keep the conversation going
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Follow Breaking the Silence INC on Facebook and follow Mendy Sue on TikTok for advocacy, awareness, and updates.
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