KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kylie Phipps was a freshman in high school when she experienced domestic violence.
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She said the relationship was a power struggle, and she was sexually abused.
But when she got out of the relationship and came forward to share her story with "a trusted loved one," she "was not met with the support."
Phipps, who is now 23 years old, grew up in Richmond, Missouri. She said not being met with support left her afraid to seek help or take legal action due to the closeness of the community.
"I didn't, and still haven't, very transparently seen therapy counseling services just because when you aren't being believed, it's hard to move forward with finding any support,” she said.
The survivor now works as a court advocate with Newhouse, a domestic violence shelter in Kansas City. Phipps said a new case, which concerns a Texas man hitting his girlfriend and threatening to shoot her, being heard in front of the Supreme Court is troubling.
“The immediate response was fear from my clients because I have had so many clients where that is such a real fear — gun violence in general, but particularly after an order of protection has been filed and ordered by a judge,” Phipps said.
Humaira Mirza, an attorney for Newhouse, said if the federal law prohibiting people under domestic violence restraining orders from having a gun is overturned and deemed unconstitutional, it could be dangerous for victims across the nation.
“There is no way of enforcing that prohibition, that restriction in a civil case, like an order of protection case," Mirza said. "The police don't go to the abuser's house to confiscate the firearm. The court can suspend their license to own a firearm, but that's the farthest the court goes. The danger is that if the Supreme Court rules in favor of the abuser, then the state legislators might also abolish these laws from the state statutes.”
Phipps said for the sake of victims, she hopes the Supreme Court rules in their favor.
"I am in fear for my clients and what this could possibly mean for Jackson County, Missouri, and the United States,” she said.
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