KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri House unanimously passed a bill that would allow pregnant women to get divorces. Right now, pregnant women can file for divorce but not finalize them due to a decades-old law.
Advocates of domestic violence victims argue that for those in abusive relationships, this can force them to be stuck with their abusers and create safety concerns.
The law was enacted in 1973 to ensure the biological father would be financially responsible for the child. But Courtney Thomas, the president and CEO of local domestic violence shelter Newhouse, says it has had adverse effects.
“It’s clearly an archaic law that doesn’t empower women to do what they need to do to care for themselves, their bodies, their children,” Thomas said. “It keeps people in dangerous and unsafe situations. And we know that the stress that a mother feels while they are pregnant, can impact the long-term health of that child.”
Thomas says there have been 23 homicides in Kansas City since Jan. 1, and seven of those deaths were domestic violence related. On average, it takes a survivor seven attempts to leave before they flee their abusers for good.
“Sexual abuse, reproductive coercion is such a real thing for abusers to maintain control over their victims. If I can keep them pregnant, then they have to rely on me because they can’t do it on their own,” Thomas said.
Newhouse has seen a growing uptick in need and volume of calls to their dispatch since the COVID-19 pandemic. Their 92 beds are always full and are quickly filled when a client moves out.
In 2023 alone, 10,000 survivors were served through Newhouse, but only ten percent of them actually got shelter for safe housing. An additional 20,000 requests for help were not serviced due to lack of resources and beds.
“We say violence prevention is important in our community, and we need our actions to back up our words,” Thomas said.
Missouri House lawmakers heard their cries and unanimously passed a bill last month that would prevent the judge from using pregnant status as a reason not to finalize a divorce.
Thomas says it is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done.
“Missouri ranks in the top ten deadliest states for women to be killed by their abusers,” Thomas said. “We can do better, we have to do better. Women deserve better. Their children deserve better.”
House Bill 243 has been sent to the Senate's Families, Seniors and Health Committee. Humaira Mirza, the chief legal officer at Newhouse, hopes the Senate passes the bill and it heads to the governor’s desk for final approval.
“It’s the most difficult part of the job to see them go back. You really want to just pull them out of that situation,” Mirza said.
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