Domestic Violence is an epidemic. When victims aren't supported, they become houseless, struggle with mental health, lose their jobs, lose their friends, lose their lives, become addicts, end up incarcerated, commit suicide and live a life of suffering. By providing full and complete support for victims of domestic violence, we can substantially reduce houselessness, suicide, depression, anxiety, addiction and crimes of desperation. There is no better investment than stopping these problems at their source. In fact, in addition to it being the right thing to do, it is the most economical way to prevent an escalation of terrible circumstances which, if ignored will cost substantially more money to fix. In other words, if we don't have the money to address domestic violence, we don't have the money not to address it.

This petition calls for a minimum of $25 million per year for the next ten years to be allocated to support all victims of domestic violence in St. Louis city. We also want the allocation of this money to be overseen by organizations who have taken tangible steps proving they are inclusive of victims regardless of race, disability status, gender identity, sexual orientation, housing status, mental health status, age, income, social desirability, intelligence, personality, citizenship status, the identities of their abuser, whether the abuse is what society understands or not and no matter how the victim wants to reach peace and safety. It is also important that this money is allocated in a manner which recognizes the unique intersection that the black community faces and that agencies who utilize this money work to ensure it is safe and desirable for victims who experience oppression in the legal system to access this help. See https://www.believetherest.org/