KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers Kansas City, Missouri. Share your story idea with Alyssa.
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Kansas City, Missouri, is coming off a seven-year low in homicides.
But as the homicide numbers went down, domestic violence increased.
At the beginning of 2025, one in three homicides was attributed to domestic violence, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office.
Newhouse, a domestic violence shelter for families in Kansas City, started 2026 with every bed full. Like most shelters, Newhouse rarely has extra bed space.
RELATED | Jackson County Prosecutor says domestic violence crimes could result in felony charges
Victims like Tiera Thompson know what it's like to hear that.
"There is no safety net for victims going through abuse," she said. "The biggest problem is a lack of shelters and emergency funding for victims who need an escape plan."
Thompson, a mother of four, has survived 15 years of abuse.
She credited KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis for sharing her story last year and helping the case against her abuser move along.
"It's a miracle that I did make it out," Thompson said. "The prosecutors can do their part, but it's a system."
The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office recently filed felony stalking charges connected to Thompson's case.
Thompson's ex-partner was also charged with a misdemeanor for violating a protection order. He's being held on an $80,000 cash-only bond.
"This is the safest I've felt during this whole process... He's always managed to get on house arrest and violate," she said.
Kansas City Municipal Court Judge Courtney Wachal has jurisdiction over domestic violence violations within Kansas City limits. She told KSHB 41 in October her court would handle nearly 200 cases per day.
Non-fatal domestic violence cases aren't just a municipal offense anymore in Jackson County.
There was a 16% increase in the prosecutor's office filing charges in domestic violence cases in 2025. Law enforcement increased its referral rate by 6%.
"At the beginning of 2025, we saw 1 in 3 homicides attributed to domestic violence, compared to 1 in 12 in 2024. Homicides involving domestic violence can be preventable and it's why we are intervening earlier and charging more domestic violence cases at the felony level before violence escalates. Immediately when I stepped into office, I sent clear guidelines to law enforcement on what kind of domestic violence cases to send my office for felony charges. As a result, referrals are up significantly from 2024, which means officers know we are serious about holding domestic abusers accountable, our partnership is stronger than ever, and survivors are feeling safer coming forward."
The prosecutor's office launched a domestic violence dashboard showing filing, conviction and case disposal data last year.
Courtney Thomas, president and CEO of Newhouse, said they've worked closely with the prosecutor's office on strategies, especially after domestic violence crimes started going up last year.
"Their voices are being heard. Action is being taken. Change is happening," Thomas said. "It is disheartening when a survivor reaches out for help, identifies there's a problem and they are stuck."
Before a person even gets to a shelter like Newhouse, survivors know how hard it is to tell their story. The other part of the process is getting all the systems working together to hear them.
"Those police reports follow abusers to the courtroom," Thompson said. "Guaranteed, if he'd gotten out and I were still in state, I would not be here talking to you guys today."
This year, Newhouse is working on solutions that target offenders.
"If we aren't healing people doing harm, we are just managing the crisis," Thomas said.
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