Domestic Violence Shelters in Missouri Turn Away Women

Intro:	The holidays are approaching and emergency shelters are refusing to take more women because of the current over-capacity statewide. Becky May has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence says emergency shelters are refusing to take more women into the shelters because of the current over-capacity statewide.

The numbers for 2010 have not been fully determined but Chief Executive Officer of the Coalition Colleen Coble says more than three quarters of Missouri shelters are filled for this year.

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Description: "There is a very real crisis in terms of lack of sufficient resources to meet the needs of women and their children who need a safe place to stay or are victims of domestic violence."

Coble also says the Coalition has been working with women's homeless shelters in Missouri because many women there are victims of domestic violence.

Reporting from the state Capitol I'm Becky May.

Intro:	This holiday season victims of domestic violence are going to be left out in the cold. Becky May has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Colleen Coble is Missouri's Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse's Chief Executive.

She says the demands for additional space have been consistent in women's shelters for 2010.

Reports from the Coalition in 2009 show a 60 percent increase from the previous year and Coble says one explanation is the poor economy.

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Description: "If your wages have been cut, your hours have been cut, or your having difficulty finding a job that has direct relationship on your ability to get housing beyond an emergency shelter stay."

Coble also says a reason for the over-capacity in shelters is women needing to stay for extended periods of time, leaving less room for incoming women.

Reporting from the state Capitol I'm Becky May.

Intro:	Missouri victims of domestic violence look for alternative shelters for the holiday season. Becky May has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Chief Executive Officer of Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Colleen Coble says demands from three fourths of the shelters in Missouri are turning away women due to over-capacity.

Coble says although the shelters are too full there are other services women are being offered like protection orders, but the effectiveness of the orders vary.

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Description: "If you are someone with a criminal record you may not have as much regard for an order of the court or the consequences of being arrested and the women themselves in each of their situations, they can identify that very quickly."

Coble says the Coalition is working alongside with women's homeless shelters to find alternative solutions for the increasing numbers of women being turned down.

Reporting from the state Capitol I'm Becky May.

Intro:	The holidays are coming up and domestic violence victims search for shelters that are not full. Becky May has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Missouri Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse reports even more emergency shelters are turning down women due to over-capacity so far this year.

Chief Executive Officer Colleen Coble says the Coalition is working with women's homeless shelters to find other solutions for the women being turned away.

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Description: "A great number of women and children who are staying homeless shelters are there because of domestic violence. So we have been increasing our collaborative work to make sure that those women get the services that they need and it is a very important partnership."

Coble also says a reason for overflow is women who need to stay at the shelter for longer periods of time.

Reporting from the state Capitol.