Safety Alert: Computer use can be tracked and monitored. Please review these safety tips.

Getting The Story Out

We recognize that every minute counts when you´re on deadline. In your coverage of domestic violence issues/incidents, the expertise and resources of PCADV and its statewide network of 61 local domestic violence programs can help you save time, reduce legwork, ensure accuracy, and get your story out there quickly.

Our Communications Team (contact information at right) will make every effort to assist you in:

  • Obtaining comment from Coalition leaders
  • Interviewing crime victims and family members willing to speak to the media
  • Finding local domestic violence programs and other local, state, and national experts
  • Explaining the range of free and confidential services available through the local programs
  • Providing general information & up-to-date facts, statistics, and graphics
  • Dispelling common myths about domestic violence
  • Offering background on state and federal domestic violence laws pertaining to protection orders, probable cause arrest, firearms, child custody, stalking, address confidentiality, crime victims rights, and more
  • Detailing ways the general public can help someone who is a domestic violence victim or abuser
  • Identifying resources and hotlines for people seeking help with domestic violence

PCADV Letter-to-Editor Regarding Recent DV Homicides

January 15, 2010

Here we are, just two weeks into the new year and already 11 Pennsylvanians have died as a result of domestic violence. This comes on the heels of a stunningly high number of domestic-related fatalities last year. Early data for 2009 put the death toll at 198 women, men and children.

We are deeply saddened by this extraordinary loss of life and extend our condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the victims, including State Trooper Paul G. Richey and Nancy Frey-Smith who were shot to death this week in Venango County by Ms. Frey-Smith´s husband, who later committed suicide. Trooper Richey was ambushed as he approached Frey-Smith´s home.

Our statewide network of 61 programs has shared a close alliance with Pennsylvania law enforcement for more than three decades. We know firsthand the bravery of the dedicated officers who put their lives on the line every day, every time they intervene in dangerously volatile domestic violence incidents. They are the gatekeepers to justice and safety and are true heroes in every sense of the word.

On behalf of all who died because of the violence, all who live behind closed doors with the violence, and all who work tirelessly to stop the violence, we call upon our political leaders to take measure of what´s happening and take swift action to put in place the resources and legal protections necessary for the safety and well-being of the citizens of this Commonwealth. Not one more life should be lost to domestic violence.

Cindy Curran, Executive Director
PPC Violence Free Network

Peg Dierkers, Executive Director
Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Deadly Wave of Domestic Violence Hits PA This Summer

If anyone has doubts about the deadly nature of domestic violence, the cold-blooded murders that have taken place this summer in Pennsylvania should once and for all dispel the misperception that domestic violence is something less than a crime, nothing more than a "disturbance" involving couples or family members who fight with each other.

Domestic violence is terrifying, brutal, and all too often lethal, not only for the person involved with the abuser but for others in proximity as well. Consider that from Memorial Day through Labor Day, 50 Pennsylvanians lost their lives to domestic violence. Of that number, 36 were victims. The other 14 were perpetrators who committed suicide or were killed by police.

This string of horrific fatalities is a haunting reminder of last summer´s deadly wave of domestic violence in which 31 people died in 31 days in our commonwealth.

This summer´s murders, murder-suicides, and suicides, took place in 19 counties. The details of each incident demonstrate a shocking disregard for life, a chilling pattern of premeditation, a reckless endangerment of children, and a compelling need for coordinated responses to secure protections for victims, to assure accountability for offenders, and to ensure that not one more life is lost to domestic violence.

We know that domestic violence is excruciatingly complex – victims and perpetrators represent a diverse cross-section of society and their circumstances are as varied as their experiences. And while there is no one-size-fits-all solution or response, we also know that there are steps that can be taken to mitigate the risks and reduce injury and death.

  • Better collaboration and coordination between countywide systems can bring about the development and implementation of uniform protocols, policies, and training to improve response, protect victims, and enforce existing laws.
  • Heightened awareness that these free and confidential services are available in all of PA´s 67 counties can lead domestic violence victims out of harm´s way and into programs that can help them create safety plans, evaluate their legal options, pursue economic assistance, obtain specialized services for their children, and pursue protection and justice.
  • Adequate funding and resources for community-based domestic violence services can provide the safety net for battered victims and their children in times of crisis and the support necessary to help rebuild their lives free of violence.
  • Greater availability of safe and affordable housing can make the difference between a victim leaving, returning to, or staying in a violent relationship.
  • Restricted access to firearms for domestic violence perpetrators can save lives.
  • Broader-based support for school prevention programs targeting students of all ages, and specially designed initiatives on teen dating violence, can stop the generational cycle of abuse.
  • Increased personal responsibility to learn the facts and get involved can have a positive and profound impact on our communities. None of us deserve a pass for knowing and ignoring that a family member, friend, neighbor, or co-worker is being abused – OR – is an abuser, simply because we think it´s not our business.
  • Increased attention to prevention by valuing all individuals - role modeling and teaching our children that women are to be respected, not objectified, and are not property.


Yes, all of this seems easier said than done. But here´s what we have to keep in mind – it can be done. And the need and the time to work together to make it happen have never been more urgent, especially in this poor economy as more jobs disappear, bank accounts empty, and family stressors spike. Even though these factors don´t cause domestic violence, they can increase the frequency and severity where it already exists.

We are asking you to join with us in mourning the lives of those who have been lost, supporting the families that have been left behind, reaching out to others who are living in fear behind closed doors, creating communities which prioritize and provide for the safety of all its members, and becoming agents of meaningful and lasting social change toward non-violence.

We ask you to do it for the protection of your families… for the safety of your communities… for the well being of generations to come… and for all of the victims whose lives and deaths should never be forgotten.

There is always something you can do to help.

Pennsylvania Joins in National Census on Domestic Violence Serviceslink opens in new window

Pennsylvania Joins in National Census on Domestic Violence Services

February 11, 2009 - Harrisburg, PA

For the third year in a row, all 61 domestic violence programs in Pennsylvania participated in Domestic Violence Counts: the National Census of Domestic Violence Services (NCDVS).

In a single day, September 17, 2008, 2,476 adults and children in Pennsylvania sought services from domestic violence agencies.

Conducted by the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) and Harvard University researchers, the NCDVS is the most recent data documenting the number of victims who reach out for help.

2008 Full Report

2008 Pennsylvania Summary

PCADV Press Statement

    A CALL FOR MEDIA ACTION – 31 People Die in 31 Days During Deadly Wave of Domestic Violence in PA

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 15, 2008 Summer in Pennsylvania turned out to be incredibly dangerous and deadly. But not because of stifling heat waves or raging storms. Rather, it was domestic violence that took its toll and claimed lives here in our commonwealth. Read More

    Verizon and Verizon Wireless announced awards of over $280,000 in grants to Pennsylvania domestic violence programs

    Thirty-Two Community-Based Nonprofit Organizations to Use Funding to Improve the Quality of Life for Victims of Domestic Violence.

    HARRISBURG - For 30 years, the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV) has promoted safety and justice for battered women through a statewide network of community-based programs. These programs will receive significant support with todays announcement of more than $280,000 in grants from the Verizon Foundation and Verizon Wireless.

    Contact -
    Business Hours:

    Judy Yupcavage, Director of Communications
    800-932-4632 ext. 120
    jky@pcadv.org

    Ellen Lyon, Communications Specialist
    800-932-4632 ext. 209
    eml@pcadv.org

    Contact -
    Nights/Weekends:

    Judy Yupcavage, Director of Communications
    717-514-3416

    Ellen Lyon, Communications Specialist
    717-731-1324

    PCADV Urges Legislators to Protect Crucial Services

    PCADV Executive Director Peg Dierkers joined a coalition of human service providers, educators and policy experts in Harrisburg on June 28 to urge state legislators to enact a budget that preserves the fragile economic recovery and protects crucial services.

    Read more

    Media Coverage about the Venango County Homicides

    January 19, 2010
    The Erie Times News Editorial -Our view: Seek help for domestic violence victims. The story from rural Venango County is tragic from every angle.

    Read the full story

    January 18, 2010
    The Derrick - Franklin was a town in mourning Saturday - Many line streets to pay respects, offer condolences

    Read the full story

    January 18, 2010
    The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette -State trooper saluted - At the end of ´dark, cold and painful week,´ a private burial

    Read the full story

    January 17, 2010
    GoErie.com -Erie police chief: Volatile domestic calls ´your worst fear´

    Read the full story

    January 15, 2010
    The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Slaying of Venango Trooper ´an ambush´

    Read the full story

    Fatalities from Memorial Day through Labor Day

    36 Victims
    14 Perpetrators
    50 Total Fatalities

    September 5, 2009 – Armstrong County
    A 44-year-old woman was shot by her 47-year-old husband in Cowanshannock Township. The perpetrator then committed suicide.

    August 23, 2009 – Centre County
    A 29-year-old father of four was shot by a 29-year-old man in Centre Hall. The perpetrator killed the victim at the request of the victim´s 27-year-old wife, who has also been charged.

    August 20, 2009 – Lebanon County
    A 51-year-old man was stabbed by his 55-year-old girlfriend in their Annville Township residence. The girlfriend claims she stabbed the man in self-defense.

    August 8, 2009 - Berks County
    A 49-year-old woman died from burn injuries suffered during an attack in June when her 32-year-old ex-boyfriend doused her with gasoline and set her and her house on fire.

    August 3, 2009 - York County
    A 68-year-old woman was shot by her 70-year-old husband in their Springettsbury Township home. The victim had locked herself in the basement and called 911 to say that she feared for her life. Responding police went inside the home and then they heard gunshots. They left the home, waited a few minutes, then entered to find the victim dead. The perpetrator had committed suicide.

    August 1, 2009 – Luzerne County
    A 25-year-old man was shot multiple times by a 22-year-old man during an argument outside of a nightclub. The perpetrator also shot another man who survived. According to police, the men were arguing over a woman who was dating the perpetrator and had a child with the injured man.

    July 31, 2009 - Warren County
    A 33-year-old woman was shot by her 34-year-old husband. He then committed suicide.

    July 27, 2009 - Philadelphia County
    A 39-year-old mother of two was shot by her 36-year-old ex-boyfriend in Overbrook. The victim was barricaded in her bedroom calling 911 while the perpetrator was locked in the bathroom. As police arrived, the victim took her two children and fled with them in the car. She made it two blocks before crashing. The perpetrator, who had been hiding in back of the home while police searched inside, chased the victim. When the car crashed, he ran up to the driver´s side window and shot her several times before committing suicide. The victim´s children watched from their seats in the car. They were uninjured. The victim had obtained a Protection From Abuse order against the perpetrator on July 15.

    July 26, 2009 - Cumberland County
    A 26-year-old man was shot by his girlfriend´s 33-year-old estranged husband in Hampden Township. The perpetrator´s estranged wife and three children – ages 2, 4 and 5 – were in the car at the time. They were uninjured. The perpetrator fled the scene but was later apprehended by police after he fell 15 feet from an oil storage container.

    July 25, 2009 - York County
    A 44-year-old mother of three was shot by her 50-year-old husband in York. Two of the couple´s three sons were home at the time.

    July 21, 2009 - Lackawanna County
    A 10-year-old boy and his 9-year-old brother were killed in a house fire set by their 40-year-old father in Scranton. On July 3, the perpetrator had threatened to kill the boys´ mother and the boys by burning down the house with them in it. The boys´ mother and a third son, 12 years old, suffered injuries and survived. The boys´ mother had a PFA against the perpetrator.

    July 20, 2009 - Delaware County
    A 23-year-old mother of one was shot ten times by her 28-year-old boyfriend in Ridley Township. He then fled to nearby Chester, where he was shot and killed by police after pointing a weapon at a Chester Police officer.

    July 18, 2009 - Allegheny County
    A 42-year-old man was run over by a car driven by a 38-year-old man, a romantic rival.

    July 13, 2009 - Luzerne County
    A woman was shot twice by her 50-something boyfriend in her Glen Lyon home. He then committed suicide. The victim´s three daughters were inside the house at the time. The daughters ran outside and screamed for neighbors to call 911.

    July 11, 2009 - Lehigh County
    A 39-year-old woman was beaten with a baseball bat by her 42-year-old boyfriend. the father of her child, in Allentown.

    July 9, 2009 - Allegheny County
    A 21-year-old man was shot by another man in Aliquippa. He was taken to a local hospital and was able to identify his assailant before undergoing surgery. He later died. The two men were involved in a dispute over a woman.

    July 6, 2009 - Monroe County
    A 21-year-old woman was shot by her 23-year-old boyfriend in Effort. He also shot their 2-year-old son. He fled the scene and was arrested in New Hampshire. He was charged with homicide.

    July 4, 2009 - Allegheny County
    A 28-year-old man was shot by his 20-year-old girlfriend on the street after watching the July 4th fireworks downtown. She was charged with homicide.

    June 30, 2009 - Erie County
    A 42-year-old mother of four was shot by her 40-year-old husband in Waterford Township. He then committed suicide. The whereabouts of the victim´s four children and the perpetrator´s one child were unknown.

    June 28, 2009 - Montgomery County
    A 28-year-old man was shot by his 54-year-old father in Horsham.

    June 26, 2009 - Montgomery County
    A 60-year-old man was shot by his 57-year-old estranged wife in Upper Gwynedd. She then attempted suicide. Both the victim and perpetrator were later found by police. The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital, and the perpetrator underwent surgery and survived.

    June 26, 2009 - Fayette County
    A 46-year-old father of two was stabbed by his 32-year-old girlfriend in Redstone Township. She then drove the victim to the hospital, where he later died.

    June 21, 2009 - York County
    A 49-year-old woman with developmental delays was shot by her 54-year-old brother, with whom she lived. He then committed suicide.

    June 21, 2009 - Monroe County
    A 19-year-old man was shot by his 62-year-old father on Father´s Day in Jackson Township. The victim´s girlfriend, who also lived in the home, had gotten into an argument with the perpetrator that turned physical. Her boyfriend came home from work to confront the perpetrator and he was shot.

    June 21, 2009 - Philadelphia County
    A 31-year-old woman was shot on the street by her boyfriend´s mother´s 56-year-old boyfriend. She died at the scene. The perpetrator then went inside where he shot his 55-year-old girlfriend. She later died at the hospital.

    June 20, 2009 - Fayette County
    A 30-year-old mother of four was run over by a car driven by her 44-year-old husband. He then fled the scene but was later arrested.

    June 14, 2009 - Huntingdon County
    A 60-year-old man told his ex-girlfriend he was going to commit suicide if she didn´t come over to his house. She alerted authorities and went to the home. The perpetrator held police at a standoff, eventually committing suicide.

    June 8, 2009 - Northampton/Monroe Counties
    A 9-year-old boy was kidnapped at gunpoint by his 31-year-old father, who had a PFA against him. The perpetrator´s estranged wife notified police and the perpetrator led police on a 40-mile chase, ending when the perpetrator shot a 34-year-old State Trooper who returned fire, killing the perpetrator. The boy was uninjured. Another State Trooper also was shot and survived.

    June 7, 2009 - Lebanon County
    A 71-year-old woman was strangled with a guitar string by her 45-year-old son, who lived with her in her Swatara Township home. He was charged with homicide. According to reports, police do not know the exact date of death, but the incident must have occurred sometime between June 7 and June 12.

    June 2, 2009 - Dauphin County
    A 60-year-old man was stabbed by his 32-year-old daughter in Harrisburg.

    June 1, 2009 - Fayette County
    A 58-year-old woman was beaten in the head by her 63-year-old boyfriend in Connellsville. He then fled the scene and committed suicide.

    June 1, 2009 - Allegheny County
    A 24-year-old man killed himself after a four-hour standoff with police. The perpetrator was threatening to kill his family and his sister reported the incident to police officers.

    May 31, 2009 - Philadelphia County
    A 56-year-old woman was shot by her 55-year-old boyfriend in a Philadelphia bar. He then committed suicide.

    May 30, 2009 - Berks County
    A 97-year-old woman was shot by her 67-year-old son in Reading. He then committed suicide.

    May 26, 2009 - Lehigh County
    A 44-year-old man was beaten by his 24-year-old cousin in Allentown. According to reports, the perpetrator had been living with the victim because he had no where else to go. He was charged with homicide.