Red state moves to end divorce roadblock that keeps women stuck with abusers

The Missouri Senate unanimously approved legislation Tuesday clarifying that pregnant women can get divorced, making it the first non-budget bill to be sent to Gov. Mike Kehoe this year.

The bill, filed by state Reps. Cecelie Williams, a Republican from Dittmer, and Raychel Proudie, a Democrat from Ferguson, also received unanimous approval in the House last month.

Williams, a domestic violence survivor, first shared her harrowing story of being denied the finalization of a divorce while pregnant when she presented identical legislation last year.

“The number one cause of death in pregnant women is homicide,” Williams told the Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee on Monday. “And it’s from partner violence. If we could prevent that by allowing women to leave when they want, we absolutely shouldn’t be creating barriers in situations like that.”

One in six women who experience abuse are first harmed during pregnancy, according to estimates by the March of Dimes. Homicide is the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States and among the leading causes in Missouri.

While nothing prevents Missourians from filing for divorce while a party is pregnant, the current statute is interpreted by many courts as preventing the final dissolution of marriage from being issued until after the child is born, so that a custody agreement for that child can first be put into place.

The same bill died at the eleventh hour last session after it was returned to the House with an amendment proposed by state Sen. Mike Moon, an Ash Grove Republican, that would have required the total alimony amount received be reduced by the amount collected in social security.

Williams on Monday reiterated her belief that the bill will prevent some abortions.

“Where in anything that we stand for as Missourians would we ever allow a woman to have to make that decision,” she said, “to save herself and to sacrifice her child.”