After Milwaukee woman is killed in city's first domestic violence homicide of the year, advocates urge awareness about options for help

Sophie Carson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·4 min read

A 42-year-old Milwaukee woman killed in a shooting Wednesday is the first known victim of a domestic violence-related homicide this year in the city.

Milwaukee police found Shelley Kosik shot to death just before 9 p.m. on the driveway outside a home in the 3300 block of South 65th Street, according to a report from the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner. Police arrested a 42-year-old man whose self-inflicted gunshot wound left him in critical condition.

"When these homicides happen, it's such a blow to our community," said Carmen Pitre, president and chief executive of Sojourner Family Peace Center. "We have two families that have been torn apart and another life lost."

Family members of Kosik told TV news outlets that the man was Kosik's longtime partner and father of her two children. They said the relationship was abusive.

Pitre emphasized how complicated it is to solve the problem of domestic violence. Each victim faces challenges in trying to leave an abusive relationship.

"I want people to know how complicated these situations are, how alone and isolated people feel, and what a struggle it is to get out," she said.

Ashanti Hamilton, the director of the city's Office of Community Wellness and Safety, said that people who feel stuck need to know about the resources that could help them leave an unsafe situation.

"A lot of times, they don't feel like they have a lot of options," he said. "The more support, the more resources that they realize are available to them, can help them realize that they are not in this situation alone, that there is a community of people that will help them make the transition to a better life."

Hamilton is also concerned about the couple's children being in the home when the shooting occurred.

"They'll carry this experience with them the rest of their lives," he said.

Hamilton's office has been planning educational and awareness campaigns about the issues of sexual assault and domestic violence. People should know how and where to reach out for help if they need it, he said.

It's a sentiment Pitre shared. She sees how ubiquitous the problem is, and how many cases of domestic violence are nearly fatal.

"These are our friends, our colleagues, our fellow churchgoers. These are people we know and love in all of our lives," she said. "They're so desperately counting on us to open a door, to ask a question, to feel safe with us when they bring their stories forward."

More: Gun violence in Milwaukee trended down in 2023. But there's still too much of it.

Where to find help

Domestic violence

  • The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-799-7233.

  • The Sojourner Family Peace Center in Milwaukee operates a 24-hour confidential hotline at 414-933-2722.

  • We Are Here Milwaukee provides information on culturally specific organizations at weareheremke.org.

  • The Women’s Center in Waukesha has a 24-hour hotline at 262-542-3828.

  • The Asha Project, which provides culturally specific services for African American women and others in Milwaukee, provides a crisis line from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 414-252-0075.

  • The UMOS Latina Resource Center in Milwaukee offers bilingual, bicultural domestic violence, sexual assault and anti-human trafficking supportive services and operates a 24-hour hotline at 414-389-6510.

  • The Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center offers culturally sensitive, trauma-informed services for those who have experienced domestic or sexual violence and can be reached at 414-383-9526.

  • Our Peaceful Home, which serves Muslim families and is a program of the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition, operates a crisis line at 414-727-1090.

  • The Hmong American Women’s Association, which serves the Hmong and Southeast Asian community, has advocates available at 414-930-9352 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

  • End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin has a statewide directory of resources at endabusewi.org/get-help.

Conflict mediation and crisis support

  • 414Life outreach and conflict mediation support: 414-439-5398.

  • Milwaukee County's 24-Hour Mental Health Crisis Line: 414-257-7222.

  • Milwaukee's Child Mobile Crisis and Trauma Response Team: 414-257-7621.

  • National crisis text line: text HOPELINE to 741741 to text with a trained crisis counselor.

  • National Suicide Prevention Hotline: Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee domestic violence advocates urge awareness after homicide