Advocates warn that while a PFA is a good tool, victims of abuse should have a safety plan

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — In three separate Philadelphia domestic violence murder cases, the victims had just filed protection from abuse (PFA) orders — but still, their abusers were able to kill them. Advocates warn that while a PFA is a good tool, victims of abuse should have a safety plan.

Gladys Coriano, Sahmya Garcia and Ashley Lockhart each tried to protect themselves from the abusive men they had been in relationships with.

Hours after Garcia filed a PFA in 2022, her boyfriend gunned her down in front of a South Philly Target .

Coriano did the same, and a week later her ex-husband Adriano shot and killed her at her house .

After Lockhart filed for one, the father of her six young children fatally stabbed her .

Each man pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and they all face decades in prison.

“A protection order is a great tool, but it is one tool,” said Fareeda Brewington, a supervising attorney at Women Against Abuse . She says having a PFA allows the law to be on your side.

“You can call the police and you can say, you know, John Doe was at my door, and I have a protection order against him, and the police can make an arrest based on that.”

In Pennsylvania, the order can be in place for a maximum of three years, but if they are violated, there are ways it can be extended. Different levels of a PFA include protection-only, full no-contact, or you may not be granted an order and receive a hearing instead.

“If someone is filing because of a physical incident that has happened, they are more likely to get an order that is a higher or more full protection,” Brewington said.

Brewington urges survivors to create a safety plan, whether it be adding cameras to the house, alerting neighbors, or going to a safe haven organized by nonprofits like Women Against Abuse.

“Is there someone that you can kind of have a signal with that can call the police for you if you're unable to do so? Are there other people that can get involved that are good at de-escalating this person? If it's not your choice to use the police, what is your choice in terms of safety?” Brewington said.

In Philadelphia, PFAs can be filed in either family court at 15th and Arch streets during the day, or the Criminal Justice Center near City Hall overnight, with 24-hour coverage. Advocates warn that if you do go in person, it can take a few hours, so make sure it’s not out of routine for you to be gone that long, in case an abuser is tracking you.

Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-866-723-3014. It provides 24/7 access to services, crisis intervention and safety planning. All calls are free and anonymous.

The Women Against Abuse Legal Center’s number is  215-686-7082.

More information and resources can be found on Women Against Abuse’s website .