The Nicole Sinkule Foundation
Let her story be a light in the dark.
Nicole was 25. Her boyfriend had been arrested twice for hurting her, and in October 2005 he killed her while she slept. Her mum and dad built this so that what happened to Nicole can help somebody else get out in time.
If you need help right now
Free, confidential, and answered at any hour.
Know the signs
Fourteen things that show up in an abusive relationship, and ten signs that an abuser who says they have changed has not.
See the signs →Get out safely
Helplines that answer at 3am, North County shelters, an eleven step safety plan, and how to use a phone without being tracked.
Find help →Helping someone
What to say to a friend or your daughter or your sister, what not to say, and the one thing you cannot do for them.
How to help →In her own handwriting
She knew. She still could not leave.
Nicole wrote this in a notebook before she died. She did not leave, and four months before she was killed she persuaded a judge to lift the order that was keeping him away.
If you read that and recognise yourself, you are not weak and you are not stupid. Leaving is the most dangerous part, and that is exactly why it is worth planning instead of doing it alone.
Why this matters
Domestic violence is the silent killer
These are the numbers that decided how this site is built.
“We, as a society, have let Nicole down.”
Superior Court Judge Joan Weber, sentencing, 2 February 2007
Glenn and Claudia
Nicole’s mum and dad will come and talk to your group
They started this foundation in December 2005, two months after they lost her. Since then they have both done the 40 hour California domestic violence counselor training, and they tell Nicole’s story to schools, churches, community groups, shelters and media.
They are not reading from a leaflet. They are the people it happened to, and that is why rooms go quiet.
No more silence
Become aware. Share it. Save a life.
Domestic violence is not about marriage, money, race, gender or religion. It is not something to be ashamed of, and there is help for anyone who wants it. Telling one person what to look for is the whole point of this site.