Domestic violence trends cause concern
Melissa Stelter
Issue date: 1/27/10 Section: News
In a case that garnered national attention and shocked the Madison community, Tyrone Adair murdered two of his children and their mothers in December 2009. Before taking his own life, Adair, who had a history of domestic violence, killed 33-year old Tracy Judd, 23-month old Deja Adair, 25-year-old Amber Weigel and 2-year old Neveah Weigel-Adair. Tracy Judd was a student at Madison Area Technical College, and her sudden death came as a tragic shock to students and faculty.
These murders highlight a growing trend in Wisconsin. According to the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WCADV), data compiled for 2009 shows an increase in domestic violence instances with a possible 10-year high for domestic violence homicides statewide.
There were 59 deaths in 2009, up from 36 in 2008, though other types of violent crime have decreased.
According to a press release issued by WCADV, preliminary data suggests that 2009 also saw an unprecedented spike in the number of requests for assistance, such as shelter and other services for abuse victims. These growing trends are attributed in part to the current economic state. Abuse victims may lack the financial means to escape an abuser, and therefore the abuse continues and, in many cases, escalates.
Domestic violence is a unique sort of crime because it can be difficult to detect and instances of violence often go unreported. WCADV Executive Director Patti Seger stated in the press release, "Unlike other violent crimes, domestic violence, typically does not occur out in the streets or in particular locations. Many law enforcement agencies have stepped up their efforts to address domestic violence but prevention really requires a community-wide effort to ensure that no one suffers silently in their own home."
Seger said that Wisconsin residents have to view domestic violence as an epidemic. "In 2009, in Wisconsin, at least one person died because of domestic violence almost every week of the year," stated Seger.
"These were not isolated incidents. They are part of a pattern that can only be stopped with systematic responses that provide victims with resources for escape and protection, hold batterers accountable and ultimately change the attitudes that permit abusers to use violence to control and demean their victims."
These murders highlight a growing trend in Wisconsin. According to the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WCADV), data compiled for 2009 shows an increase in domestic violence instances with a possible 10-year high for domestic violence homicides statewide.
There were 59 deaths in 2009, up from 36 in 2008, though other types of violent crime have decreased.
According to a press release issued by WCADV, preliminary data suggests that 2009 also saw an unprecedented spike in the number of requests for assistance, such as shelter and other services for abuse victims. These growing trends are attributed in part to the current economic state. Abuse victims may lack the financial means to escape an abuser, and therefore the abuse continues and, in many cases, escalates.
Domestic violence is a unique sort of crime because it can be difficult to detect and instances of violence often go unreported. WCADV Executive Director Patti Seger stated in the press release, "Unlike other violent crimes, domestic violence, typically does not occur out in the streets or in particular locations. Many law enforcement agencies have stepped up their efforts to address domestic violence but prevention really requires a community-wide effort to ensure that no one suffers silently in their own home."
Seger said that Wisconsin residents have to view domestic violence as an epidemic. "In 2009, in Wisconsin, at least one person died because of domestic violence almost every week of the year," stated Seger.
"These were not isolated incidents. They are part of a pattern that can only be stopped with systematic responses that provide victims with resources for escape and protection, hold batterers accountable and ultimately change the attitudes that permit abusers to use violence to control and demean their victims."
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kedes
posted 4/10/10 @ 3:03 PM CST
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