Instances of reported domestic abuse on rise

Thursday, Dec. 14, 2000 | 5:53 a.m.

Veronica Frankel, the state's domestic violence ombudsman, said the percentage gain is based on police responses to 9,678 incidents of domestic violence in Nevada in the first half of 2000.

"It is hard to single out a reason," Frankel said Wednesday. "It could be there is more violence. But it is more likely more people are coming forward to report violence."

Arrests were made in just over half the reported cases. Under Nevada law, police try to arrest the primary aggressor, who then must spend at least 12 hours in jail before making bail.

Frankel said the latest statistics don't reflect how much of an epidemic domestic violence has become. She said some victims don't report the crime and that 50,000 calls for help are made each year to domestic shelters and crisis programs in the state.

Seventy-four percent of the crimes were reported in the Las Vegas area, home to more than two-thirds of the state's residents. Frankel said that large number likely is a reflection of the willingness of victims to call police and the fact programs are available to assist them.

On the other hand, Frankel said the crime likely is underreported in rural Nevada where there aren't a lot of programs to help victims.

She also questioned why police found women were victimizing men in 26 percent of the cases. Nationally, the figure is about 13 percent.

Frankel theorized police probably don't take enough time to determine who the primary aggressor is and simply arrest both parties in domestic violence incidents.

Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa, chairwoman of the Nevada Domestic Violence Prevention Council, was dismayed at the numbers.

Earlier this year, Del Papa and Gov. Kenny Guinn expressed their concern at a news conference in which they reported 45 people were killed in Nevada last year in cases of domestic violence.

"We must work together to send a clear message that there is no excuse for domestic violence," Del Papa said. "Anything that any one of us can do to break down the cycle of violence is important."