Editorial: Domestic violence’s deadly turn

Friday, July 6, 2001 | 9:42 a.m.

In the first six months of this year there already were more domestic violence homicides in Metro Police's jurisdiction than there were in all of last year. The 17 domestic violence slayings in 2001 -- compared to 2000's total of 16 -- is tracking a similar increase in the overall murder rate. For instance, last year there were 95 homicides, but so far there already have been 75 slayings.

Still, it is distressing that murders involving domestic violence are on the rise. Over the years progress has been made in implementing ways to curb domestic abuse. Laws have been passed that have established cooling-off periods for those arrested on domestic violence charges. There also have been strides in educating both men and women that domestic violence not only isn't socially acceptable as it once was, but that it also is a crime. Metro Police's creation of a domestic violence unit several years ago to place a greater priority on this crime also was beneficial. Domestic violence shelters, such as Safe Nest here in Las Vegas, also afford women a place to go that helps them get out of an abusive relationship.

As Sun reporter Keith Paul noted in a Monday story about domestic violence, those involved with the issue, such as Safe Nest and Metro Police, are at a loss to explain why there has been a spike in these murders. Jacquelyn Campbell, an associate dean in the School of Nursing at Johns Hopkins University, said it may be difficult to pinpoint one cause for the increase. "You have to wonder whether or not women are sufficiently impressed with the kinds of risk factors they face," Campbell said.

Some women stay in an abusive relationship because they believe their partner will change his ways, while others fear that if they try to leave, their spouse will find them and harm them even more. And other women feel as if they're trapped financially, especially if they're not holding down a job of their own. Many women eventually muster the courage and do leave, but too frequently women stay in these destructive relationships. In the more tragic instances, battered women lose their lives. There obviously is no easy answer to solve this vexing problem. Tougher laws and domestic abuse shelters certainly have helped, but the depressing statistics show that our society still has a long way to go to stop domestic violence.