Jul 18, 2016 | Domestic Violence News
Intimate Partner Homicides in Wisconsin soar.
Fewer homicides than last year, but more involve intimate partners
By Ashley Luthern of the Journal Sentinel
Although homicides and nonfatal shootings declined in Milwaukee during the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2015, the midyear totals remain higher than any other year in the past decade, a new report shows.
When accounting only for firearm violence — 312 fatal and nonfatal shootings from January through June — the city has seen a 13% decrease compared to the first six months of 2015. But compared to the same time period in 2014, there was a 7% increase, according to the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission’s midyear report.
In total, 53 homicides occurred in the first half of the year, 21 fewer victims than in the same period last year. Nonfatal shootings victims also declined 10% from 298 to 268 in the same time period.
“There is no higher priority for city government than reducing violence,” Mayor Tom Barrett said in a news release. “Yes, the numbers this year are better than last, but our city is still seeing more victims in 2016 than we saw during the past ten years.”
City officials are paying particular attention to the eight intimate-partner homicides in the first six months of 2016 — double the number seen at this time last year.
Intimate-partner violence also led to eight nonfatal shootings during the same time period, compared with only one during the first half of 2015, according to the report.
All of those incidents involved individuals with a prior history of intimate-partner violence in either current or prior relationships.
The rise in lethal intimate-partner violence in Milwaukee has coincided with a statewide rise in domestic-violence homicide. Intimate-partner violence often is considered a subset of domestic violence, which can include violence against other family members or roommates.
In the first half of this year, 39 domestic violence homicides were recorded in the state, nearly 70% higher than average, according to End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin.
“This is a rate that we haven’t seen in our history,” said Tony Gibart, the group’s public policy and communications coordinator.
The organization took the unusual step of releasing midyear statistics after local advocates called attention to the number of deaths, he said.
“We don’t know the exact cause of the increase,” Gibart said.
However, he noted it follows statewide policy shifts in gun ownership, including removal of the 48-hour waiting period for handgun purchases.
Use of — or threats with — a weapon and having a gun in the home are warning signs of lethal abuse, according to End Domestic Abuse.
End Domestic Abuse has highlighted several strategies to prevent domestic violence from turning deadly, such as the use of a lethality assessment by front-line police officers. The assessment is a simple form containing 11 questions officers should ask victims. Milwaukee County law enforcement agencies were trained on it in December 2014.
About Ashley Luthern
Ashley Luthern covers crime and breaking news.
Jun 2, 2016 | Domestic Violence News
Cherie Griffin, Executive Director at the Women’s Resource Center in Racine, hosts a Candlelight Vigil in the aftermath of every domestic violence homicide in the Racine community. She offers up the following traditions honored in their community.
“In Racine, when there is a domestic violence related homicide (an individual has been arrested or identified as being domestically related to the victim), the Women’s Resource Center plans a vigil as soon as possible. If the victim belonged to a faith community, we reach out to that community to co-host it. Otherwise, the Racine Interfaith Council (mostly led by our local Unitarian church) hosts with us.
The vigil always happens at evening.
The vigil includes candles and a silhouette with the victim’s name and positive information on it (sometimes a poem) and includes teddy bears at the foot if there were children connected.
The pastor of the Unitarian church brings his guitar and sings songs. At the last vigil for a teenager, we had a contemporary Christian artist to lead the songs.
Following native American tradition, we pour water on the ground from a specific pitcher and do a water ceremony (with permission from our tribal sisters to do so).
I always read the following poem:
“House made of dawn.
House made of evening light.
House made of the dark cloud.
House made of male rain.
House made of dark mist.
House made of female rain.
House made of pollen.
House made of grasshoppers.
Dark cloud is at the door.
The trail out of it is dark cloud.
The zigzag lightning stands high upon it.
An offering I make.
Restore my feet for me.
Restore my legs for me.
Restore my body for me.
Restore my mind for me.
Restore my voice for me.
This very day take out your spell for me.
Happily I recover.
Happily my interior becomes cool.
Happily I go forth.
My interior feeling cool, may I walk.
No longer sore, may I walk.
Impervious to pain, may I walk.
With lively feelings may I walk.
As it used to be long ago, may I walk.
Happily may I walk.
Happily, with abundant dark clouds, may I walk.
Happily, with abundant showers, may I walk.
Happily, with abundant plants, may I walk.
Happily on a trail of pollen, may I walk.
Happily may I walk.
Being as it used to be long ago, may I walk.
May it be beautiful before me.
May it be beautiful behind me.
May it be beautiful below me.
May it be beautiful above me.
May it be beautiful all around me.
In beauty it is finished.
In beauty it is finished.”
‘Sa’ah naaghéi, Bik’eh hózhó
We try to connect the vigil to the people who were close to the victim, so our use of songs, poems, “brief comments” and the like are usually tailored fit to the situation.
Details:
I contact the staff and Board to let them know that it is happening.
I send a press release to announce the vigil.
Sometimes I need to plan for time to meet with the press before the vigil.
The staff works together to contact family, friends, work places, and social groups so that all feel welcome. The family decides what they do or do not want to happen within the vigil itself.
We have found that vigils are very powerful steps in the healing process for the entire community.”
Jun 2, 2016 | Domestic Violence News
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), in conjunction with Ms. Magazine, started this project in 1994 to create a national registry of names to increase public awareness of domestic violence deaths. Since then, NCADV has continued to collect information on incidents of victims who have been killed by an intimate partner and produces a poster each year for Domestic Violence Awareness Month listing the names of those submitted. We are hoping to create as complete a registry as possible of women, children and men who have lost their lives due to domestic violence. If you know of a woman or man who was killed due to domestic violence, please complete the form found via the link below and attach additional documentation available (newspaper clippings, police report, court records, etc.).
ATTENTION: Due to the large number of submissions we receive for this project, we ask that you restrict your submittal to this form only. While we honor each victim’s story and struggle, we do not have the resources to review or respond to them. Please submit your form for inclusion on the current year’s Remember My Name poster by May 1st. Thank you.
REMEMBER AND ACT!
Click here to submit a name for the Remember My Name project electronically.
Apr 7, 2016 | Domestic Violence News
For a link to a printable pocket-guide on mourning, please click the link below:
Sympathy Guide
This resource can assist with:
- How to notify others of a death
- What do I do now?
- Working with the Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office
- Resources for Recovery
- Intentional Mourning
- Special Cleaning Services
- Making Funeral Arrangements/Selecting Funeral Home
- Contacting Loved One’s Employer about Death Benefits
- Contacting Loved One’s Creditors about Financials
- Lifestyle Tips for People in Grief
- Security
- Important Details
- Grief Reactions
