By Krista McKee
Posted 9/30/10
It is had been five years since Howard County experienced a domestic violence-related slaying. Yet just in the last few weeks we have had two.
On Sept. 7, Thelma Wynn, 34, was found stabbed to death with her home set on fire. Her former husband has been charged with murder and the subsequent arson committed to destroy her home and that of her four children. Ms. Wynn had obtained a protective order against him in 2008.
Six days later, Clare Stoudt, 35, was shot to death in the home of the father of her three youngest children, who was also found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Days earlier, Ms. Stoudt initiated a lawsuit regarding custody of her children.
Although it is has not been clear whether there was a history of domestic violence in that situation, court records show that Reginald Van Graves had been accused of battery in the past by another woman.
Why is this happening now in Howard County? Domestic violence crimes happen in every part of the nation. It cuts across all socioeconomic, cultural and geographic levels, affecting individuals of any ethnicity, sexuality, age and gender. Every 15 seconds in the United States, a woman will be the victim of domestic violence. On average, three women in this country will lose their lives today from domestic violence.
Could these recent killings be a reflection of the economic downturn? According to the Department of Justice, the National Institute of Justice, the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, a poor economy can have an impact.
Women whose male partners experienced two or more periods of unemployment over a five-year study were almost three times as likely to be domestic violence victims as those whose partners were in stable jobs. Three out of four domestic violence shelters report an increase in requests for assistance since September 2008, with 73 percent of shelters attributing the rise in abuse to "financial issues."
However, we must also ask ourselves if these two killings are any indication that there has been a change in the way that Howard County has responded to the needs of domestic-violence victims. As the county's sole crisis-intervention agency dedicated to eradicating interpersonal violence, the Domestic Violence Center of Howard County works with criminal-justice and law-enforcement personnel, legal advocates, health-care and social-service providers, clergy, educators, businesses, community groups and concerned individuals to promote a coordinated community response to end domestic violence. Across the nation, agencies like ours know that public-awareness campaigns provide renewed opportunities to become knowledgeable about how best to help victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.
Although these crimes can and do occur independently, they also occur together, committed by the same perpetrator against the same victim. A sexual-assault victim may have been stalked prior to the assault. A domestic-violence victim may experience rape in addition to physical and psychological abuse. While there are no perfect solutions to preventing these forms of violence, one thing that can make a critical difference in helping victims to become safe is the community's dedication to intervention, safety, justice and healing.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Community members are invited to join us in honoring those who have experienced physical, sexual and emotional abuse by a partner or family member. Come with family, friends and colleagues to join us at the DVC candlelight vigil set for Tuesday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. at the lakefront in downtown Columbia. Guest speakers and survivors will speak about their experiences and thoughts about the kind of coordinated community response the residents of Howard County deserve.
Krista McKee is president and chief executive officer of the Domestic Violence Center of Howard County.
No comments:
Post a Comment