Article: Domestic Violence Links Majority of Homicides

posted 5:51 pm Mon March 22, 2010 - Adams County, Pa. reporter: Dara Rees
Sunday morning police were called to Huntington Township where they say 68 year old Richard Lehman, told them he shot his son and wife. Lehman reportedly told police his wife was screaming and threatened to call for help. Her body was found just a few feet from the telephone.

The director of Survivors Inc says domestic violence is on the rise, and has become the majority of Adams County's homicides.

"It made me sick. It physically just made me ill, said Terri Hamrick. She's the executive director of Survivors Inc., a group that helps victims of domestic violence. She heard the news late Sunday morning. "It just absolutely blows my mind that someone can feel like they basically have that ownership and entitlement that they can take the life of their child and of their wife."

She says a case like the Lehman's is far too common for any community.

Adams County District Attorney said, "Since I've been district attorney, our office has handled nine homicide cases. Six of those nine cases will be called domestic violence cases."

Hamrick said, "In 2007, the violence policy center listed Pennsylvania as number four in the nation for murder suicides of this nature. That is also a distinction we don't want." She says the need for help from Survivor Inc. is also on the rise, which means more people are coming forward, but also that more people are being abused.

"I think the silence that we are experiencing, people not speaking out, people not being outraged and pushing back is really creating a climate that allows these types of things to continue," said Hamrick.

She says domestic violence happens in all age groups, classes, races and economic levels, but there is no reason for it. "Violence is not the answer, it's not acceptable, it's not just a domestic issue, and to take the focus off the victim, and put it where it belongs, on the perpetrator."

Most importantly, victims need to get help before it's too late. "Every act of domestic violence has the ability to escalate to this end, to murder," said Hamrick.

District Attorney Wagner said, "The key is, if you are in a violent relationship, you need to realize, it's probably not going to get better."

The district attorney says there is help for both victims and abusers through his office. He tells abusers not to wait until they get arrested to seek help.

Help for victims through Survivor Inc. is free and confidential. You can contact them at 717-334-9777 or 1-800-787-8106. Or you can log onto www.adamscountysurvivors.com for more information.