Public Safety: Let’s Talk About the Elephant in the Room Domestic Violence By District Attorney Shannon Wallace On any given day, very few people outside the criminal justice system engage in conversations about domestic violence. It seems to be one of those problems people know about but are afraid to discuss. It’s a big elephant in many rooms. Even people experiencing domestic violence don’t want to talk about it. They hide the signs, they rationalize, and they repeatedly forgive their abuser. But it’s high time we all start discussing domestic violence. Cycle of Violence For many reasons, victims remain in these tumultuous relationships. For example, some hang on because it’s all they’ve ever known. Many are convinced by the abuser that the abuse will stop, and this assault will be the last time. Some victims don’t know how they will financially support themselves and their children, fear the violence may get worse if they leave, or have religious beliefs that make it difficult to end the relationship. Unfortunately, the list of reasons victims stay is extensive. Abusive relationships don’t usually start with violence. They evolve, often beginning with control and manipulation that gradually get worse like a cancer spreading. At first, the victimized individual may not even realize the extent of the abuse until an especially violent assault occurs. Following that event, there’s usually a calm period, and the abuser seems to make amends. Then, the cycle repeats, each time getting more violent and more dangerous. Sometimes, the honeymoon phase disappears altogether, and the relationship becomes constantly abusive. Felony Domestic Violence The most common types of felony domestic violence crimes that we see in Cherokee County are aggravated assault, aggravated stalking, and felony battery.In the past 10 years, our state has experienced a 54% increase in domestic violence related fatalities, according to the Georgia Commission on Family Violence. Last year alone, four people died in Cherokee County as a result of domestic violence. One commonality in some of the most egregious cases of domestic abuse in our county has been substance abuse. While substance abuse alone does not cause family violence, it can accelerate the abuse, like adding lighter fluid to a fire that’s already burning, making a dangerous situation life-threatening. Past behaviors often predict escalating violence that could potentially lead to homicide. When responding to a domestic violence call, trained law enforcement officers identify “lethality indicators” that include stalking, strangulation, presence of weapons, suicide threats, drug/alcohol abuse, threats to other loved ones, harm to pets, extreme possessiveness, and other indicators. Unfortunately, the fear the victim experiences does not end when the criminal case is closed, even if the defendant is sentenced to prison. During a recent sentencing hearing, a victim ended her statement by saying, “I just pray that I die from natural causes and not at the hands of you.”During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we remember community members who lost their lives to domestic violence and honor survivors of this crime who light the way for others to do the same. It’s important to acknowledge the elephant in the room, so that we can put a stop to domestic violence. Domestic Violence Awareness Month Please join us on October 18 at 6:00pm for the annual Domestic Violence Candlelight Vigil to be held in Cannon Park in downtown Canton.
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