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Domestic Abuse Initiatives Merit Public Investment

By Susan Gaertner and Randy Kelly

Minnesota set a horrible record last year. Forty women died as a result of domestic violence – a grim total that topped the previous high of 31, recorded in 1992, according to the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women.

Reports of these tragic deaths leave us shocked and searching for answers. It is extremely sad and frustrating to realize that our community is scarred by such violence. And the fact is, literally thousands of less deadly domestic assaults never even make the news. Last year, approximately 1,700 cases of domestic violence were prosecuted in St. Paul alone. In a single recent year in this country, almost 1 million women, and an estimated 148,000 men, were victimized by their intimate partners.

In a startling number of domestic assaults, murder becomes the final act of violence. More than 30 percent of the homicides in St. Paul are related to domestic violence, according to a recent study. In some years, the percentage has reached as high as 58 percent.

Despite the grim statistics, we remain optimistic that the tide can be turned against domestic violence. We have the know-how to get the job done. Social scientists have provided us with a treasure trove of data about the roots and impact of family violence. Now, our policy-makers need to invest in anti-violence initiatives that take full advantage of this knowledge. We already are seeing some promising examples.

Some of the most encouraging efforts are forming around the issue of domestic violence and its impact on children. In the long run, these measures hold the best promise for ensuring that homes are the safe and nurturing places they should be. We know that children who grow up in abusive homes often become abusers themselves, perpetuating a tragic cycle. The scope of the problem is enormous. In St. Paul, children are present in an estimated 70 percent of the domestic assault cases.

Research shows that children from violent homes suffer many troubling effects, either as witnesses or targets of abuse. Such problems as hostility, depression and low academic achievement are common among children who witness domestic violence.

In a survey of 6,000 American families, Dr. Jeffrey Edleson of the University of Minnesota found that 50 percent of the men who frequently assaulted their wives also abused their children. A New York study showed that such child abuse doubles the risk that a boy will have convictions for violent crimes as an adult. It is not surprising that a large percentage of male prison inmates grew up in abusive homes

For all these reasons, we are gratified by recent efforts here in Minnesota to address the needs of both adult and child victims of domestic violence.

Among numerous examples around the state, Minnesota state agencies and battered women advocates, working with Dr. Edleson, have expanded efforts to provide more consistent and improved services for battered women and child victims in rural Minnesota. Funded by a $750,000 federal grant, the project seeks to strengthen collaboration among domestic abuse programs and child protective services.

In another important initiative, Minnesota courts have created a statewide Order for Protection Database, guaranteeing that the most current information on abusers and stalkers is immediately available to judges and police officers. Meanwhile, the St. Paul Police Department has launched a Serious Court Order Offender Project to target cases where abusers have violated court-issued protective orders.

In another Ramsey County effort, the County Attorney's Office and the St. Paul City Attorney's Office have formed a new prosecution partnership focusing on domestic assault cases where children are present. Called the Joint Domestic Abuse Prosecution Unit, this pilot project seeks to break the cycle of family violence. This is being accomplished in two primary ways – 1) by aggressively prosecuting all levels of domestic assault and seeking tough consequences for offenders, and 2) by connecting adult and child victims with services to help them overcome the impact of domestic violence.

The new prosecution unit is getting very good results in court, and a number of cases have been upgraded from misdemeanors or gross misdemeanors to felonies, according to a recent progress report to the Minnesota Legislature. With a victim/witness advocate assigned to the unit, victims and their children are receiving much more assistance than was available in the past.

This initiative needed a public investment to get started, and the Minnesota Legislature stepped up to the plate. With strong bipartisan backing, the Legislature appropriated first-year funding for the statewide pilot project, and Governor Ventura signed the bill. The 2001 Legislature has been asked to provide an additional biennial appropriation to continue this project and allow a meaningful evaluation.

Additional investments in such results-oriented initiatives are essential if we are to break the cycle of domestic violence in our community. No one should have to live in a violent home. With adequate resources and a firm resolve, we can make our homes safer and our community stronger. And we can set a new record – zero domestic violence deaths in Minnesota.