Fort Worth, Texas – December 29, 2011 – SafeHaven of Tarrant County released a new report this month that shows an alarming disregard for human life in domestic violence homicides in Tarrant County. The statistics compiled by Safe Haven of Tarrant County show a pattern of escalation in violence. This trend is also happening across the state of Texas.
Although details are still emerging, the Star Telegram reported that friends of the family fatally shot in Grapevine, Texas on Christmas morning said that one of the seven victims was a woman who had left her husband and moved to a Grapevine apartment with their two children.
“The tragedy in Grapevine, unfortunately, follows the trend we have seen across Tarrant County and the state of Texas,” said Mary Lee Hafley, President & CEO of SafeHaven of Tarrant County. “Where we used to see a batterer kill their partner or ex-partner, we are now seeing them kill entire families, devastating their children through the loss of both parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other caregivers. It is a complete and total disregard for human life.”
One example of many across the state of Texas where allegations involving domestic violence escalated to incidents of murder-suicide or multiple murders of children, friends, family, law enforcement officers or others happened earlier this month when a father in Bay City, Texas near Houston opened fire on his family. He shot his wife after she attempted to leave following allegations of domestic violence and shot and killed each of his four children ages 2, 3, 4 and 5. The wife was seriously wounded and remains hospitalized; he committed suicide. http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Bay-City-man-kills-his-children-then-himself-2339385.php
“Our hearts and prayers are with the families after these terrible tragedies that are happening in Tarrant County and across Texas,” said Hafley. “Any time family members are injured or killed in a domestic violence murder, it should remind us that domestic violence in the state of Texas is a serious problem with dangerous ramifications.”
In 2010 in Texas, 142 women died in domestic violence murders and countless children were either witnesses or victims of the murders. A higher rate of murder-suicides occurred in Texas in 2010 compared to the previous year. 2011 continues that trend.
On Wednesday, December 14, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention orted ha(CDC) released findings from The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS). The report confirms that 1 in 4 adult women reported having been beaten by an intimate partner. The full report can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/nisvs/.
If you or someone you know is in an abusive situation, what should you know?
- A batterer is most likely to kill a victim when the victim attempts to leave.
- The community as a whole must ensure a safety net exists when family members need to leave an abusive home.
- Women who are considering leaving an abusive home should have a safety plan and continually adjust the safety plan according to the batterer’s behavior.
- Victims of family violence can call SafeHaven of Tarrant County at our 24 Hour Crisis Hotline 1-877-701-SAFE (7233) or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
- All families deserve to be safe.
- There is help. There are excellent resources in Tarrant County and throughout Texas where families can turn to find services and shelters.
SafeHaven offers two shelters and multiple other community based services to help protect and guide victims of domestic violence and their families.
Click on this link to view the full report from the Texas Council on Family Violence on the latest statewide stats or to check the number of deaths in each county: http://www.tcfv.org/pdf/Honoring-Texas-Victims.pdf