“Domestic violence takes place inside every demographic of the community,” Sgt. Denise Jones with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office said. “It’s not just the poor, those with mental health issues or any just a specific social-economic group.”
According to statistics from the Ohio Attorney General’s office, over the last four years, Clark County law enforcement has seen a decline in the number of domestic violence calls. However, local law enforcement officials say 2019 might be the year there isn’t a significant decline — and perhaps maybe even a jump.
Jones is part of the intimate partner crime unit with the sheriff’s office and is responsible for responding to and following up on every domestic violence call deputies investigate. She said the sheriff’s office is on pace to respond to about 800 domestic violence calls so far this year.
That would be about 100 more cases than the office responded to in 2018 when the office investigated 704 cases, according to Ohio Attorney General statistics.
The Springfield Police Division investigated 978 cases last year, according to the attorney general’s office. They are on pace to finish around those totals again this year.
“From Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, 2019, the Springfield Police Division received 695 calls for service that were related to domestic violence,” a statement by the Springfield Police Division says. “Of those 695 calls, 328 resulted in a charge of domestic violence, 16 that resulted in charges that were not domestic-related, and 351 resulted in no charges filed.”
In addition, Project Woman, a Springfield nonprofit dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault, has seen a 54 percent increase in requests for shelter in 2019, executive director Laura Baxter said.
Important issue
It’s an important issue Springfield police officers see every day, Springfield Police Chief Lee Graf said.
“It’s estimated that one in four women and one in seven men experience domestic violence in their lifetime, making domestic violence one of the most serious crimes affecting our community,” he said. “We also know that domestic violence is one of the most under-reported crimes for a variety of reasons,”
Overall, Clark County law enforcement agencies investigated 1,703 cases of domestic violence in 2018 and are on pace to finish around there this year too.
That number is too high, Jones said, but it is less than what law enforcement saw in 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2015, Clark County saw more than 2,000 cases of domestic violence.
Still, with the large number of cases in Clark County, it is important for everyone to be aware.
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“As a community, we need to understand that it is happening here and it is a problem and it touches everyone,” Jones said. “Domestic violence is everywhere.”
It’s impossible to say what causes or leads up to domestic violence, Jones said, but power is a major component.
“It’s about wanting to be able to control someone,” Jones said.
A lot of times the perpetrators do have control over the person they abuse, Jones said, and it is very common for a victim of domestic abuse to not want to press charges against the person who hurt them.
“We struggle with a lot of things,” Jones said in regards to victims coming forward. “There is no ‘get out now.’ The national average is seven or more times for a person to leave for good. What we try to do is understand trauma, the barriers our victims have before leaving.”
But getting out is important because it is extremely rare for the abuse to stop. Instead, it usually gets worse. Jones said a victim being strangled is not uncommon.
“We see a lot of strangulation and if you look at strangulation statistics, it is very significant to law enforcement.” Jones aid. “Once a victim is strangled or choked, their chances of becoming a homicide victim jumps 750%.”
Ohio is one of just a few states that doesn’t have a specific law against strangling intimate partners, Jones said. Instead, the actions fall under the generic domestic violence statutes.
“Strangulation is a huge issue, they are practicing killing another human being,” Jones said.
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“Why don’t they just leave?”
Baxter said a common question for victims of abuse is, ‘Why don’t victims just leave?’
The answer to that isn’t simple.
“Firstly we don’t enter a relationship knowing someone is abusive and coercive. It happens gradually over time. During that time the batterer isolates, belittles and dis-empowers,” Baxter said.
When children are involved in the abuses, it’s even more complicated, Baxter said.
“I have been told by survivors that they remained in the home to help protect their children. This is not uncommon. Some would be shocked by that statement but it is hard to judge what we would do if we have not shared the same lived experience,” Baxter said.
Baxter said take for example a woman and her daughter who were in her office several years ago. The daughter had just turned 18 and was beginning to speak up and challenge her mother.
“She said, ‘Why do you let him hurt you? Let’s leave. If you don’t leave I am leaving without you,’” Baxter said. “The mother began to cry and said, ‘At least you have a dad. I never had a dad. I just wanted you to have a dad.’”
The mother thought that she was giving her daughter something good and that being battered was worth it, Baxter said.
“I will not judge those thoughts. They came from her heart. But, I did offer her a different path to take that would transform their lives,” Baxter said. “About 15 months later, mom and daughter were living on their own and rebuilding themselves and their relationship.”
Baxter said Project Woman has seen a 54% increase in requests for shelter since 2018, which might not be a bad thing.
“Some have asked — does this mean that more people are experiencing violence than in the past? That is a hard question to answer. It may mean that occurrence is higher but it may also mean that people and families are more comfortable asking for help than in the past,” Baxter said.
Baxter said one of those reasons is because the local community, as well as across the country, has done a good job of asking, “What has happened to you?” and not blame a victim for what someone else has done to them.
“I think this speaks back to why Project Woman is important to our community,” Baxter said. “Advocacy is the core of what we do but we offer services and programs in a continuum. The ideas is to have ‘No Wrong Door’ for access and to be survivor-centered.”
Being survivor-centered means anyone coming to Project Woman for help can expect to find services like counseling, crisis intervention, clinical case management opportunities, peer support groups, empowerment education and holistic advocacy.
Graf said anyone who is a victim of domestic abuse should consider reaching out to law enforcement for their protection.
“Your safety cannot depend on the promises of your abuser, you have to know that there are persons and agencies in this community that will help you in your self-protection plan, help you develop a realistic safety plan and support you in carrying it out,” Graf said.
But still, the obstacles of leaving an abusive relationship can be especially hard, Jones said. What can a person do when their abuser is the person who offers them a house to live in, clothes to eat, transportation to and from work?
Jones said the sheriff’s office works closely with Project Woman and other advocacy groups.
“We connect them with advocates that can offer shelter, help people get food and clothing,” Jones said. “We are creating a system where victims can feel safe.”
Prosecuting abusers
Domestic violence cases are some of the most common seen by the Champaign County Prosecutor’s Office, Prosecutor Kevin Talebi said.
According to the Ohio Attorney General’s office, Champaign County saw a jump in cases between 2017 and 2018. In 2018, Champaign County law enforcement responded to 198 calls compared to 118 calls in 2017.
“We do see a lot of domestic violence cases coming in,” Talebi said. “It’s becoming more common, that’s for sure.”
Talebi said on top of the reported cases, he fears there are many more unreported incidents. He said by the time his county agencies speak with victims, the abuse had been ongoing. In his experience, victims of domestic abuse go through a tremendous amount of pressure deciding whether to call the police and even more when it comes to prosecuting the offender.
“For those who are on the outside looking in, they have a difficult time understanding why they are staying in an abusive relationship. There are so many different dynamics. Sometimes its children, emotional investment and sometimes it’s even other family members urging them to drop the case.”
However, he said his office is ready for any victim who wants to come forward and see that their abuser is punished.
“We create an environment where victims of domestic violence feel safe coming forward and reporting the abuse,” Talebi said.
“The first thing that will happen when a victim comes forward is they typically speak with a law enforcement officer. Once they take the report, within the next day or so our office is contacted and made aware that a report was created,” Talebi said. “In my office, we have a victim advocate that reaches out immediately to the victim. The victim advocate is there to provide information and what are the next steps. The advocate also provides community resources like counseling, shelter and legal aid.”
Making sure the victim is as safe and comfortable as possible is a top priority, Talebi said.
Baxter acknowledges that leaving a domestic abuse situation is dangerous.
“I would suggest connecting with an advocate to begin safety planning. Physical safety, as well as emotional safety strategies, should be addressed,” Baxter said. “But, a planned exit is not always possible.”
For that reason, those looking to escape an abusive situation in a hurry should try to get to a safe place — like a hospital waiting area or public library and call Project Woman at 800-634-9893 to have an advocate meet them, Baxter said.
“Of course, if a person is in danger, we encourage calling 9-1-1.”
Calls of domestic violence investigated by the Springfield Police Division
2013: 125
2014: 393
2015: 1.611
2016: 1,336
2017: 1,006
2018: 978
Calls of domestic violence investigated by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office
2013: 746
2014: 580
2015: 608
2016: 550
2017: 695
2018: 704