2017 Brings High Rate of Domestic Violence Tragedies to Oregon
First, we offer our sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives to domestic violence this past weekend. Our thoughts are with them as they grieve these senseless losses.
The New Year has brought a high rate of domestic violence homicides in the state of Oregon, with the tenth, eleventh and twelfth domestic violence-related deaths occurring on Saturday and Sunday. By comparison, there were 4 fatal domestic violence incidents in Oregon in January of 2015, according to a report from the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
This weekend’s incidents followed another tragic case from Friday, January 6th, in which a family of five were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide. We know that in murder cases between intimate partners, domestic violence is always a factor. Domestic violence is never one isolated act—it consists of a pattern of abusive and controlling behaviors which can escalate over time into physical violence, including homicide.
As we look towards the year ahead, we hope for open dialogue about the signs of domestic violence to aid prevention and a statewide commitment to lifesaving, comprehensive services for people experiencing abuse. We all have a role to play in preventing the tragic violence that has already afflicted communities across Oregon in the first days of 2017.