New Report Says 30 Minnesota Homicides Linked To Domestic Violence In 2020
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Violence Free Minnesota released its 2020 homicide report on Friday, which analyzes relationship abuse in the state.
In all, the report says that at least 30 people were killed due to intimate partner violence in 2020, and all but one of the victims identified as a woman.
Of the 30 victims, 21 were killed by a current or former intimate partner, and nine victims were friends or family members attempting to intervene. Three of the victims were children.
The report stresses that figures vary from year to year, and though 2020 saw nine more deaths than in 2019, it does not necessarily indicate an upwards trend. The numbers fluctuate from a low of 12 in 2018 and a high of 37 reported in 2013.
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Domestic violence disproportionately impacts communities of color: in 2020, 40% of the domestic homicide victims were Black, while comprising of less than 7% of the population. The report goes on to say that Native American victims accounted for 10% of the deaths, while making up 1% of the state's population. Additionally, many Native American women and girls go missing at staggering rates, though the data is lacking to produce an accurate figure.
The report emphasizes the need to create pathways to security for victims, such as access to stable housing, medical care, child care, and a reevaluation of criminal and legal responses to victims who report partner violence.
"Solving issues of intimate partner violence is complex and will require early prevention interventions such as teaching our youth healthy relationship skills, addressing racial and socioeconomic inequities in housing and employment, and pursuing racial and criminal justice reform while providing safety and healing for survivors," said Lt. Gov Peggy Flanagan.
So far in 2021, 21 people have been killed due to intimate partner violence in Minnesota. In the past week, a man shot and killed his wife in St. Paul, and police in Bloomington said a women's body was dragged into a dumpster in an apparent act of domestic violence.
The report is compiled using public information. To read it in its entirety, click here.
Resources
There are also ways to get help through video chat or by calling the Women's Advocates Crisis Hotline at 651-227-8284.
For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.
Local Resources
Alexandra House Services — Anoka County