Domestic violence victims encouraged to seek help as new data shows incidents on the rise
A new report released by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser unveiled a troubling spike in fatal domestic violence cases across the state in recent years.
In 2021, the most recent year in which data is available, nearly 100 people died in domestic violence cases in Colorado.
"We know the pandemic made things worse," Weiser said. "We as a society, we in Colorado, have a problem."
The data was compiled by the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board and Weiser's office. The report unveiled not only that women were predominantly the victims in the fatalities, but that a disproportionate percentage of the deaths took place in rural communities in Colorado.
However, not all cases listed a woman as the victim.
"We know that anyone, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation can be a victim of intimate and domestic violence," said Stacie Sutter, interim executive director of Crossroads Safehouse in Fort Collins.
Sutter and her colleagues offer a wide range of resources to women and men who are going through domestic violence.
Weiser said outlets like Crossroads are key to helping combat the surge in violence in Colorado.
Sutter said one of the greatest hurdles to getting people help is not only identifying those in need of help, but also encouraging them to seek out help.
Weiser and Sutter said those who may be going through domestic violence should feel safe reaching out for help, even if they aren't completely sure if they are a victim or not.
"All of our services are confidential," Sutter said. "Asking for help, we recognize, is incredibly challenging. It is an incredibly personal decision. I would encourage anyone who is in that relationship or is questioning to reach out and get some support."
"We want to make sure that the tools we have are being used better," Weiser said.
Both Weiser and Sutter said some of the responsibility is also on friends, family members and coworkers.
Weiser encouraged people to continuously ask their peers how they are doing in their personal lives and to facilitate open relationships that allow for vulnerable questions to be asked when needed.
Weiser said the state is also prioritizing its efforts to enforce the state's red flag law which allows courts to take firearms away from some people thought to be a physical threat to themselves or others.
The study unveiled that a majority of the domestic violence-related deaths in Colorado involved firearms.
"Our goal is to prevent domestic violence, to save lives and support victims," Weiser said.
For more information on the findings of the report visit: https://bit.ly/3Xb6FZ5
