'It's Better To Ask Than Not To Ask': How To Help Loved Ones Who May Be Domestic Abuse Victims
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- An apparent fight between a man and a woman ended in gunfire on Thanksgiving night.
The deadly shooting happened on James Avenue North in Minneapolis just before 10 p.m. Police say a 41-year-old man shot a woman in her 20s. Officers tried to save her, but she later died at the hospital.
"We do believe that this is in fact domestic-related," said John Elder of the Minneapolis Police Department.
It is a sobering reminder of how dangerous and deadly domestic violence situations can be.
"If you've been in it a while, you're probably a lot better at hiding it," said Natalie Anderson, a case manager at Ascension Place, a transitional housing center for women in Minneapolis.
"We do see homelessness from domestic violence," Anderson said "It's not just like, 'OK, leave!' It's like, 'Well, where do I go? What do I do? Who's going to help me?'"
Anderson says there are warning signs to look out for. If you notice your loved one seems distant or isolated, or if their partner is controlling or intrusive, it's smart to at least start a conversation about it away from the suspected abuser.
"I think as like a family member, there can be fear of like I don't want to offend her by asking this, or like what if I'm wrong," Anderson said.
But she says be sure to approach it in a sensitive manner.
"There's ways of asking that's not just like, 'Is he hurting you?' But just, 'Hey, do you feel safe at home?'" Anderson said.
If and when victims are ready to take action, calling a hotline like the Minnesota Day One Crisis Hotline is a strong first step -- and it could save a life.
"It's better to ask than not to ask," Anderson said.
The number for Cornerstone's Minnesota Day One Crisis Hotline is 1-866-223-1111.
