Background Checks Have Major Impact On Domestic Homicide Rate

(Photo courtesy of NBC News.)

AMID DECLINING MURDER RATES, LOCAL STATS ARE ALARMING

My Sunday paper, The Press-Enterprise, reported a significant increase in the rates of domestic murders in 2013 in Riverside County in California - a jump of 79% from 2012.  Since I live near the county line in a neighboring county, I read with interest about the 34 domestic murders in 2013.

Apparently, authorities are at a loss to explain the sharp increase from 19 (2012) to 34 (2013) murders committed by “loved ones.”  The 2013 statistic represents a full one-third of all murders in the county during 2013.

In 2013, 20 of the 34 domestic murders were committed with a gun.  The article states that more people are slain by close relations with guns than by strangers with guns, knives, and fists combined.  And if a weapon is available, it is three times more likely that an incident will result in homicide.  If one of the parties involved is an abuser, the incident is eight times more likely to result in homicide, negating the idea that one might reliably protect themselves with a gun in the home.

These are shocking statistics, in my mind.  Particularly in light of national murder rates.  Nationally, there has been a decline in domestic homicides, from 2,478 in 2008 to 2,261 in 2012.

In the period of 2009 through 2012, between 17.4 and 18.8 percent of all murders were domestic in nature.  And yet, in Riverside County, in 2013, approximately 33% of all murders were domestic homicides.

92% of domestic homicide victims are women.

The Press-Enterprise included details from 33 of 34 domestic homicides.  Eleven of these incidents occurred when a husband killed his wife in a variety of ways, sometimes also killing other family members, and sometimes himself, as well.  One wife killed her husband.  Seven of these murders were committed using a gun.  One killing was by knife, and three others did not identify a weapon used.

Six of these incidents were murder-suicides, in every case occurring when a husband killed his wife, then himself.

Nine of these homicides involved a boyfriend and girlfriend, and some of the murders were of other people (mothers, neighbors, etc.).  The weapon used was not consistently mentioned.  The other thirteen incidents involved other combinations of family members.  

In the 33 events reported, a total of 42 deaths were recorded.

Current thinking among local domestic abuse counselors and organizations is not comforting or specific.  They talk about possible signs that may include substance abuse by a batterer, unemployment or other stresses, conflict over custody of children, the presence of a step-child, the presence of a gun in the home, or prior choking incidents.

In other words, there is no reliable way to predict who might become the victim of domestic abuse, only some things that are more suggestive of risk than others.  The experts do say that battered women who have been threatened or assaulted with a gun are 20 times more likely to be killed.

Finally, women who leave their batterers have trouble staying away.  The batterer typically uses guilt to draw the woman home, saying that her children or grandchildren, or pets, miss her.

The moral of this story is DO NOT REMAIN WITH A BATTERER.  Ever.  Under any circumstances.  You are increasingly likely to end up seriously harmed or dead if you don’t decide to get away, and stay away.  DO NOT FEEL ASHAMED to ask for help.  Many organizations can offer guidance, assistance or shelter.

Since we can’t count on sensible background check standards in our current political climate (and since this seems to be the best, most likely method of gun control available), it is up to each of us to accept our situation with open eyes.  If you live with an abuser, it is up to you to protect yourself by leaving.

Contact your state representatives to demand that they enact clear reporting requirements to improve the quality of data available in the federal background check database, known as NICS.  A recent statistic shows that domestic homicides committed against women decreased 38% in states where background checks are required, and where the state provides information about domestic violence convictions, criminal records and mental illness for inclusion in the NICS.

image credit myfoxla.com