Not "just a domestic" case

Not just a domestic' case By Drew Edmondson and Marcia Smith Oklahoman, April 22, 2007 The headlines tell the story: "Mother and two children found dead." "Teen, woman shot in Coweta." "He just shot her down: Lawmen nab spouse, just out of prison." In Oklahoma, there have been 14 domestic violence-related homicides this year. From a new wife in Wynnewood to a Muldrow mother and her children, small-town Oklahoma has been hit with an almost unspeakable scourge. Domestic violence is a serious, usually escalating crime. It doesn't usually begin with murder, but too often it ends that way. The headlines are a symptom of our attitudes as a society. "It was just a domestic. It was just an argument between a husband and a wife. It happened within the home, and it's none of our business." The problem with that is, of course, that it is our business. The headlines tell the story, and the numbers don't lie. Oklahoma is seventh in the nation in the number of women murdered by men. Studies show that 40 percent of domestic violence homicides are witnessed by children and 62 percent of children living in homes where domestic violence occurs also are abused. We must, as a society, sit up and take notice. We must stand up against the violence that affects one in eight Oklahoma women. We must speak out for those who have been silenced. And we as a state must put our money where our mouths are. It would probably come as a surprise to most Oklahomans to know that Oklahoma domestic violence and sexual assault (DVSA) service providers haven't received a funding increase in 13 years. Today, there are 29 certified programs in communities across the state. Last year alone, these programs served almost 11,000 DVSA victims and their dependant children. While the problems and the programs are growing, the funding is not. Yes, the headlines tell the story, but not the whole story. This year, we are asking the Legislature to increase funding for these programs. The statistics tell us why. The headlines tell us it's time. The stories behind the headlines hit closer to home than you think. And the funding behind it all is far short of adequate to address the needs of the thousands of men, women and children who are victims of domestic violence and sexual assault every year. Please join us in asking the Legislature to provide an additional $3 million for Oklahoma domestic violence and sexual assault service providers this year. Then, and only then, can we adequately address the needs of victims and survivors. Tell your legislator that a physical altercation between a husband and a wife isn't just a domestic. It is violence, and violence can lead to murder. Then, and only then, can we stop the headlines. Edmondson is Oklahoma's attorney general. Smith is executive director of the Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.
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