Though there has been an increase in women killed due to domestic violence during the year of 2011, what is called familicide (the killing of members of the entire nuclear family) has increased by 600 percent. There were six instances of familicide in 2011 as compared to 2010.
The number of women killed due to domestic violence fell 28 percent from 2010, but the reasons why there has been this sort of decrease in unclear. However, Harris County had the highest rate of such deaths with 23 women killed in domestic violence incidents.
Unfortunately, domestic violence incidents often involve other individuals besides just the spouse. There were at least 26 bystanders to these incidents killed in 2011, and this may have included children, other family members or total strangers.
The above statistics are merely the tip of the iceberg. The domestic violence hotline receives 22,000 calls a month, and it’s impossible to know just how many incidents go unreported. This amounts to several hundred calls every day. Government money spent on this problem remains about level, and it is clear that the government does not have the means to deal with every problem.
Family law attorneys will do what they can to help under these circumstances. Though no attorney has the solution for alleviating the problem, lawyers can provide victims of domestic abuse independent representation and ensure that the courts are made aware of the ongoing problem on a case-by-case basis. These attorneys can request protective orders, petition for removal of perpetrators of domestic violence from the home, and take steps to prevent contact with these individuals from interfering with the lives of other family members.
Source: Statesman.com, “Report: Fewer Texas women killed in domestic violence last year,” Oct. 29, 2012
If you have concerns about a possible family violence situation, you may wish to visit our website.