Domestic Violence Deadly for Women

This month, across the nation domestic violence prevention advocates are marking Domestic Violence Awareness Month, undertaking public education efforts to help protect women, children, and families. As part of this effort, each year the Violence Policy Center releases a new edition of its annual study When Men Murder Women. Using 2006 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Uniform Crime Reports Supplementary Homicide Reports (SHR) data (the most recent available) the yearly VPC report details national and state-by-state information on female homicides involving one female murder victim and one male offender.

Nationwide, 1,836 females were murdered by males in single victim/single offender incidents in 2006. In cases where it could be determined if the victim knew her killer, 92 percent of female victims (1,572 out of 1,701) were murdered by someone they knew. Of these, 60 percent (949 out of 1,572) were wives or intimate acquaintances of their killers. More than 12 times as many females were murdered by a male they knew than were killed by male strangers. In 88 percent of all incidents where the circumstances could be determined, the homicides were not related to the commission of any other felony, such as rape or robbery.

Where weapon use could be determined, firearms were the most common weapon used by males to murder females (907 of 1,675 homicides or 54 percent). Of these, 73 percent (666 of 907) were committed with handguns.

The top-ranking states surprise most people. Number one is Nevada, with a rate of 3.27 per 100,000, more than twice the national rate of 1.29 per 100,000. Ranking right behind Nevada are four southern states: South Carolina at number two, followed by Alabama at number three, Oklahoma, ranking fourth, and Louisiana rounding out the top five. Vermont is sixth with a rate of 1.90 per 100,000, Texas is seventh, Arkansas, eighth, Arizona, ninth, and Tennessee tenth. All of the top 10 states have rates of 1.70 per 100,000 or higher.

As in past years, these findings alarmingly demonstrate how domestic violence can escalate to homicide, and how that irretrievable act is often made with the help of a gun -- a fact that has not gone unnoticed even in the most pro-gun states.

An editorial in the Nashville Tennessean, commenting on the state's ranking in the top 10, acknowledged that one factor in the state's high rate of women killed by men "may be the extreme ease of obtaining and possessing guns in this state. Of those women slain in Tennessee in 2006, 63 percent were killed with guns, higher than the national average." The paper adds that the "presence of firearms in households that have experienced domestic strife is a dangerous mix, since the attacker usually knows the house as well as the victim."

"Ultimately," the paper concludes, "Americans, and Tennesseans in particular, should have an open discussion of whether our gun laws go far enough, and are adequately enforced. Domestic violence in this country has deep roots, but need not be exacerbated by the ease of pulling a trigger."

Comments

[itolduso]

Josh- you're fighting a losing battle if you try to take away their guns - their brains are incapable of rational thought - just this morning I read in the paper about a father in Massachusetts reaching for his camera as his 8 year old son aimed an uzi at a pumpkin at a gun show- the fully automatic weapon proved too much for the boy- he lost control and fatally shot himself in the head, while an instructor watched. This is what you are up against- what can you possibly say to people that believe it's their RIGHT to put that kind of weapon in the hands of a child?. How about if we let them keep their guns and we outlaw the bullets?

[Thirdpower]

That's a nice little dance you're doing there with that strawman. Seems only people like you and Josh are saying that it's a good idea to have given the child a fully auto firearm.

But it's much easier to dance in the blood of the dead than it is to be honest, isn't it?

[twogunmojo]

sorry 3rdpwr if my post is in the wrong place..huffpo was screwy last night..

[molonlabe]

Did you think of that little rant all by yourself, or did you leaf through the VPC talking points guide before you posted?

I'm not sure you will find one poster here who will advocate letting an 8 year old, even supervised, handle/fire a fully automatic weapon. I'm as staunch of a supporter of the 2nd Amendment as the next person but logic would indicate that there were multiple mistakes made prior to that accidental death.

Truly a tragedy. What's even more tragic is people like yourself tap dance in the blood of the dead and like to, as previously stated, build your strawman arguments instead of actually engaging in honest discussion.

Ask yourself this; if Josh Sugarmann was THAT concerned about child safety regarding firearms, why doesn't his organization promote, sponsor, or support any child/adult gun safety educational programs or classes?

Oh that's right, he's a conspiracy theorist and doesn't see the need to educate people about gun safety:

http://www.vpc.org/fact_sht/eddiekey.htm

[45superman]

"Josh- you're fighting a losing battle if you try to take away their guns . . . "

You don't seem to be right about much, but you at least almost nailed that point. I say "almost," because I would say that Josh would be "fighting a MORTAL, losing battle if [he tries] to take away [our] guns," and that's a battle I don't think he'll ever grow enough in the way of 'nads to be willing to fight.

[djkrlsn]

How is your preferred no guns for law abiding citizens at any time working out in Chicago and DC--oooops, my bad Washington and Chicago are 2 of the most violent cities in the US.

[twogunmojo]

it is obvious from your post that you know nothing about cartridge construction..lead is the most common material for bullets..i have bullet molds for all of the guns i own..where can i purchase lead?..walmart..kmart..anyplace that sells fishing tackle because lead is used for fishing weights..recycling centers/junkyards..because wheel weights are made from lead..see the bigger picture now?..less than 2 people per state per day are affected by gun related violence..this includes tragic accidents like the one in mass..10 or 20 people across my home state of tennessee will die this hunting season due to stupid mistakes and/or accidents such as crossing a fence with a loaded gun or having a dog knock over a loaded gun..these things happen

[1will]

Perhaps if more women were armed and trained those statistics would go down.
The average man has at least twice the upper body strength of a woman. He doesn't need a gun to kill or commit an act of violence. On the other hand a 120 lb woman with a gun is the equal of a 6' 2" 230 lb violent man.

[research]

BS.

Wives directly murder about as many husbands as the other way around.

Wives may kill 10 times as often as husbands using hired killers.

http://www.spousalabuse.biz/husband-battering.php

http://www.uiowa.edu/~030116/158/articles/dershowitz3.htm

http://battlinbog.blog-city.com/httpbattlinbogblogcitycomscattered_muzings_on_gender.htm

http://christianparty.net/murder.htm

[molonlabe]

Good point, but no use. Josh doesn't care about any crime which doesn't demonize firearms. It simply doesn't fit his agenda.

[molonlabe]

Josh,

Using your same argument, it would seem that the United States could really make a difference in its suicide rate, simply by banning guns, since more suicides are completed via firearm.

That is, until you realize that Japan has anlready banned guns, but has a suicide rate over DOUBLE that of the US.

http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide_rates/en/index.html

Before making a one-sided argument (one where you have vested interested none-the-less) it may be wise to look objectively at the data, Josh.

[rlugbill]

There is a great new book out about domestic violence called "Violent Partners". All the billions that have been spent on domestic violence programs have done little good, and perhaps as much harm as good.

It's a lot more complicated than the slogans and bumper stickers and awareness months would have you think. There are some new, interesting approaches but they require paradigm shifts in thinking, which most people would be reluctant to consider.

Moreover, domestic violence is just one part of our violence-based culture. The military (including the military-industrial complex, TV shows and movies, our criminal justice system, parenting, discipline, etc. are all a part of this violent culture. All types of violence need to be done away with, not just one type.

[djkrlsn]

I have a suspicion that a far larger problem than firearms is thugs that think violence against others (especially others) is acceptable. I am very aware that by the time someone gets killed in a domestic violence situation, that the local law enforcement have usually been involved several times (and domestic beefs are one of the most dangerous calls for LEO's to roll on.

[Ohio9]

"Domestic violence in this country has deep roots, but need not be exacerbated by the ease of pulling a trigger."

Once again the, the media and Josh Sugarmann ignore the fact that since women on average are physically weaker then men, their ability to protect themselves from domestic violence is greatly enhaced by the "ease of pulling the trigger", such as in this case:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkS8mdbml0A&feature=related

Having a gun in the house isn't a problem. The problem only occurs when the abuser is the sole person who has the gun and knows how to use it. That's why we have laws against domestic abusers owning guns. To deny victims the right to own them (what gun control does) would only make the problem worse.

[twogunmojo]

i live in tennessee..the right to carry in my state applies to women also..the trouble is that guns are not as easy to get as they should be..a good reliable handgun is going to start at 300.00 and go up from there..then you have to find the 115.00 for the permit and the 45.00 for the test..where exactly is an abused women who is living in a shelter or under a bridge going to find money for a handgun and a permit when she cannot find money for a lawyer or feed her kids..i only wish that permits where as easy to obtain here as they are in vermont and alabama...

[45superman]

"Where weapon use could be determined, firearms were the most common weapon used by males to murder females (907 of 1,675 homicides or 54 percent). Of these, 73 percent (666 of 907) were committed with handguns."

Meaning that handguns were used in fewer than 40% of the murders, or that such murders in which handguns were NOT used outnumber those in which they were by a commanding 3:2 margin.

By the way, care to explain how Chicago has managed to reclaim its place as the murder capital of the U.S.?

[Thirdpower]

Just more evidence that women need to be able to defend themselves and not rely on the authorities for protection.

[OnTheCusp]

This thread is RIFE, (not RIFLE!) with Tennesseans. WTF?!!

[45superman]

Planning to refute anyone's arguments, OnTheCusp, or is the home state of some of the people posting on this thread the extent of your "point"?

[Thirdpower]

Oh look. Another baby troll that came out from under his bridge.

[kaveman1]

Maybe we should just pass a law making it illegal for a man to kill a woman(non self dense) rather than try to blame inanimate objects for what living breathing people do.

Won't that work better Josh?

[OnTheCusp]

Apparently you have named yourself correctly, but at least you can spell.

[djkrlsn]

Battery and murder (domestic violence involves one of these two crimes) are already illegal, and most men are already fully capable physically of beating most women to death--since men on average are stronger than women