Published by Jane Doe Inc.

Summary and Highlights

Jane Doe Inc. designed this report in order to expand awareness and knowledge and to mobilize continued efforts to prevent domestic violence and related homicides. We also hope to honor the lives lost to domestic violence by sharing information about these incidents and calling on individuals, communities, systems and policy makers to join our efforts to prevent abuse.

WHO IS INCLUDED: JDI defines a domestic violence homicide incident as one that involves the death of former or current intimate or dating partners as well as those who may have been associated with a domestic violence victim or present during a domestic violence incident. By using this more expansive definition of domestic violence deaths, we show a more accurate picture of the broad impact of domestic violence, beyond individual victims and on their friends, family and community members.

WHAT IS COUNTED: The report provides aggregate data on the incidents, victim and perpetrator deaths, murder-suicides; demographic information regarding the homicide victims and homicide perpetrators as well the characteristics of the event and outcomes of any criminal justice proceedings.

WHAT IS NEXT: This report presents data gathered from public sources, primarily media. Our understanding of these issues may benefit from further study of these areas: access to culturally specific responses, intervention and prevention opportunities; prior interventions and support accessed by both victims and abusers; public understanding of warning signs of abuse and high risk factors for domestic violence homicide.

WHAT DID WE FIND:

Ø  Of the 334 homicide deaths, 256 people were homicide victims: 243 were domestic violence victims or people killed in the context of a domestic violence homicide and 13 were IP perpetrators killed in self-defense by the IP victim (8) or by someone other than the police (5).

Ø  Of these 243 deaths, 177 (69.1%) people were domestic violence victims (154 female, 23 male), 25 were the children of a domestic violence victim and 37 people were associated with a domestic violence victim. Another four bystanders were killed.

Ø  In addition 72 intimate partner perpetrators committed suicide and six were killed by police.

Ø  The vast majority of homicides (89.8%) were committed by men.

Ø  14% of all homicide deaths in MA during this same time period were domestic violence homicide victims.

Ø  The vast majority (81.8%) of homicides took place in the homicide victims home, underscoring the need for safety planning, safeguards and offender accountability.

Ø  While mindful of data limitations regarding race and ethnicity, the disproportionate impact on the African-American/Black community is striking. African-American/Black victims were over-represented at a rate 2.52 greater than their percentage of the population. Both Asian-American/Asian and White victims were under-represented.

Ø  Four out of five (81.8%) incidents took place in the home of the domestic violence victim. The data underscore what we have been saying for years: the home itself – without safeguards in place - is not a protective factor in cases of domestic violence.

Ø  As we found in the 2006 report, the percentage of homicides committed with a firearm (33.2%) was less than the national average (around 50% depending on which report).

Ø  Incomplete information in media reports made it difficult to tell the full story when it comes to children. Still the data is chilling - 22 minor children murdered, 65 minors present at the scene and 123 minor children losing one or both parents.

A full copy of the report can be found at: http://www.janedoe.org/NotOneMore