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Press Release
WI Domestic Violence Homicide Report 2004
Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence Releases 2004 Wisconsin Domestic Violence Homicide Report. Report Chronicles the Deaths of 28 Persons Resulting from Domestic Violence.
Contact: Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 608-255-0539
Patti Seger, Executive Director.
In the year 2004, there were 28,293 incidents of domestic violence reported to Wisconsin law enforcement agencies . Of those, approximately one-third (8,192) were reported in Milwaukee County. Twenty-eight (28) individuals lost their lives at the hands of a spouse, former spouse, partner, former partner or family member or were present at the scene when domestic violence was occurring and lost their lives during the incident. Five of the killers then turned a gun on themselves and committed suicide. Over a five year period (2000 – 2004) there have been 160 incidents of domestic violence related homicides with 177 people killed. During this same five year period there were 61 incidents of domestic violence related homicides in Milwaukee with 67 people killed.
With each domestic homicide, the victim leaves behind family, friends, advocates, police, prosecutors, judges, health care providers, and entire communities who wonder what they could have done to prevent the homicide. Many times, there has been a prior history of domestic violence that is known to others, either via formal means such as police and medical reports or because the victim told someone, a friend or family member, about the abuse. The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WCADV) researched every domestic violence-related homicide that occurred during 2004 for inclusion in this Wisconsin Domestic Violence Homicide Report. The 2004 Domestic Violence Homicide Report chronicles the murders of each victim and identifies emerging policy issues.
Across the county, those working to end domestic violence have been stymied about how to achieve lower rates of domestic violence homicide. Overall, there has been a decline in intimate homicides, especially male victims. The number of men killed by an intimate partner has dropped by 69% since 1976. However, the number of women killed by an intimate has seen a much more modest decline at just 24%. Researchers and advocates for battered women both speculate that the decline in male intimate homicides is probably an indication that victims now have many more alternatives and options than they did in 1976.
“The numbers tell us that the availability of domestic violence support services and the legal responses that have evolved over the last 25 years have created far more options for battered women. Battered women who kill do so to protect themselves and their children and to get them free from the abuse. Batterers who kill do so to control the victim and will kill the children to punish or control the victim. Services and support for victims are the best homicide prevention we have,” said Patti Seger, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WCADV).
"Thanks to local domestic violence services organizations and committed individuals working together to prevent and address the problem of domestic violence, we are making progress," Attorney General Lautenschlager said today. "However, as the report released today shows, there is still much work to be done to protect Wisconsin families and provide justice to all members of our communities. I'm proud the Wisconsin Department of Justice is a strong partner in this ongoing effort."
“Quite a bit of attention has been paid to Milwaukee’s homicide rate,” said E. Michael McCann, Milwaukee County District Attorney. “I believe that prosecutors have a role in homicide prevention, particularly when there is a history of domestic violence. When we prosecute non-homicidal domestic abuse cases, our focus should always be on preventing future violence, including homicide. If violence has happened once in an intimate relationship, we know it can, and likely will, happen again. Violence becomes predictable. The key is in holding batterers accountable and getting them the intervention that they need while assisting the victims in getting the services and support they need. We work collaboratively with domestic abuse service providers, as well as health care, clergy and others in order to maximize our homicide prevention efforts.”
Carrey Monreal Balisteri, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Women’s Center out the need for multi-agency, multi-disciplinary collaboration to examine homicides and play a role in reducing violent deaths. “We have come a long way towards addressing domestic violence yet 28 domestic violence homicides still happened in 2004, with eight of them in Milwaukee. I look forward to a day when we can prevent those homicides from happening in the first place. The community as a whole needs to become a part of the solution so that we can stop homicides before they ever happen.”
Each October marks National Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). The goal of DVAM is to unify all those who work to end domestic violence and to take a moment to celebrate the survivors of violence, while remembering and mourning the victims of domestic homicide.
To obtain a copy of the Wisconsin Domestic Homicide Report:
Contact Jen Rubin at 608-255-0539 or email jenr@wcadv.org. The report can be obtained at the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence website, www.wcadv.org or can be emailed in pdf format (41 pages).
Download the report (PDF)