WAUKESHA — In 2018, 47 people in Wisconsin lost their lives due to domestic violence, according to the newly released Wisconsin Domestic Violence Homicide Report.
Thirty-nine were victims of domestic violence homicides, and eight were perpetrators of homicides or attempted homicides who then committed suicide, according to the report.
“Domestic violence-related homicides are tragedies that can be prevented,” said Patti Seger, the executive director of End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin, in a news release. “Communities can and should take ownership of the solutions to domestic violence. If we continue to focus solely on abusers and victims and don’t address the underlying causes that support violence, we will never end it.”
End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin has produced the annual report since 2000. Since 2005, firearms have killed more people in domestic violence homicides in Wisconsin than all other methods of killing combined, according to the group.
Firearms were the method of homicide in 65% of the 2018 cases, despite the fact that 29% of the perpetrators were legally prohibited from owning one, many due to previous charges of domestic violence, the group said in its release.
The report also contains a discussion of domestic violence lethality risk factors.
“Domestic violence-related homicides are tragedies that can be prevented.” — Patti Seger, executive director of End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin
Thirty-seven percent of victims were killed while trying to leave their relationship or after the relationship had ended, End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin said in the news release.
“This report highlights findings that point to clear warning signs for domestic violence killings that inform our daily interactions with victims as we work to empower survivors and prevent future domestic violence deaths. Domestic violence is a societal issue and our 2018 Homicide Report includes information on the work to end domestic violence through primary prevention,” Seger said in the release.
