Violent crime overall is down in Connecticut, according to data released by the state’s Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.
But the state is seeing more domestic violence, with nearly 30% of all homicides linked to domestic and family violence.
The state is currently averaging about 15,000 to 16,000 domestic violence cases a year, according to the data.
And in the first six months of this year, 10 people died from domestic violence.
“That is extremely high,” Ronnell Higgins, head of DESPP, said. “We can’t arrest our way out of this problem. We know that,"
“I agree,” Meghan Scanlon, CEO of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said.
“If we wait for the crisis or the arrest, then the outcomes can be detrimental,” Scanlon said.
“The data shows that a significant number of perpetrators of domestic violence homicides have no prior recorded family violence history,” she said.
Victims should seek early intervention by using the state’s domestic violence hotline, she said.
“You can text, email, chat with a trained domestic violence advocate before law enforcement has to necessarily intervene,” Scanlon said.
Victims can text-to-911 to reach a domestic violence advocate, or call or text 888-774-2900.
