Domestic Violence is one of the most troublesome and dangerous occurrences that can happen in a home. Police officers are trained specifically how to handle domestic violence cases because within the police force, they are known as some of the most volatile and dangerous situations to encounter. About 14% of all police officer deaths come from domestic violence every year. But how common are these domestic violence cases in Maryland?
From July 2015 - June 2016 there were 55 domestic violence related deaths in Maryland. There were 39 adult victims and 3 children victims in that time span, with also 12 abusers committing suicide and one abuser who was killed in a homicide. The total of 55 is highest since the 2007-2008 year where there were 75 domestic violence related deaths. To break it down by county, Prince George’s County has a total of 18 domestic violence deaths, and Baltimore County and Anne Arundel County both had 9 deaths from domestic violence.
Who was involved in these crimes? There were 42 victims in that year, and of those 42, 34 were intimate partners at some point. There were 18 women and 1 teenage girl killed by their current or ex-boyfriend, and 7 women were killed by their current or ex-husband. There were also 7 male deaths who were victims of domestic violence, 2 of which were killed by their wife, and 5 who were killed by their current or ex-girlfriend. The others who were killed were either bystanders, or somehow related to a friend or family members current or ex boyfriend/girlfriend.
The method used to end these victims lives was mainly by use of a gun, 32 deaths, or 58% of the total Maryland deaths were the result of gun shots. The next highest method was knives, which 14 victims were killed, or 25% of all deaths. Blunt force trauma, asphyxiation, or a combination of both, were used to commit the remaining deaths.
As for their age, 21 of these deaths that occurred, happened in the 41-50 years range, and 14 were in the 31-40 age range. Unfortunately, there were 3 individuals who were between the ages of 0-18 who passed away.
Domestic Violence should never be taken lightly, these are just some of the statistics of those who were killed. There were over 44,821 peace and protective orders filed in Maryland in 2015 in order to protect those who have been abused. Even with these orders, there were still 15,301 domestic violence crimes that occurred. These also only include ones that are filed to the police, many victims do not report this abuse to the police.
If you find yourself, or someone you know, in a domestic violence situation, call the police and find a safe place to stay! To handle the legality of your domestic violence case, please contact us at the Law Office of Nicholas J. Del Pizzo today!