MINNEAPOLIS — Joe Shannon works with Violence Free Minnesota, a statewide coalition of programs working together to end relationship abuse, and Monday, a new study released by the organization sheds more light into the more than two dozen domestic violence homicides in the state last year.
"Twenty victims were killed by a current or former intimate partner, those 20 were all women," Shannon said. "(The) remaining 6 were bystanders, friends or family members killed alongside."
According to the study, which is released annually at the beginning of October, 12 minor children were present at the scene of the homicide or directly witnessed the homicide of one of their parents, and overall, more than two dozen children were left without a parent due to an intimate partner homicide.
Something Shannon says can carry long-term impacts.
"I believe there were 28 minor children who lost a parent in 2021, which is on the higher side," he said.
The study identifies several risk factors seen in the known cases, including the victim's attempts to leave the abuser, previous threats to kill the victim, abusers access to firearms and abusers history of violence.
In the study, 60% of the cases last year had a documented history of violence. National statistics show attempts to separate from an abuser can also lead to an increase for the risk of violence.
"It takes away the power and control of the abuser," said Shannon.
In the end, Shannon says the organization is hoping to use the data and information to help end relationship abuse and save lives, while memorializing victims and supporting survivors of domestic violence.
Those seeking help can reach out to the Minnesota Domestic Violence Crisis Line: (866)-223-1111 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800)-799-SAFE(24 hour hotline)/(800)-787-3224(TDD).
For a full list of resources, visit the link here.
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