Family Law Blog

ECONOMY K.O.’S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Some spouses or domestic partners like to beat up on the other party in their relationship.  That’s nothing new.  Neither is the fact that as the economy sours, domestic violence and battery cases have risen across the country. In some states, there has been an increase of 33% in the number of such cases and 73% of all domestic violence shelters attribute the increase to financial issues.[1] 

What’s even more surprising is a new trend – cash strapped municipalities and cities may have to stop prosecuting domestic violence cases.  Recently, the city of Topeka, Kansas announced that it is ceasing to prosecute domestic violence cases in order to save money.  On October 4, 2011, the City Council there proposed this move after the District Attorney’s office there said it could not longer afford to go after the offenders.  What’s worse is that the city may change its law and repeal part of the city code that currently bans domestic violence.

Shawnee County, Kansas has already dropped 30 domestic violence cases since September 8, 2011, and people who had been arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery were set free.

Victims’ advocates are crying afoul of the new policies and fear that abusers will become more violent as a result.



 

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