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Another high-profile incident of domestic violence reminds us that our community, collectively, has a serious problem.
Many individuals who should be loving and kind toward one another are increasingly resorting to hateful behavior. Far too frequently it is manifested through violence, even death.
It happened again Monday in Holladay when a husband with an apparent extended history of violent abuse shot and severely wounded his estranged wife then took his own life, all in front of their eight-year-old daughter.
According to a recently released report by the Utah State Domestic Violence Council, “In Utah, domestic violence is becoming more aggressive and brutal.” In recent years “the frequency and intensity of this abuse has increased.”
In 2003, for example, a quarter of all homicides were committed by a cohabitant. More recently, six of seven recent homicide cases in Utah involved domestic violence.
KSL believes domestic violence, whether lethal or otherwise, cannot be dismissed as merely a “family problem.” Rather, it must be viewed as a serious societal ill that encompasses all races, ethnic groups, and educational levels. It is not limited to gender, social class or religious affiliation.
In short, domestic violence is everywhere, and it demands awareness and the ongoing effort of all to work to prevent it.
