RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Attorney General Mark Herring is hosting a conference Tuesday to train more than 125 participants from law enforcement agencies, domestic violence programs and allied organizations from across the Commonwealth in an effort to reduce domestic violence and prevent domestic homicides.
Last year alone, 112 Virginians lost their lives to domestic homicide. Domestic violence homicides are preventable, but the statistics in our state remain alarming.
Data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shows:
- 112 victims lost their lives domestic homicides in Virginia in 2014
- Domestic homicides accounted for 31 percent of all homicides in 2014
- Black Virginians died at roughly three times the rate of whites from domestic violence homicide
- More than half of domestic homicides are committed with a firearm
And, according to data from Virginia State Police (VSP):
- There were 20,872 arrests for misdemeanor assault and battery against family or household member in 2014
- There were 1,153 arrests for felony assault and battery against family or household member in 2014
“It’s heartbreaking that 112 Virginians lost their lives at the hands of an intimate partner or family member in 2014, but even one is too many. We must remember that domestic homicide is preventable, and we simply cannot afford to ignore the warning signs,” said Attorney General Mark R. Herring. “Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides us the opportunity to honor the strength, courage, and resiliency of those who have been victims of domestic abuse, to thank those who support them when they need it most, and to bring awareness to the issue so that no one else has to suffer at the hands of an abuser.”
The training is on Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP), a groundbreaking, evidenced-based strategy to reduce and prevent domestic violence. The training conference is going on for four days between October 19 through the 22 in Charlottesville.
Herring has made LAP training and domestic violence initiatives a top priority. He’s hired a full-time staff member dedicated to implementing and expanding LAP training across Virginia and he’s sponsored legislation to protect victims of domestic abuse. Herring has also launched a human trafficking awareness campaign, and his office operates a variety of victim-centered programs including the Victim Notification Program and the Address Confidentiality Program.
LAP is an innovative, effective approach to domestic homicide prevention that helps first responders identify and properly handle domestic violence situations that may become fatal for a victim. First responders are trained to use
According to the office of the Attorney General, LAP training is an effective approach to preventing domestic homicide. It helps first responders identify and handle domestic violence situations that may turn fatal for a victim. Emergency crews will be trained to use a standardized set of eleven questions, such as “Has he/she ever threatened to kill you or your children,” that can help predict when a victim is at immediate risk of harm. If the victim is at risk of further harm, they are immediately connected to a 24-hour service provider in their community who can help get them out of the potentially dangerous situation and get them the assistance they need.
Stay with 8News for more on this developing story.
