Domestic violence calls average more than one a day
Domestic abuse doesn’t usually start with murder, but it can end that way.
Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) Captain Frank Copeland said he’ll always remember his first murder case, a domestic abuse incident.
“I had to tell her kids that their mom had been murdered,” he said.
According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, nearly one third of women murdered in America are killed by a former or current intimate partner.
The potential risk of escalation makes stopping domestic incidents extremely important, Copeland said.
“A person who is an abuser, there’s always a first time,” he said.
Domestic calls are either verbal or physical, Copeland said.
“They have to investigate whether it was verbal only or if it was just reported as verbal,” Copeland said.
From Oct. 7 this year to the same date last year, GCSO has received 376 domestic incident calls.
During the same period last year, GCSO received 421 domestic incident calls.
Most domestic 911 calls are made by the victim or the victim’s family members.
When an officer responds to this call, the priority is finding out what happened, Copeland said.
“It is super important to be thorough in the investigation,” he said.
If no physical abuse has occurred, officers work to de-escalate the situation.
“Oftentimes we try to talk one of the parties into possibly leaving,” he said. “They’ll have time to cool down before reuniting.”
Under Georgia law, threats of violence, stalking and disorderly conduct are grounds for an arrest.
If the officer discovers physical abuse, they can also make an arrest.
Sometimes, there’s a clear victim. Other times, two people in the same home have both hurt each other. Every so often, there wasn’t an incident, and the caller is attempting to frame their partner or family member.
“The officers have to investigate to find out if the reported assault actually occurred,” Copeland said.
Among family or intimate partners, violence can be difficult to address, Copeland said. Intense emotion, love and proximity can make figuring out a domestic violence case complex.
That’s why the law surrounding domestic violence gives officers several tools that aren’t available for the average assault and battery case, Copeland said.
First, officers can make an arrest without a warrant when on a domestic violence call. In typical battery cases, officers must get a warrant before making an arrest.
This difference protects victims of abuse, Copeland said. With the perpetrator arrested, they can get a temporary protective order or look for somewhere safe to go.
“It gives you an extra-quick response time,” he said.
In typical battery cases, police arrest the person who started the violence. But in a domestic violence case, previous threats, actions and other complicating factors can complicate the situation.
Under Georgia law, law enforcement must arrest the “predominant aggressor.”
This determination isn’t as easy as finding out who attacked first. To decide, officers consider prior family violence, the relative severity of injuries, the offensive or defensive nature of injuries, threats, self-defense and more.
Immediately after a domestic violence case, even close family members and intimate partners are often ready to see the perpetrator get charged with a crime, Copeland said.
But a few days later, they often reconsider.
“The person apologizes, and then they reconcile and get back together, and then the violence comes back around,” Copeland said. “It’s just a vicious cycle.”
This common reaction is why Georgia law mandates that law enforcement officers file domestic violence charges, he said.
This approach ensures that a victim’s strong emotions won’t get in the way of justice.
After someone is found guilty of domestic violence, they receive a sentence. Domestic violence charges can range from simple battery, a misdemeanor, to the felony of aggravated assault.
At the very least, someone convicted of simple battery could be sentenced to probation. At the most extreme, someone found guilty of aggravated assault could serve up to 20 years in prison.
Catching domestic incidents early is key, Copeland said. Domestic incidents tend to escalate over time. Yelling today can become physical abuse tomorrow. And physical abuse can become murder.
“The best predictor of the future is the past,” Copeland said.
Often, the first time police get a domestic call isn’t the first time violent or threatening behavior has happened.
Those experiencing domestic abuse should do their best to get away from their abuser and report the crime, Copeland said.
If you know someone who is experiencing domestic violence, you should report the situation to police, he said.
Victims can check vinelink.com/state/GA to learn when a domestic violence offender receives an update on their case.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-799-7233.
“Get away from the person who is hurting you,” Copeland said. “It’s easier said than done.”