Lead-up to Colusa woman’s death seen in many abusive relationships
every five women taking refuge at the shelter have received death threats after leaving an abusive relationship. Many of the women were directly threatened with a gun or knife, shelter personnel said.
“Three months after leaving an abusive relationship is the most dangerous time for a woman who’s escaped domestic violence, because he (the perpetrator) doesn’t want to let her go,” said Marsha Krouse-taylor, executive director of Casa de Esperanza. “Domestic violence is the leading cause of injuries to women who require medical attention.”
These precarious situations are the reason shelters like Casa de Esperanza exist – to provide a safe haven for domestic violence victims who fear retaliation from their abusers. Unlike many apartment complexes and homes, Casa has roundthe-clock security to ensure its residents are protected, Krouse-taylor said.
“It’s not always safe for her to stay on her own, or with family or friends, because he’ll find her,” Krouse-taylor said.
While most domestic violence incidents don’t result in murder, Krousetaylor believes it’s because
many victims seek help before the violence escalates. She applauds law enforcement’s efforts to get victims in touch with resources that can help them leave these situations.
Law enforcement officials recognize the significance of the victim resources. Of all the crimes officers are called to in the area, domestic violence cases are some of the most frequent, officials said. They’re also some of the most dangerous.
“It’s one of those incidents we’re called out to most,” said Leslie Carbah, public information officer for the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department. “There’s always a heightened sense of officer safety due to highly emotionally charged situations. We have to prevent it from getting to a violent encounter, but unfortunately we don’t always hear about it until then.”
All law enforcement agencies are required to report crime statistics to the state. According to Carbah, Yuba County deputies responded to 377 domestic violence cases from July 2016 to June 2017.