Fighting back tide of domestic violence

The New Canaan Police Department’s website carries a chilling boilerplate statement about domestic violence: “If you live in New Canaan, and you are the victim of violence, it is highly probable that the perpetrator is someone that you love.” New Canaan resident Jennifer Dulos’ disappearance has drawn frenzied attention from the media as well as the public. She was a mother of five in the midst of an ugly divorce. She expressed fear of retaliation from her estranged husband in court documents.

Her husband, Fotis Dulos, and his girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, were arrested after police found security footage of a man believed to be Dulos dumping bloodied bags in several garbage receptacles in Hartford.

We don’t know the full story regarding Jennifer’s fate or her husband’s actions. But such a sensational case shouldn’t be needed to draw more attention to a vile problem that often occurs away from the public eye.

As the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence has pointed out, some 20 people per minute are physically abused by a partner in the United States. This case, tragic as it appears, would draw much less

attention if Jennifer were not white and wealthy.

Abuse comes in other forms as well. And it doesn’t distinguish between race, religion or checkbook.

Connecticut has long had a poor record on dealing with domestic violence incidents. For many years, the reflexive response of police officers was to break up a fight and leave without making arrests.

One case changed that. Tracey Thurman’s efforts to file complaints against her husband in the early 1980s were ignored, even after she was attacked in front of an officer. On June 10, 1983, her husband stabbed her 13 times after she called police. Tracey survived and has spent the intervening years relentlessly helping others.

The subsequent Family Violence Prevention and Response Act, better known as the “Thurman Law,” was enacted in 1986, making domestic violence an automatically arrestable offense.

But Connecticut’s approach to domestic violence cases remained broken. Police officers would respond to a scene and arrest both parties in a dispute, a category in which the state was a dubious leader. Among other things, the victim’s access to social services could be compromised.

Police in recent years have asked for more training on best practices for responding to reports of domestic abuse. A law took effect this year that mandates training to best identify the primary aggressor.

This makes the job harder for police officers. But their job should be harder, if only for the sake of the victims.

“We know that domestic violence homicide is both predictable and preventable,” said Karen Jarmoc, the chief executive officer of Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

We all carry a responsibility to try to contribute toward prevention. Victims as well as anyone who knows a victim can call the statewide domestic violence hotline at 888-774-2900 (English) and 844-8319200 (Español).

Connecticut shouldn’t need Jennifer Dulos to remind us more work needs to be done.

As the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence has pointed out, some 20 people per minute are physically abused by a partner in the United States.