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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October
1, 2001 Contact:
Dee Koester, Law and Justice Planner, 360-786-5540
Ext. 6248 OCTOBER IS
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH. OLYMPIA -- The number of Domestic Violence cases is on the rise in Thurston County, in spite of the fact that only a fraction of the actual incidents are reported. That is one of the reasons Thurston County Commissioners today declared October as "Domestic Violence Awareness Month". According to national statistics, about 90-percent of all domestic violence incidents are not reported to any law enforcement or social services agency. But the number of reported cases locally is on the rise. Thurston County Emergency Dispatch officials say police officers were dispatched to more than 2,500 domestic violence calls last year. 700 to 750 domestic violence cases have been filed in each of the last three years in Thurston County District Court and 221 filings were made in Superior Court in the year 2000. Violation of protection orders has risen 27-percent over the past few years. With those alarming statistics in mind, the Thurston County Prosecutor's Office has formed a Domestic Violence Unit to better coordinate criminal justice and social services in cooperation with other jurisdictions in the county. Among the goals of the unit are- increased monitoring of no-contact orders and protection orders, more domestic violence training for the judiciary and better notification of jail releases for victims. Another goal is to make the public more aware of the situation and more aware of resources available for victims. The domestic violence issue will be featured on the October edition of "Thurston County Connection" which will be aired for the first time Friday evening, October 19th on Thurston Community Television, cable channel 3. The proclamation adopted today by Thurston County Commissioners seeks more support for local victim's assistance programs and for criminal justice programs that work on behalf of domestic violence victims and their children. |
