Recap of March Briefing on Domestic Violence
The LWVDenver March Issues and Insights Briefing brought together a panel of three excellent professionals in the field of domestic violence. Natasha Adler is the Program Director at the Rose Andom Center, which provides coordinated services under one roof to the survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. David Karnes focuses on training and technical assistance at Violence Free Colorado, the state’s anti-domestic violence coalition. Both he and Natasha have previously been direct service workers with victims of domestic violence. Our third speaker was Dr. Kaitlyn Sims, Associate Professor of Public Policy at University of Denver who, as an applied economist, researches the intersection of public health, the economics of violence and social/environmental health hazards such as housing insecurity, domestic violence and poverty.
Dr. Sims has also looked at how public policy impacts the functioning of domestic violence shelters in the United States. Her research uncovered that only 33 of Colorado’s 64 counties have an emergency shelter program specifically for survivors of domestic violence. This is in a period when our state has seen a 46% increase of domestic violence reports since 2019 and a 24% increase in domestic violence fatalities.
In response, the Colorado legislature introduced a bill sponsored by House Majority Leader Monica Duran and bi-partisan colleagues specifically aimed at increasing the safety of domestic violence victims, HB26-1009: The Colorado Mandatory Lethality Assessment Act. Our speakers brought up the major requirements of this Act:
- Statewide Colorado peace officers are mandated to administer an evidence-based protocol to assess the risk of serious injury or death in domestic violence situations.
- Based on the assessment, officers must immediately reach out to community-based victim advocates and offer the victim the opportunity to learn about available resources for physical safety and assistance.
- Through the office of the attorney general, in consultation with a coalition of advocates for survivors, a mandatory training for peace officers to learn about administering the protocol and local resources for victims must be offered by July 2027.
Our speakers listed the eleven-question yes/no assessment tool that has been recommended.
Attendees learned that all domestic violence services are offered free of charge and that domestic violence advocates’ services are protected by 100% confidentiality . They noted the many barriers that might keep a victim from accessing services and removing themselves from the relationship with the perpetrator of violence. We were asked to imagine ourselves not only without the financial income of a violent partner, but without housing security, transportation to get to a job or our children’s schools, without the support of family and friends, without a sense of our own self-worth and ability to make good decisions, among other limitations. In addition to these disincentives to leave, often the shelters and services are not nearby in a small town or rural area.
When asked how Leaguers can be supportive of anti-domestic violence initiatives, the speakers suggested that, if we are able, donate to local service providers, as well as support legislation to reinstate the kinds of safety nets that can help victims to make the difficult choice to leave the abusive situation. They ended by saying one of the most important things you can do is be a safe friend.
Susan Stark, Co-Director of Program and Advocacy