Deaths from domestic violence are at an all time high in Colorado, as new data from the Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board shows there were 94 deaths in 2022. The grim number surpasses the previous record of 92 deaths set in 2021.
Over 40% of deaths in the state last year were caused by the victim’s current or former partner. Nearly 24% were collateral deaths, meaning a domestic violence incident led to the death of someone who was not the victim or the perpetrator. That list includes six children and two officers responding to domestic violence calls in 2022.
The report also notes the majority of the victims were female and the majority of the deaths were caused by firearms.
“The first thing that always sticks out to me is the names of the people who passed away,” said Diane Heldt, the executive director of A Woman’s Place, the only domestic violence safehouse located in Weld County. “It’s just heartbreaking and crushing, and always just reminds me how important this work is.”
At A Woman’s Place, Heldt said she has seen an increase in the number of crisis calls and the severity of the trauma experienced over the past year. She has also seen an increase in strangulation cases.
“As I talk with leaders at other state hospitals across Colorado, I know that that's a trend (strangulation cases) that's happening throughout the state,” she said.
Some advocates point to poor mental health care or wider access to firearms as reasons for this uptick. Attorney General Phil Weiser wrote in the report that it was “difficult to determine” whether the deaths were caused by improvements in gathering data on domestic violence.
“Every DVF (domestic violence fatality) is one too many,” Weiser wrote in the report. “The victims were parents, siblings, law enforcement officers, children, and bystanders and all were cherished members of their communities.”
Heldt said she doesn’t believe there is one specific cause or type of victim.
“Domestic violence can happen to anyone, wherever you're coming from or wherever your background is,” she said. “We see such a variety of people, from somebody who's 18 to somebody who's 75, people who are unemployed or people who are full-time employed leaders in the community.”
The Colorado Division of Criminal Justice has funds to support families impacted by domestic violence. A $12-million fund for victims of crime saw 27% distributed to domestic violence victims and their families in 2022. Yet, this comes as the federal government is considering cutting national funding for victims of abuseby 40 percent. This drop would affect grants through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), which helps nearly 4 million victims of crime nationwide each year, including domestic violence survivors. VOCA grants are funded by the Crime Victims Fund, which has seen a consistent drop in funding over the past several years.
“If that happens, it's going to reduce the support that even exists right now at the safe houses,” Heldt said. “I think that that stress on a statewide level and national level is huge. If our leaders can continue to support safe houses and keep them funded, that will help us continue to support survivors.”
Colorado’s review board wants to prevent future deaths by increasing risk assessment tools, supporting law enforcement and collaborating with organizations that focus on suicide and child and mother mortality.
For Heldt, she hopes that victims will continue to be supported, as she has personally seen the impact it has made.
“I have a photo on my bulletin board in the office that says, ‘A Woman's Place saved my life,’” she said. “It's from a client that we recently served. It reminds me every day how important this work is."
If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic violence, dial 911 or call the national 24/7 hotline at (800) 799- SAFE (7233). A Woman’s Place specifically offers emergency shelter, legal advocacy, employment support and more for women, men and transgender individuals and their families. For more Colorado resources, visit Violence Free Colorado at www.violencefreecolorado.org.
