When the number 116 crops up in reference to fatalities that have occurred in Georgia, many people might reasonably assume that it is linked to motor vehicle-related deaths or fatalities owing to a public health menace.
In fact, it is the scourge of family violence that accounts for those deaths, all of which reportedly occurred last year. In 2012, acts of domestic violence in Georgia took the lives of 131 people.
Arguably, that it is an epidemic and, given the dynamics of human relationships and interactions, domestic abuse and the tragic consequences it visits upon victims — sometimes men, but most often women and children — can never be wholly contained.
That certainly doesn’t derail the efforts of many to shine a spotlight on domestic violence, though, curb it to the fullest extent possible and provide quick and meaningful help to those who are on the receiving end of abuse.
Liberty House is one such beacon of hope and action in Georgia. The nonprofit agency, which is headquartered in Dougherty County in southwestern Georgia, provides comprehensive services to violence victims across the state. In fact, the organization serves 17 Georgia counties.
There is strong and obvious need for such assistance, given hard statistical data that puts a harsh spotlight on acts of domestic abuse committed within the state. The Georgia Commission on Family Violence states that Georgia ranks 12th in the country on a list that no state wants to be on, namely, one that chronicles instances of men killing women in single-victim crimes.
Reportedly, 14 domestic violence victims have died in the state so far this year.
Abuse victims need to know that many avenues of help are available to them, including legal sanctions that immediately remove an abuser from a home and bar future contact with a victim. Criminal prosecution is also possible, of course, as are other remedies.
A proven Georgia family law attorney with experience helping victims of violence can answer questions, provide strong legal assistance and make appropriate referrals.
Source: WALB-TV, “Domestic violence stats released for Georgia,” Tara Herrschaft, March 7, 2014 (Updated March 12, 2014)
