Charlottesville, Va. – In addition to being “Breast Cancer Awareness Month”, October is also known as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month. ” Since being sworn into office in January 2014, Va. Attorney General Mark R. Herring has made domestic violence initiatives one of his top priorities and he continues to raise awareness.
On October 19-22, more than 125 participants from law enforcement agencies, domestic violence programs, and allied organizations from across the Commonwealth were trained on Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP), a groundbreaking, evidenced-based strategy to reduce domestic violence and prevent domestic homicides.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reported that a staggering 112 deaths occurred in Virginia last year from domestic violence, which accounted for 31 percent of all homicides, and more than half of domestic homicides are committed with a firearm.
Among the participants were the Newport News Police Department, Hampton Police Division and University of Virginia Police Department. The four-day conference took place at the DoubleTree Hotel in Charlottesville, Va.
Attorney General Herring spoke earlier this month about the devastating statistics of domestic violence in the state.
“It’s heartbreaking that 112 Virginians lost their lives at the hands of an intimate partner or family member in 2014, but even one is too many. We must remember that domestic homicide is preventable, and we simply cannot afford to ignore the warning signs,” said Herring.
He added that October should offer the public an “opportunity to honor the strength, courage, and resiliency of those who have been victims of domestic abuse, to thank those who support them when they need it most, and to bring awareness to the issue so that no one else has to suffer at the hands of an abuser.”
If you want to read more about the conference, click here
