Till violence do us part.

• Author: Thaemert, Rita
• Position: Domestic violence - Includes related articles

Legislators have begun to recognize the destructiveness of domestic violence and the need for both tougher laws and better training of police and judges.

Natalie is 27 years old, comes from a solid middle-class American family, is college educated and is 1,500 miles from home, running and hiding from an abusive ex-husband. She was married for four years to a police officer in a large eastern city. First, he abused her verbally, then physically when she was pregnant with their first child.

Natalie went to court and obtained a protective order. When their daughter was four months old, Natalie's husband hit the baby, causing a concussion. More desperate and scared than ever, Natalie took the baby and fled. She sought help from the local shelter, from her parents, and from the legal system. Both before and after she divorced him, her husband terrorized and harassed her family.

* Studies show that up to 80 percent of wives suing for divorce cite physical abuse by their husbands.

* Between 15 percent and 25 percent of pregnant women are battered.

* Nearly 50 percent of all homeless women and children are fleeing domestic violence.

* Women who leave their batterers are at a 75 percent higher risk of being killed by them than those who stay.

More women seek medical attention for injuries caused by a spouse than for injuries caused by auto accidents, mugging and rape combined. Spouse abuse is also a major contributing factor to other problems, including child abuse and neglect, female alcoholism, drug abuse, homelessness, mental illness and attempted suicide.

"The collective costs to the community are enormous, not only in terms of destroyed lives and families, but in terms of lost productivity, health care costs, and social service costs," says Elizabeth Schneider, professor of law at Brooklyn (New York) Law School.

"Domestic violence cuts across every racial, ethnic and socioeconomic line. And police time spent handling domestic violence exceeds police involvement in murder, rape and all forms of aggravated assault," she says. Reduce the incidence of domestic violence, and a host of other problems will be curtailed.

Estela Ortiz, director of public relations for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, says that policymakers and judges underestimate the deadliness of domestic violence. "It is killing women at an alarming rate and women are literally scared to death--constantly afraid that they will not survive the next attack."

Often in spousal abuse situations, one or the other partner will be murdered, will lose custody of children, or will run and hide. Civil protection or restraining orders often are issued in abusive situations, but only go so far in diffusing volatile domestic situations in which there is a pattern of violence. A protective order requires that following arrest or the issuance of a citation, an abuser may not contact the victim nor enter the premises of her residence or temporary dwelling. Many abusers disregard these orders.

More responsible and accountable law enforcement as part of the system's response to domestic violence is important. Clear police procedures are necessary, along with police compliance with those procedures. To protect victims, many police departments across the country have policies that enable officers to take immediate action in domestic violence cases. The officer decides if a situation is violent enough to make an arrest. State laws vary...