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The Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence says it is concerned about an increase in domestic violence incidents across the state this year.
There have been several high-profile cases in metro Atlanta in recent weeks involving women killed by their partners.
On Sept. 27, investigators said Gwinnett County Master Deputy Tamara Tuitt-Bartlett was shot and killed by her boyfriend during a dispute.
On Saturday, the GBI said Sabrina Walker was shot and killed by her husband in Douglasville.
And on Wednesday, police said a couple died in a murder-suicide in Gwinnett County.
“We saw in COVID we saw a 50 percent increase in domestic violence fatalities… I’m really afraid that we’re going to see the same this year when our data comes out next year,” said Karimah Dillard, Director of Policy for the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
“That increase in reported incidences to law enforcement has increased twelve percent from last year, so something is going on, and we really need to take this seriously,” she added.
Dillard said a variety of factors can contribute to an increase in domestic violence incidents.
“We know that we see upticks when the economy is not great, when jobs are scarce, when people are afraid to leave their homes because of what’s been going on with the anti-immigration sentiment,” she explained.
She said the coalition offers several ways for victims to get help.
“A lot of people fear that if they call a domestic violence program, that means they’re going to have to leave their home and go into shelter, but our programs really do so much more than just provide shelter… we’re talking about helping you with legal advocacy, protective orders, counseling, resources to help you transition if you do want to leave,” she explained.
There are also steps family and friends can take to support loved ones who may be victims.
“Make yourself available, arming yourself with resources… once the trust has been established, and they say to you, yes, this is what I’m experiencing, you can just come right on in with a resource to give them,” Dillard said.
For more information, visit the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s website.
