Wichita Police Chief concerned about increase in domestic violence cases

February 03, 2012|By Brian Heap | KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

(WICHITA, Kan.) — The Wichita Police Department is ready to put the problem of domestic violence in its crosshairs.

WPD Chief Norman Williams unveiled 2011 crime statistics Friday which show an increase in homicides and aggravated assault cases compared to the previous year.

Williams said the increase was driven by domestic violence, which accounted for 10 of the city's 27 homicides in 2011. That was the highest number of domestic violence related homicides since 2004, Williams said.

"Whether it's one domestic violence homicide or ten, it's very troubling for us as a department and as a community," Williams said.

Investigators noted that prior domestic violence had occured in most cases, but was reported to police in only two of the ten homicides.

"They were never reported to police, so we have very limited ability then to intervene," said Lt. Ken Landwehr, head of the WPD homicide unit.

Click to View the 5-Year Crime Statistics

Click to View Part I & Part II Crime Statistics for 2011

The problem of underreporting was echoed by YWCA Executive Director Stacey Mann, who said victims often feel an enormous amount of shame and don't know where to turn for help.

"We'd love to be able to put ourselves out of business and do some prevention and help people stop this behavior before it starts," she said.

Mann cited a Fort Hays State University study which showed 3 out of 5 victims in Kansas didn't know where services were or how to access them.

Mann said it would take a combination of social support for victims and social pressure on abusers to solve the problem.

She encouraged anyone who witnesses domestic violence to report it.

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