Rising domestic violence cases are likely underreported
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Domestic violence cases are increasing in Denver — and are likely underreported, according to a nonpartisan criminal justice think tank.
The big picture: Roughly 1,600 domestic violence cases in Denver have gone unreported since 2015, per a report by the Council on Criminal Justice published this month.
- The city's overall data closely reflects a global surge in domestic violence cases during the pandemic.
Context: Denver underreporting rate is slightly above the average among the 20 cities examined.
- The report defines "underreported" as incidents of criminal activity being higher than what's captured by law enforcement or official crime stats.
State of play: Domestic violence takes a devastating toll on women, with 1 in 3 women 18 years and older experiencing some form of domestic violence, per research highlighted by the National Institutes of Health.
How it works: Researchers used FBI data collected through 2022, the Bureau of Justice Statistics' National Crime Victimization Survey and informal reports from sources like local and national domestic violence hotlines.
- They found most aggravated domestic violence incidents across the 20 cities examined are estimated to be 29% to 54% higher than figures reported to law enforcement.
Caveat: Large cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix and San Francisco, were not included in the study because they did not report to the FBI's reporting system in 2022.
Zoom in: Denver police issued a public statement in August about a rise in intimate partner abuse cases this year.
- Cases were up 4% as of Sept. 30 when compared with the same time in 2023, per police data. These crimes can include assault, threats and destroying property.
Margaret Abrams, executive director of the Rose Andom Center in Denver, which provides services to domestic violence victims, tells us she's concerned about the increased severity of cases, with more involving strangulation and use of weapons.
The latest: On Tuesday, the Colorado Attorney General's Office released its annual Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board report, which showed 58 people died in these cases — a 38% drop compared to last year.
- 30 people were intimate partner victims, seven were "collateral" victims like family members, and 21 were perpetrators. 89% of fatal domestic victims in Colorado last year were women; 89% of perpetrators were men.
What they're saying: Experts we spoke to could not say definitively what's driving higher rates.
- Abrams says Rose Andom's partnership with Denver police and improved officer training may be helping more people report crimes.
- "The criminal justice system is just one way that help may be accessed, but it's not the only way," Abrams tells us.
Reality check: "The fact that we see fewer domestic violence fatalities in 2023 doesn't actually mean violence is going down," Attorney General Phil Weiser told CPR News.
What's next: The Attorney General's Office on Tuesday issued recommendations to protect survivors and prevent further deaths.
- They included improving training for court professionals and expanding tools like screening emergency calls for potential domestic violence risk.