But names are more powerful than mere numbers. Please read the list again. These individuals were mothers, neighbors and friends. Many of them died a violent, undignified death at the hands of someone who once promised to love them, to honor them and to cherish them. Officer Haynes died trying to save a victim.
Accidental deaths are no less tragic, but domestic violence is a unique crime with a social history.
Our nation's domestic violence record is a powerful tool to compare how far we've come from centuries past when wife-beating was a social norm. This month, as part of the Daily Camera's ongoing series on domestic violence, columnist Clint Talbott gave a detailed look into three local domestic violence cases and their disturbing outcomes. Readers were offered clear examples of violence as a means to control spouses or partners. The remorseless perpetrators were not deterred by a judicial system that allows repeat offenders to make good on lethal promises. The warning signs exist for anyone who cares to look.