First, printing the name of the abuser would likely identify the victim, and cause her shame. Believe me, I haven't discounted these arguments. However, I'm troubled by the way we talk about domestic violence. All of the attention is placed on the victim, and the abusers seem to get off scott free. During her talk at the SAFV luncheon, Wyoming Attorney General Gay Woodhouse asked why domestic violence abusers feel they can go home, knock their wives or families around, and get away with it.
Domestic violence is a crime, and domestic violence abusers are criminals, plain and simple.
Well we need to get comfortable with it. Even though I will have a policy of printing the names of domestic violence abusers, as it stands now, I will rarely have the opportunity. Last week there were four domestic violence incidents in Sublette County according to the Sheriff's report, yet the names and details of each of the incidents were blackened out by the Sheriff's office. This is certainly within the authority of Sheriff Hank Ruland. However, he doesn't blacken out the names of people arrested for DUI or drug offenses.