CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Chesterfield Police say the majority of their homicide cases spark from relationship problems or violence, often left unreported.
Over Labor Day Weekend, a shooting in Chesterfield left a 22-year-old dead and a 20-year-old behind bars. Police say the two were known to each other, and the family of the victim says the two had been in a relationship periodically for years.
It's a snapshot of what Chesterfield Police are seeing more frequently - domestic incidents turned deadly.
"Just in general, the calls for service in Chesterfield has risen over the last couple of years, that's just due to population growth and things of that nature," said Lieutenant John Payne Jr. with Chesterfield Police's Vulnerable Populations Division.
Lt. Payne Jr. says most victims do not realize they can report what's called "Intimate Partner Violence," or IPV, which may involve a past or present former spouse or dating partner.
He also said those who do report acts of domestic violence and opt for an Emergency Protective Order (EPO) sometimes do not extend them past their court-ordered time, which is typically 72 hours.
"The problem is, normally, if you're in an abusive relationship, very seldom, in my opinion, does it get better when you've reached that level," Payne said.
He also told CBS 6 that most victims don't know where to turn both before and after getting law enforcement involved.
"It's hard because a lot of people don't understand. They don't understand how to call, what to do, things of that nature, and the last thing we want to see is someone get hurt," he said.
That's where a booklet, created by Chesterfield Police, called "Together Against Violence: A Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence," plays a part. It includes things like victims' rights, a list of what kind of protective orders are available, and medical care options for victims seeking a forensic exam.
It's available in both English and Spanish and can be found at Chesterfield Police precincts, court buildings, and the magistrate's office. Officers called to domestic incidents should also be able to provide them on scene.
"When we first rolled these out, last year, it was within the first week, we had a victim show up at one of the medical facilities with this in her hand, so it was very helpful because then I had the forensic nurse call me and say, 'What is this? When did you guys start handing this out?' The victim didn't speak any English, but she did understand where she could go to get a forensic nurse, and then they could get a Spanish-speaking person with her," said Tana Mooney, who helped write the booklet.
"Many times, in the immediacy of things, it's overwhelming, when the officer's there, the officer is trying to explain some of these processes and the victim is really not in a place to understand what they're saying," Mooney said.
Despite the resources the booklet provides, Mooney said Chesterfield needs more resources for domestic violence and IPV victims.
"We, in Chesterfield, don't have a domestic violence shelter program here, we don't have services located here. We do have a Domestic and Sexual Resource Center, and we work very closely with them, but we do have to reach out to Richmond and Prince George, Henrico, for assistance. And that's something that we're working on because, as Chesterfield continues to grow and expand, these are things that we need. These are things that our clients need," Mooney said.
Both Mooney and Payne suggest calling the police, even if you are not in immediate danger, sooner rather than later.
"So many times, people focus on the violence, when there may not be any violence whatsoever, but there's a lot of coercion, there's a lot of manipulation and control, and that in and of itself isn't criminal, but that's where it starts," Mooney said.
"No matter how bad you think it is, how little you think it is, if we're not involved, it makes it harder for us to help you down the road," Payne said.
Below are hotlines you can call if you need help:
- National Domestic Violence 24/7 Hotline: 800-799-7233
- YWCA 24/7 Hotline: 804-612-6126
- The James House Hotline: 804-457-2840
- Latinos in Virginia Empowerment: 888-969-1825 (in Spanish)
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