In The News: PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Thursday, November 30, 2006

State Coalition Sharpens Focus on Domestic Violence Homicide
Gun Violence, Dangerousness Assessment and Coordinated Community Response top issues identified

WHAT: Jane Doe Inc. releases its first annual review of Massachusetts domestic violence related homicides with an examination of the 17 incidents of domestic violence homicide that occurred in Massachusetts between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2003 and which resulted in the deaths of 24 people, 19 of whom were the victim of the homicide and 5 of whom were perpetrators who then committed suicide. These victims ranged in age from 11 to 79 and lived in 9 of 11 counties in the Commonwealth.

The report looks at the methods used to commit homicide, the relationship of the perpetrators and victims, prior histories of domestic violence, stalking, criminal histories and other dangerousness indicators, and the location of the crime. A section is devoted to the issue of children as victims, witnesses and survivors. The report also identifies 9-key issue and policy implications, ranging from gun violence and dangerousness assessment to cultural attitudes and institutional practices.

WHO: Karen Nolan, sister of Nancy Gillespie, a domestic violence homicide victim, Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley, and Worcester Police Chief Gary Gemme will join Jane Doe Inc. Executive Director Mary R. Lauby and report collaborators Dr. Mary Gilfus, Simmons School of Social Work and Diane Rosenfeld, J.D., LLM, Harvard Law School

WHEN: Tuesday, December 5, 2006 at 11:00 am. Great Hall, State House, Boston.

WHY: By looking closely at these incidents, Jane Doe Inc. has set out to both honor the lives of victims of domestic violence and to identify improvements in current policy and practice that can reduce domestic violence homicide in Massachusetts and potentially nationwide.

Mary Lauby, Jane Doe Inc.’s executive director, explains the impetus for this annual report, “When domestic violence goes unaddressed, or when it is addressed inadequately, it can escalate along predictable lines and end, tragically, in homicide. The lives of surviving children, family, friends, and colleagues of the victims and perpetrators have been irrevocably changed. With this and future annual reviews of Massachusetts’ domestic violence homicides, we hope to raise awareness among individuals, communities, systems and policy makers across the Commonwealth about the lethal and often predictable consequences of domestic violence and to improve our response to domestic violence and prevention of homicides.”

As the report points out, domestic violence homicides represent just the tip of the iceberg regarding mortality and morbidity resulting from domestic violence. Deaths that result from life-long battering often go undetected or unidentified as being domestic violence related. In addition, the report looks at the capacity of the existing network of domestic and sexual violence providers and first responders in Massachusetts to reduce the incidence of domestic violence related homicides.

Copies of the report will be available at the press conference.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Toni K. Troop, JDI’s Director of Development & Public Relations, at 617-557-1807 (office), 617-212-7571 (mobile), ttroop@janedoe.org (email).

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