In The News: PRESS RELEASE
December 5, 2006

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

(Boston, MA): On Tuesday, December 5, 2006, Jane Doe Inc. will release 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. Joining the release event at the State House in Great Hall at 11:00 AM will be Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley, Worcester Police Chief Gary Gemme and report collaborators Dr. Mary Gilfus, Simmons School of Social Work and Diane Rosenfeld, J.D., LLM, Harvard Law School. Karen Nolan, the sister of Nancy Gillespie, a domestic violence homicide victim, will also participate in the event in honor of her sister and all victims of domestic violence homicide.

The release 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.

The 17 incidents in 2003 resulted in the deaths of 24 people, 19 of whom were the victims 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.

Karen Nolan never anticipated that she would one day be a part of such an effort. She said, “Never in our wildest of dreams would we ever expect that this great tragedy was going to happen in our family. I can only pray through education and awareness and the leadership and action of our elected officials, police departments and community-based groups along with the involvement of citizens such as myself, we will see an end to domestic violence and domestic violence related homicides.”

Mary Lauby, Jane Doe Inc.’s executive director, explains the impetus for this annual report, “Domestic violence homicides represent just the tip of the iceberg regarding mortality and morbidity resulting from domestic violence. 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.”

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), or ttroop@janedoe.org.

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