Domestic Violence Is A Persistent Problem, But There Is Always Hope - Editorial
Last week we were looking through the archives for something to use in our “From The Enterprise Archives” feature in our Bourne edition, and we found something that struck a chord.
It was an article about a Buzzards Bay woman who was found murdered in her home just about 45 years ago. We were shocked; murder is not something we see often in our towns, and we had not heard about this case from 1980. We read the Enterprise article from shortly after the murder was discovered but there was no conclusion, at least not so soon after it happened.
So, we did another search. And what we found was that 32 years later, the husband of the victim was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for murder in the first degree in relation to a murder-for-hire plot.
It was jarring. The initial article from the Enterprise makes mention of the husband, who was apparently in a different state when the crime occurred. The two were in the midst of a divorce, and interviews with the couple’s children from after their father’s conviction indicates that previous abuse was a factor in the couple’s marriage. But what struck us and stayed with us for days following our discovery of that article was how serious the issue at hand—domestic abuse—still is all these years later.
We do not dredge this story up from the depths of local memory to cause further harm to the family; in fact, just the opposite: we commend their strength in fighting for decades to get justice for their family member and, although true closure in a situation like this is elusive, we hope they are able to find some sense of peace in its wake. Rather, we share this story because of how prevalent of an issue domestic abuse still is today.
No two abuse cases look the same, and abuse can take several forms—physical, emotional, psychological, verbal. It is, unfortunately, too common; abuse does not discriminate. It affects men, women and children; it knows no boundaries when it comes to class, social status, income, sexual orientation, age, race, ethnicity, religion or identity. Parents and children, brother and sister, romantic partners, friends or even roommates can become victims or perpetrators in this vicious cycle.
Indigenous people are at particularly high risk of experiencing violence, gender-based or otherwise. A 2022 Congressional Research Services Report found that 84 percent Native women in America have experienced violence in their lifetime. Indigenous men, too, are at high risk—82 percent experience violence in their lifetime, according to the same 2022 report. Domestic violence incidents even see a surge at certain times of the year, including the holidays and, oddly enough, Super Bowl Sunday—data that give us clues as to what circumstances perpetuate violence, which hopefully gives way to thoughtful solutions on how to mitigate and prevent it.
Chances are, whether we know it or not, we likely all know someone who has survived an abusive situation or relationship—even if they’ve never told you. But the one thing each of these cases have in common is that there is hope. There is always, always hope.
This incident may have happened 45 years ago, but this story exists today, too, in a thousand different iterations in a thousand different homes. There are incidents of domestic violence recorded in our district court reports almost every week, and those types of incidents tend to see a surge at this time of year around the holidays. Back in 2021, The Sandwich Enterprise ran a series of articles that shared the stories of those who have survived domestic abuse situations, and shared the story of one survivor’s fight to establish a public registry for abusers. Our editorial team has convened with local law enforcement and experts from local organizations, like Children’s Cove and Independence House, that specialize in providing support to children and adults who have experienced abuse.
The now-editor of our Sandwich edition wrote a thoughtful piece, also in 2021, headlined “Domestic Violence: Weighing The Solutions.” The word “solution” is a lofty one in this context, as none of us hold the one true answer to solving the crisis of domestic violence in our society. But, though no single one of us holds all the answers, we can all be part of the solution. We need to support and be there for our neighbors, bolster community resources, learn the signs, be willing to ask for and offer help, and, perhaps most importantly, seek justice through our courts and law enforcement systems. When communities come together and rally around those who need our support, real change can be made and lives could be saved as a result.
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If you or a loved one are experiencing any form of abuse, you are not alone. Help is available.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
A list of resources is available on the Barnstable County website, with a “Quick Exit” button if needed: www.capecod.gov/the-conversation-starts-here
Independence House:(Hyannis, Falmouth, Orleans, Provincetown) 24-hour hotline, 508-771-6507—Independence House provides free and confidential specialized services and widespread programs for children (ages 5+), teenagers, adults and the later-in-life community who are survivors of or impacted by domestic or sexual violence on Cape Cod. www.independencehouse.org
CONNECT to End Violence: (A program of Martha’s Vineyard Community Services) 24-hour hotline, 508-696-7233—A dual domestic violence program and rape crisis center on Martha’s Vineyard that provides free and confidential services, including counseling, safety planning, crisis intervention and advocacy to individuals and their supporters who have experienced domestic abuse or sexual violence.
Children’s Cove–The Cape & Islands Child Advocacy Center, 508-375-0410—Children’s Cove serves the Cape and islands and provides a multidisciplinary response to child victims of sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, witness to domestic violence, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
For tribal members, the
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s Victim Service Program
has a 24-hour hotline, 508-274-2432—The MWT Victim Services Program can assist with emergency shelter, emergency needs such as clothing and food, protective orders, victim compensation, cultural healing, advocacy support and community resources and services for enrolled tribal members residing in the counties of Barnstable, Bristol, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk.