Hamilton Herald Masthead

Editorial


Front Page - Friday, June 13, 2014

New TBI study sheds light on prevalence of domestic violence in Tennessee




The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation this month released its “Domestic Violence 2011-2013” study. The report analyzes crime data submitted by the state’s law enforcement agencies to the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System from 2011 to 2013.

Among the report’s findings:

• Simple Assault was, by far, the most frequently reported offense, accounting for 68.8 pecent of all domestic violence offenses.

• Females were almost three times more likely to be victimized than males in domestic incidents in Tennessee.

• Juveniles accounted for approximately 10 percent of domestic violence victims each year from 2011 to 2013.

• In the time period analyzed, domestic violence victims were six times more likely to be abused by a spouse than an ex-spouse.

• Boyfriend/girlfriend relationships were the most frequently reported incidents, accounts for 43.2 percent of all domestic violence from 2011 to 2013.

• Domestic violence resulted in 288 murder/non-negligent homicides during the three-year study period.

“This kind of crime creates a real threat to our communities,” said TBI Director Mark Gwyn. “We hope this study gives law enforcement, policy makers, and government leaders a snapshot of domestic violence in our state, bringing to light what happens too often behind closed doors.”

The full report is available online at www.tbi.tn.gov/tn_crime_stats/stats_analys.shtml.

Source: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation