Recent Surge in Domestic Violence Incidents in Nebraska Raises Alarming Concerns
Nebraska Public Media reporter Molly Ashford provides insights into the troubling rise in domestic violence cases in Nebraska in a conversation with Jackie Ourada on All Things Considered.
Residents of Nebraska have been witnessing an unsettling increase in domestic violence incidents this year, with several tragic cases making headlines. Nebraska Public Media’s Molly Ashford has been delving into this issue, highlighting the disturbing trend of murder-suicides involving intimate partners.
So far, Nebraska has recorded 12 murder-suicides in 2023, resulting in the deaths of 25 individuals. Alarmingly, nearly all these incidents involved a man killing his current or former romantic partner, with one notable exception in Seward County where the alleged perpetrator survived a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Domestic violence service organizations within the state have noted a rise in the severity of intimate partner violence, often referred to as an increase in lethality. Christon MacTaggart of the Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence expressed deep concern over this trend, saying, “It is a complex but perhaps perfect storm of things that have me highly concerned about increases in lethality that we’re seeing just in general across the state, whether or not those cases end in death.”
The risk of violence often peaks when a woman attempts to leave a relationship. This year, at least half of the murder-suicides were perpetrated by a man against an ex-wife or ex-girlfriend. In three of these cases, the woman had sought or obtained a protection order. Katie Welsh from the Women’s Center for Advancement in Omaha reported an uptick in domestic violence calls involving former partners in Douglas County, noting, “When law enforcement are responding to domestic violence calls, they are seeing more and more individuals identifying as ex-intimate partners or former intimate partners.”
Tracking incidents of domestic or intimate partner violence in Nebraska is challenging due to scattered data. The Nebraska Domestic Abuse Death Review Team, established in 2022, compiles information on domestic abuse fatalities, identifying 72 deaths between July 2022 and July 2023. Although victim gender was evenly split, 87% of perpetrators were male. The Nebraska Crime Commission also publishes annual reports on domestic assault, though the 2024 data is pending.
Ashford is set to release an in-depth report later this year and shared details about a particularly tragic case involving Jaliyah Compton. At 23, Compton was killed by her ex-boyfriend in Falls City, despite having initially secured a protection order. Her family is grappling with the loss, feeling the justice system failed her. Such murder-suicides deeply impact numerous lives, leaving families and communities in complex grief.
Amidst this concerning trend, resources such as the National Domestic Violence Hotline and local Nebraska organizations remain available to support those in dangerous relationships.
