HOUSTON — Too often, people in Harris County are hurt or even killed by people they once loved.
Year after year, Harris County leads the state in domestic violence homicides.
“Domestic violence is not a private matter. It becomes a public issue. Communities are affected – from first responders to relatives to neighbors to witnesses to hospitals – entire communities are devastated as a result of domestic violence,” said Chau Nguyen, Chief Public Strategies Officer for the Houston Area Women’s Center.
The Houston Area Women’s Center is a resource for survivors.
Nguyen says domestic abuse doesn’t discriminate.
The Texas Council on Family Violence states 174 women and 32 men were killed by intimate partners statewide in 2018.
“What we know is guns are at the hands of so many domestic violence murders. Two out of three domestic violence murders are committed with the use of a handgun. We know its lethal and dangerous,” said Nguyen.
That’s why Harris County piloted the Safe Surrender program starting in 2018, which requires people charged with domestic violence to surrender their guns to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office until their case is resolved.
The Houston Police Department also launched a domestic abuse response team last year to provide on-scene crisis intervention in high-risk cases.
The hope is these efforts will save lives.
“You think when you’re watching the news that its someone else’s problem. It’s not. It’s everybody’s problem,” said Nguyen.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, there is help available.
Advocates are ready to listen 24/7 at the Houston Area Women’s Center.
For more information, visit HAWC.org.