New numbers show domestic violence homicides are highest on record

The Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board recently released their annual report, which shows that in 2023, homicides were higher than any other year on record.

(OKLAHOMA) New statistics released by the Oklahoma Fatality Review Board show that domestic violence homicides are on the rise.

In 2023, 122 people died in Oklahoma due to domestic violence homicide, an increase of 16% from 2022.

Of those who died, 30 were victims in murder suicides and 50 were victims in intimate partner homicides. 82% of the intimate partner homicide victims were women.

“Tragically, domestic violence deaths have been on the rise in Oklahoma, especially across the last five years,” said Attorney General Gentner Drummond. “We must continue strengthening our statewide efforts to hold abusers accountable and to provide protection and support for victims in order to turn the page on this epidemic.”

Oklahoma currently ranks in the top 10 states for women murdered by men in single-victim single-offender incidents.

The average number of domestic violence homicides was 90 between 2014 and 2018 and that increased to 115 between 2019 and 2023.

The Oklahoma Fatality Review Board started collecting its data in 2002 and works to reduce the number of domestic violence related deaths.

This year the Board has sent the following recommendations to the state legislature:

Establishing a fund for a statewide program focused on providing direct trauma-informed services to children, adolescents and their caregivers who have been impacted by family violence-related homicide and near-fatal intimate partner violence;

Enacting a domestic violence-specific hearsay exception to bolster evidence-based prosecution;

Strengthening areas of state Victim Protection Order laws; and

Amending state statutes to eliminate discrepancies related to domestic violence crimes.

The trauma of domestic violence homicides also impacts Oklahoma’s children. According to the Fatality Review Board, these incidents are witnessed by an average of 59 children each year.

Additionally, the board is recommending that the legislature use $850,000 to support children exposed to homicides related to domestic violence.

There are currently some bills that have been introduced in the state legislature that aim to address these recommendations.

Senator Ally Seafried and Representative Stan May have authored SB 813 that clarifies that law enforcement does everything possible to serve a protective order and ensures that it’s filed with the district court the following day.

HB 1591 authored by Representative John George and Senator Darrell Weaver would add minimum requirements of time to be served for certain crimes.

Under HB 1591 anyone convicted of domestic abuse by strangulation, domestic assault and battery with a deadly weapon, and aggravated assault and battery on a law officer would be required to serve at least 85 of their sentence.

Drummond praised the Fatality Review Board for their efforts in collecting data and trying to curb the high rate of domestic violence in the state.

“The sobering reality is that Oklahoma continues to rank among the highest in the nation for domestic violence incidents,” said Drummond. “The Board’s work remains vital as we strive to end this cycle of violence and create lasting change in our communities.”