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Shortcomings Revealed in Responding to Domestic Violence

[Column 358, October 10, 2005] | Archived Columns

By Ken Suggs*

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and though our country has made great strides in reducing family violence, approximately 1 million women still suffer violence by a significant other and 1,200 women are killed each year. Domestic violence was once seen as a private matter. Today, most law enforcement agencies take it seriously for what it is—a crime like any other. But the tragic death of Paula Ross shows that we still have far to go.

The local authorities in the town of Gaston, Indiana, received numerous complaints over a four-month period from Paula Ross, a 28-year-old mother of two, claiming her estranged husband was stalking and threatening to kill her. Thirteen police reports were filed, but no action was taken against Tom Ross, despite a restraining order that prohibited him from any contact with his wife.

Paula Ross reported instances of harassment, stalking, death threats and battery, but the police informed her that they did not consider the threats to be serious.

While driving away from her 6-year old child's school on October 5, 1994, two days after her divorce was final, Paula Ross was stopped abruptly by her ex-husband and shot in the head.

Paula Ross's family, appalled by the mismanagement of such serious reports by the Gaston authorities, filed a wrongful death lawsuit. "The plaintiffs filed this lawsuit in order to vindicate the needless loss of their mother and daughter, and to send a message to law enforcement officers that they must take domestic violence complaints seriously," Indianapolis attorney Richard Waples said.

Evidence in the trial revealed that Tom Ross had been a danger to the entire community. Multiple women over the years reported that Ross stalked them, but the police department took no action. Additionally, the trial examined all of the 13 police reports filed by Paula Ross, the vast majority of which were never investigated. Tom Ross was never confronted or questioned about his much criminal behavior. Sadly, it took a lawsuit to bring this information to light, and to change the shockingly lax attitude of the police department in Gaston.

Most police departments have come to understand how dangerous domestic violence is and take reports like Paula Ross's seriously. However, this month is about remembering victims like Paula Ross, raising awareness about the problem, giving victims strength to get out of abusive relationships, and informing friends and family about how they can help. While most sufferers of domestic violence are women, both women and men of all ages, races and income brackets, are victims of domestic violence every year.

If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic violence, you can get help and remain anonymous by calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, providing services in over 140 languages in addition to a TTY line for the deaf (1-800-787-3224).

Callers to the hotline can get information about more than 5,000 local and national shelters. Hotline advocates are trained to provide safety planning information, as well as directly connect callers to resources in their local areas.

The National Coalition against Domestic Violence strongly recommends that victims have a "safety plan." If you are still in an abusive relationship, your safety plan should include keeping with you at all times a list of people you can contact, memorizing all important phone numbers, and thinking of what you will say the next time your partner becomes violent. If you have left the relationship, your safety plan should include changing your phone numbers, saving and documenting all messages, injuries, and incidents, and only meeting your partner in a public space. For a complete list of safety plan tips, visit www.ncadv.org/protectyourself/SafetyPlan_130.html.

No one in authority took the threats to Paula Ross seriously. But this month gives all of us the opportunity to recognize domestic violence as real, ongoing, and deadly—and to commit to working to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

For more information on Domestic Violence and Domestic Violence Awareness Month visit:

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
National Domestic Violence Hotline
American Institute on Domestic Violence
American Bar Association

*Ken Suggs, president of the American Association for Justice, is a partner in the Columbia, SC, law firm of Janet, Jenner & Suggs.