LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Mayor of Lexington has addressed the community about the increase in violence in Fayette County over the last few weeks. One concern that continues to be an issue is the increase in domestic violence homicides.
What You Need To Know
- Lexington officials say they have seen an 1100% increase in domestic violence homicide cases
- Domestic Violence Homicide cases make up one third of 2022’s homicide cases in Lexington
- As of September, Lexington has had 35 homicides this year
- In 2021, Lexington had 37 homicide cases for the entire year
From this time last year, the City of Lexington says they have seen an 1100% increase in domestic violence homicide cases. An increase, Executive Director Darlene Thomas with GreenHouse 17 says is disheartening.
“It’s not just Lexington. We’re seeing it across the state and our state coalition is reporting an 82% increase in homicides across the state of Kentucky from the previous year,” Thomas said.
Domestic Violence homicides make up one third of the homicide cases in Lexington this year. But Thomas says this increase isn’t new — it’s an increase she has seen since the start of the pandemic.
“In the very beginning of the pandemic, it was eerily quiet and I couldn’t figure it out because I’m like people are trapped at home. This is when I should be seeing an increase, but they were eerily quiet because they couldn’t reach out,” Thomas said.
It’s more than the number of cases this year, Thomas said. There has also been an increase in the abuse's severity.
“As the world opens back up, batterers are losing their control. So they had complete control for the most part for a couple of years, almost. And now you’re losing control not just of your family, but just in general and I do believe that that is one of those main differences we’re seeing,” Thomas said.
Lexington has reported 12 domestic violence homicide-related cases this year as of September. Thomas says it’s time for people to realize it’s affecting the entire community.
“It’s people we know, our colleagues, our friends, our family, often. It is all around us. It is also an epidemic,” Thomas said.
GreenHouse 17 is just one of the many resources in 17 different counties around the state. But Thomas says it will take Kentuckians helping one another to make a greater impact on these survivors.
GreenHouse 17 is a resource for men, women and children in seventeen different counties across the state. Providing resources for those in need of help with relocation, safety and shelter.