A new report shows a record number of people died in Minnesota last year as a result of domestic violence.
According to Violence Free Minnesota, at least 40 people died from intimate partner violence or by intervening in a case of domestic violence. Of those 40 deaths, 29 were killed by an intimate partner, while 11 were intervening or bystanders near a violent exchange.
Senior Communications Manager Maggie Royer says too many factors play into the issue to say what's really causing the rise in deaths.
"We can't point to one specific factor that caused a larger number," says Royer. "But what I can say is that a lot of advocates reported during the COVID-19 pandemic, that they were seeing an increase in the severity of domestic violence."
She says part of the problem is that these kind of deaths aren't universally tracked, and that not every incident is reported. She and he team at Violence Free Minnesota are pushing for laws that put more safeguards in the reporting process and in legal arenas for victims.
Royer says there are ways lawmakers can put more safeguards in place for victims.
"We are really trying to transform the legal system's response to domestic violence because unfortunately, we see that victims of color often do not have adequate experiences when they report to law enforcement or when they are kind of navigating the legal system," explains Royer.
She says this year at least 14 more people have lost their lives from similar types of violence.
Minnesota U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (DFL) has been a strong advocate of stronger laws around domestic violence. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the a law which prohibits the possession of firearms by persons subject to domestic-violence restraining orders, Klobuchar said it's important for victims to feel protected.
“Victims of domestic abuse and their families deserve peace of mind and certainty that their abuser will not have access to firearms. There is a decades-long history of bipartisan support for these common sense and lifesaving protections, which is why I submitted a bipartisan amicus brief in this case urging the Court to uphold the law. This was the right decision that upholds a common sense law that has been in place for 30 years. Even with today’s outcome, we know there is more work to be done, including passing my bill to fully close the boyfriend loophole and preventing convicted stalkers from buying or owning firearms.”