1 in 3 homicides this year motivated by domestic violence: APD

ATLANTA — For the first time, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum shared with City Council members a new homicide trend he had never seen before.

“Every time I have appeared before this body, escalation of conflict has always been the main motivation for a homicide in our city,” he said. “That changed in the first quarter of this year. We are now seeing cases of domestic violence.”

He said homicides involving people who are in a relationship, related to each other or living together make up 30% of the cases they have investigated so far in 2024.

Its officers responded to 12 cases in the first 18 weeks, a significant increase from just two at this point in 2023.

“We cannot be in living rooms and homes to be able to keep the peace,” he said.

Experts like Jan Christiansen, executive director of the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, say the solution is complicated.

“It’s very difficult to determine why anomalies occur,” she said. “Without guns, people probably wouldn’t have died. It’s not guaranteed, but to me, easy access to guns is the biggest factor in homicides in general, not just domestic violence.”

Additionally, inflation has made it more difficult for people experiencing domestic violence to escape a dangerous situation.

“Sometimes it’s a choice to stay with the devil you know — something you can usually predict, that maybe you can appease — or the devil you don’t know,” she said . “There is very little, if any, safe, affordable housing in the United States, and so there is nowhere safe to go.”

Christiansen said talking about domestic violence to reduce stigma can also help.

“It’s still a taboo in many places, and I think if society doesn’t start talking about it, it will never go away,” she said. “You never know what goes on behind closed doors.”

If you or a loved one needs help, resources are available. You can call the Georgia Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-33-HAVEN (1-800-334-2836) or the national hotline at 1-800-799-7233.