Breaking the Cycle of Domestic Violence

As the year starts to wind down, we have a lot of exciting things to look forward to. It’s also important to reflect on where the year has taken us. In October, we observed Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, and it’s an awareness that we need to keep alive beyond any designated period. This is especially an issue we need to be mindful of right now as we prepare to enter the holiday season. 

A Persistent Problem 

Statistics show that incidents of domestic violence typically rise during the holidays, brought on by stress and other factors related to the season. But this is a year-round problem, and this is an issue that cuts across demographics and generations. 

Nationally, one in four women and one in seven men will experience some form of physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. It also hurts teenage dating relationships, and children are forever shaped by the harmful environments created by violence at home. 

The Maryland Network against Domestic Violence’s most recent report in 2023 found that 38 Marylanders lost their lives to domestic violence. Prince George’s County is not immune. This year we have experienced a rise in domestic violence incidents, and sadly, 19.7% of our 91 homicides have been domestic.  

The truth of the matter is that far too many people suffer at the hand of someone close to them. But even though this is so pervasive, many victims feel alone. Many feel they can’t tell anyone. That’s why continuing to highlight this problem is so important – because domestic violence thrives in silence. The less we talk about it, the more it continues, and the harder it is to stop. 

Breaking the Cycle 

My father has told me many times that how you see something depends on where you sit. And I’ve seen up close how this issue slowly destroys our communities. I saw it when I worked as Prince George’s County’s first full-time domestic violence prosecutor. I felt it when consoling victims who had been suffering in silence and pretending everything was fine. When I was State’s Attorney, I heard in the courthouse how it would threaten to rip families apart if nobody intervened to break the cycle. When I would visit crime scenes, I tragically witnessed when it was too late to hear the cries for help. I saw that something had to be done. 

That’s why, as State’s Attorney, I targeted resources to support victims and families and set up the Prince George’s County Family Justice Center. And that viewpoint stuck with me and has helped guide the steps my administration has taken to encourage talking about domestic violence. We’re determined to bring it to light instead of letting it survive in the shadows. 

While Prince George’s County has seen an increase in incidents, there is a silver lining. The cause is explained in part by a change in reporting requirements—a new policy from last year that requires PGPD officers to complete a report on all domestic-related incidents. This means we may be recording additional assaults that could have gone unrecorded in the past. Encouraging victims to report more incidents helps us compile better data, which helps us make better policy and progress against domestic violence in the future. 

But we have to do more, and we have. In addition to revised reporting requirements, we’ve increased spending in domestic violence prevention from the start of my administration. We’ve invested in initiatives like the Family Division Legislative Initiative Grant and the State’s Attorney’s Victim Advocacy Grant, which develop strategies and programs to support victims in the County. 

We have also greatly expanded our mental and behavioral health infrastructure and invested in resources like our mental health crisis 9-8-8 line. The Domestic Violence Unit in the Prince George’s County Police Department has partnered with the Family Justice Center to assist victims of domestic violence. 

But this is not something that law enforcement or government can solve alone. We have to defeat this as a community. It takes all of us.  

Initiatives like Purple Night Lights are community-centered efforts to embrace victims and build a supportive environment in the County.  They are part of our mission to reach out and unite with our residents in this fight. We advocate for policies and partnerships that go to the root of the problem and help reduce domestic violence long term. 

For example, part of creating a healthy, more open environment includes talking and listening to each other. Our Department of Family Services (DFS) conducts the Men’s Challenge Initiative to help men and boys communicate positively and build healthy relationships.  

You Are Not Alone 

The years of work we’ve put into this has helped us build up a wide range of available resources for anyone who may need assistance. Everyone deserves to feel safe at home with their loved ones, not only in the holiday season but throughout the year. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and suffering in silence, please know there’s someone ready to listen and waiting to help. 

You can find assistance from DFS by visiting mypgc.us/dv. Please share the link with family and friends.  

Let’s speak up and support each other. Let’s break the silence and break this destructive cycle. 

Yours In Service, 

Angela D. Alsobrooks

County Executive