Family violence is the third most frequently committed offense in Tarrant County. That stunning statistic is unacceptable. That’s why this office created an annual educational effort we launch every October, during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, to draw awareness to the prevalence of this brutality. This is the fifth year of the campaign. Domestic or family violence will not be tolerated here. Not in my County. The Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office will share this message in October through photos and videos on our social media channels – and on signs you’ll see displayed in yards across the county. We want to spread the word that it’s time to stop Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney Sharen Wilson created an IPV unit in 2016 after a crisis number of cases – 16 – were reported. The team works to identify and prosecute violent family violence offenders. By 2018, there was a drop in IPV murders, down to seven, and in 2019, there were eight cases. Then COVID hit, and people were forced to stay home. By the end of 2020, 19 adults and two unborn babies were killed by some- one they loved or trusted. So far this year, there have been six IPV murders. That number is lower, so far, than it was last year. But that’s still too many deaths – one IPV death is too many. “No one should be hurt or live in fear of being hurt by someone they love,” Sharen Wilson said. “This is a continuing problem in Tarrant County and one we are working on every day. “We are aggressively prosecuting these cases,” she said. “We are seeking justice for every victim in Tarrant County. We are their voices – and we will not be silenced.” October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Our emphasis each year during this month is to educate the public about domestic violence and share resources that are available to victims. We want to make sure offenders – and potential offenders – know that domestic violence is a top priority of prosecutors and law enforcement in Tarrant County. To report a suspected incident of Intimate Partner Violence, call your local police department. More information about Not in my County will be available on the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/tarrantcountyda/ or on Twitter at @TarrantCountyDA.
