Protecting Victims of Domestic Violence in Montgomery County: Challenges and Opportunities with Protective and Peace Orders
Court Watch Montgomery has released our first report analyzing data collected by volunteers in domestic violence protective order dockets to identify needed court reforms.
We estimate that over 7,000 residents are victims of domestic violence in Montgomery County each year. National data suggest that over 76,000 women in Montgomery County will be attacked by an intimate partner at some time in their lives.
Each year domestic violence has fatal consequences. From July 1st, 2002, to the present, 48 people were killed by their partners or ex-partners in Montgomery County.
In the past twelve months alone, two women have been killed by their intimate partners. When a domestic violence victim decides to flee her abuser, her chances of being physically attacked by her partner skyrocket. While not a panacea, a protective or peace order can help her dramatically reduce or stop the violence, particularly when combined with a broader safety plan.
Over 3,000 people request legal protection from their intimate partners annually from the Montgomery County District Courts in the form of protective and peace orders.
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