El Paso’s New Emphasis on Domestic Violence

September 10th, 2009 | Published in 2nd story

<i>Tina Butler (l), a victim's advocate, and Joe McBain, an investigator, investigate upwards of 11 domestic violence complaints a day in El Paso.</i>

Tina Butler and Joe McBain investigate upwards of 11 domestic violence complaints a day in El Paso.

In the 1950s and 60s, police often treated cases of domestic violence as personal family issues. Many women’s groups and activists worked throughout the 1970s and 1980s to change attitudes of prosecutors and law enforcement groups. But the issues surrounding domestic violence don’t simply go away with an attitude change.

District Attorney Jaime Esparza.

In El Paso, Texas, teams of officers and victims advocates specializing in domestic violence cases are charged with investigating such complaints within 24 hours. It’s a program launched by the El Paso District Attorney. And it’s resulting in stronger criminal cases against offenders and quicker assistance for victims.

Latino USA contributor Monica Ortiz Uribe reports.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Email This