Shallow
Justice
Domestic abusers often avoid prosecution, receive lighter sentences than others who commit violent acts, and don’t finish their court-ordered intervention programs. The issues reflect tensions between criminal justice reforms and rights and the fight to protect women.
Strangulation of Women Is Common, Chilling – and Often a Grim Harbinger
Strangulation of women is a persistent and increasingly reported form of violence in Oklahoma, with hundreds of cases reported annually. It is not always fatal, but it is terrifying, can cause long-term injuries and is known to be a precursor to homicide.
“Unfortunately, we will have to see some horrible deaths for people to wake up and address this issue.”
– Candida Manion, director, Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, on strangulation of women.
Where to Find Help
Statewide domestic violence hotline
(800) 799-7233
YWCA, Oklahoma City
(800) 522-7233
Domestic Violence Intervention Services, Tulsa
(918) 743-5763
Women’s Resource Center, Norman
(405) 701-5540
Intervention With Domestic Abusers
Multimedia reporter Whitney Bryen spent much of 2019 reporting on a topic that affects far too many Oklahoma families – domestic abuse. So far, Bryen has revealed that strangulation is a common form of power and control against women and cases against alleged abusers in rural areas often collapse when victims decline to testify. She unpacked a little-known ruling by the Oklahoma Supreme Court that could allow fearful victims to testify remotely, found that most offenders aren’t completing state-mandated intervention courses and examined a system that relies on defendants to voluntarily surrender firearms. Help us shape ongoing coverage by contacting Bryen at wbryen@oklahomawatch.org with your stories, feedback or tips.