Post by lace on Oct 1, 2006 20:52:51 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Funding, stronger laws sought after domestic violence murders[/glow] 
ASHEVILLE, N.C. | Domestic violence shelters say they're underfunded in North Carolina, and advocates say more needs to be done to protect victims of domestic abuse.
[glow=red,2,300]The calls come in the wake of two fatal domestic violence cases in as many weeks, which has prompted a local prosecutor to suggest changing state laws so the death penalty could be an option in some cases.[/glow]
Authorities are still looking for a man accused of gunning down his estranged wife in a shelter in Sylva almost two weeks ago. John "Woody" Raymond Woodring, 35, is accused of forcing his way into the shelter Sept. 18 and fatally shooting his wife, Bonnie.
A week later, 25-year-old Joel Zelaya Rivera was charged for killing his wife at their home Hendersonville.
Statewide, 49 women have been killed in domestic violence-related cases in North Carolina this year.
State funding to support domestic violence shelters and other programs increased this year by $350,000 to total $5.3 million, but advocates say they need more to operate shelters and provide necessary services such as mental health counseling.
Although funding has improved in the last ten years, the money hasn't kept pace with the increasing amount of domestic violence cases, said Valerie Collins, executive director of Helpmate in Asheville.
"I think that the priorities around this issue could be different," Collins said. "I think that when you look at the scope of domestic violence, we are really underfunding the services."
Money from the state and federal governments don't cover costs for most shelters and their services, she said.
"It's a daily struggle," said Julia Freeman, the director of REACH of Haywood County, which served 1,700 victims last year.
District Attorney Michael Bonfoey, responsible for prosecuting cases in the state's seven westernmost counties, is calling for changes in state law. In a written statement, Bonfoey said he wants to increase police patrols around shelters, which should be equipped with security cameras, doors and locks.
State laws also needs to changed, Bonfoey said.
The death penalty should be an option when a victim is killed by someone who violated a restraining order or when someone is killed in a shelter, and trespassing at a shelter should be a felony, he said.
"Everyone wants to be safe in our communities, and when someone is forced to seek shelter at a domestic violence shelter, they should feel safe and be safe from harm," he said.
Information from: The Asheville Citizen-Times, www.citizen-times.com
ASHEVILLE, N.C. | Domestic violence shelters say they're underfunded in North Carolina, and advocates say more needs to be done to protect victims of domestic abuse.
[glow=red,2,300]The calls come in the wake of two fatal domestic violence cases in as many weeks, which has prompted a local prosecutor to suggest changing state laws so the death penalty could be an option in some cases.[/glow]
Authorities are still looking for a man accused of gunning down his estranged wife in a shelter in Sylva almost two weeks ago. John "Woody" Raymond Woodring, 35, is accused of forcing his way into the shelter Sept. 18 and fatally shooting his wife, Bonnie.
A week later, 25-year-old Joel Zelaya Rivera was charged for killing his wife at their home Hendersonville.
Statewide, 49 women have been killed in domestic violence-related cases in North Carolina this year.
State funding to support domestic violence shelters and other programs increased this year by $350,000 to total $5.3 million, but advocates say they need more to operate shelters and provide necessary services such as mental health counseling.
Although funding has improved in the last ten years, the money hasn't kept pace with the increasing amount of domestic violence cases, said Valerie Collins, executive director of Helpmate in Asheville.
"I think that the priorities around this issue could be different," Collins said. "I think that when you look at the scope of domestic violence, we are really underfunding the services."
Money from the state and federal governments don't cover costs for most shelters and their services, she said.
"It's a daily struggle," said Julia Freeman, the director of REACH of Haywood County, which served 1,700 victims last year.
District Attorney Michael Bonfoey, responsible for prosecuting cases in the state's seven westernmost counties, is calling for changes in state law. In a written statement, Bonfoey said he wants to increase police patrols around shelters, which should be equipped with security cameras, doors and locks.
State laws also needs to changed, Bonfoey said.
The death penalty should be an option when a victim is killed by someone who violated a restraining order or when someone is killed in a shelter, and trespassing at a shelter should be a felony, he said.
"Everyone wants to be safe in our communities, and when someone is forced to seek shelter at a domestic violence shelter, they should feel safe and be safe from harm," he said.
Information from: The Asheville Citizen-Times, www.citizen-times.com