Denver7 is getting more insight into how domestic violence is impacting our communities with a new report released Tuesday.
The data in the annual report, put together by the Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board, shows domestic violence fatalities are down across the state, but experts say this doesn't mean cases are trending downward.
In 2023, 58 people died because of domestic violence, ranging from 14 to 70 years old. That's down from 94 deaths in the previous year's report.
You can read the full 59-page report below.
Now the Colorado Attorney General's office said it is looking for answers on how to lower cases even more through new data that is helping them better understand risk factors.
The report shows that this year officials were able to see suspects' criminal histories as well as the number of cases with prior protection orders.
Data showed 80% of those impacted by domestic violence had never contacted police before. Domestic violence made up 11% of all homicides in Colorado in 2023.
The counties with the most deaths reported are Arapahoe County with 14, Denver County with 10 and El Paso County with eight.
The City and County of Denver in particular has seen a concerning upward trend, according to the report. Police saw 1,847 domestic violence cases in 2019 compared to 1,991 in 2023.
The report also shows that rural counties saw a higher instance of domestic violence cases.
Now, officials are on notice — including Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser — as leaders say more resources are needed for earlier intervention.
“The call to action here is how do we create more awareness, better resources, so that people who are vulnerable, where there is a likelihood of potential violence, even life-threatening violence, gets help before it's too late?” Weiser said.
As the state continues to look for solutions, experts say there's a need for more family court system reforms.
Another recommendation is to allow those impacted to have the chance to be notified if a person they have a restraining order against tries to buy a firearm.
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