An article about the death in 2020 of Daniela Espirito Santo in Lincolnshire and repeated failure of prosecutors to punish abusers recently made the front page of the New York Times.
In ‘A Yearlong Cry for Help, Then Death After an Assault’, journalist Jane Bradley describes Ms. Espirito Santo as ‘one of 16 women and girls killed in suspected domestic homicides during the first month of Britain’s lockdown — more than triple the number in that month the previous year, and the highest figure in a decade’.
The article speaks about a UK crisis of violence against women that has worsened during the pandemic, outdated policing and public attitudes to women and weak or indifferent media coverage.
It also questions the decision by prosecutors to drop manslaughter charges against Ms. Espirito Santo’s then boyfriend, Julio Jesus, and refers to a report by the Independent Office for Police Conduct which notes ‘that some male officers felt sympathetic toward Mr. Jesus before releasing him on bail’.
In the online reader comments (over 200) at the end of the article, there is a lively debate that ranges from those outraged by UK police and legal system failures to those who comment that this is a world-wide problem. One reader compared average female murder rates: 1 in 600,000 in the UK versus 1 in 55,000 in the US.
Some readers express ‘victim blaming’ views and some urge self-defence classes and/or the use of firearms for protection. One reader writes that ‘unloved boys often become men who are filled with rage’ and others called for more female police officers and judges.
Some readers commented on the problem of domestic abuse committed by police officers and one reported that police officers in the US commit acts of domestic violence at roughly 15 times the rate of the general population.
IMAGE courtesy of cottonbro @ Pexels
KLAXON is a new novel and thriller about a woman seeking to escape an abusive and dangerous relationship. This Blog seeks to highlight issues around domestic violence and the sources of help for its victims. If you would like to find out more and to get involved with the blog or the promotion of Klaxon through book clubs and other means, please contact the Klaxon team.
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