TULSA, Okla. — Despite a drop in 2022, Oklahoma still ranks among the highest in the nation for domestic violence.
The Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board released its annual reportin February.
As Oklahoma Attorney General Genter Drummond said, "Domestic violence is running rampant in Oklahoma."
For those who are victims, the state recommends speaking up, whether it be to a domestic violence provider like DVIS or, in some cases, by signing up for jiu-jitsu.
For a while, Justina Fields told 2 News she didn't feel she deserved better. After all, she said her upbringing was anything but ideal.
"The type of domestic violence in Oklahoma is severe. It was what I experienced: being held at gunpoint, being kidnapped, strangulation. I've seen it ever since it happened to me," Fields said.
That is until four and a half years ago when she picked up jiu-jitsu. It saved her.
Fields said she started coaching jiu-jitsu about a year ago to teach others they can get out of situations regardless of their size, as she did.
"Just years of being abused, it wasn't just a one-time incident. I really stuck with it," Fields said. "I just pushed forward and made the decision where I was not going to allow that to bleed into the next generation."
Despite a drop in domestic violence homicides in 2022, The Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board shows Oklahoma averaged 114 domestic homicide victims between 2019 and 2022, compared to 90 between 2011 and 2018.
The board recommends changes to eliminate discrepancies in the law between domestic abuse and non-domestic crimes.
They consist of:
- broadening the domestic assault and battery with a deadly weapon charge to include weapons other than firearms
- include domestic violence as 85% of crimes (requires 85% of imprisonment sentence before parole)
- increase punishment time for first-time domestic assault and battery by strangulation
- classifying several domestic assault and battery offenses as violent crimes
Fields said it's never too late to save yourself. If you're a victim of domestic violence, service providers say to call for help.
Resources available:
- 24-HOUR OKLAHOMA SAFELINE - 800.522.SAFE (7233) | https://www.oag.ok.gov/victim-services
- OKLAHOMA ATTORNEY GENERAL VICTIM ADVOCACY AND SERVICES UNIT (VASU) - 405.521.3921 | www.oag.ok.gov/victim-services
- NATIVE ALLIANCE AGAINST VIOLENCE - 405.217.0212 | https://oknaav.org/
- NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - 800.537.2238 | www.nrcdv.org | www.vawnet.org
- NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE - 800.799.7233 | 800.787.3224 (TTY) | www.thehotline.org
More domestic violence resources can be found in the report.
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