Domestic Violence Deaths Are Preventable Through Institutional Reform and Believing Women
Source: Dale Margolin Cecka. "This month’s twin tragedies in Louisiana and Virginia could have been prevented.." April 25, 2026. slate.com
The Gist
The author argues that recent murder-suicides in Virginia and Louisiana weren't shocking surprises but predictable tragedies that follow known patterns. She claims these deaths could have been prevented if courts and institutions took women's fears seriously and implemented proven safety measures instead of prioritizing shared custody.
Conclusion
Recent domestic violence tragedies in Louisiana and Virginia could have been prevented if institutions believed women's fears and implemented known prevention measures
Premises
- Domestic violence follows predictable patterns including coercive control, separation, threats, access to weapons, and mental instability
- The period surrounding separation and divorce is when domestic violence is most likely to escalate to homicide
- Family courts routinely minimize abuse allegations, default to shared parenting, and prioritize co-parenting over safety, thereby increasing abusers' access to victims
- Since 2008, nearly 1,000 children have been killed by parents (overwhelmingly fathers) often during court-ordered parenting time
- Access to firearms dramatically increases the risk to women and children, yet firearm relinquishment enforcement remains inconsistent or nonexistent
- Institutions and society systematically fail to believe women when they express legitimate fear about domestic violence
Assumptions
- The warning signs present in recent cases were sufficient to predict danger if properly recognized
- Institutional changes would be effective in preventing these deaths
- The pattern observed in documented cases represents the broader reality of domestic violence
- Women's expressions of fear about domestic violence are generally accurate and should be believed