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More seeking to escape domestic violence

JANESVILLE — Rock County ranked third in the state in 2008 in the number of domestic violence incidents that ended in homicide or suicide, according to a report by the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

So far this year, two incidents have ended in deaths compared to three last year in Rock County. But the number of families seeking shelter services at the YWCA of Rock County is up 14 percent compared to last year, Director Kerri Parker said.

And the level of violence is intensifying, Parker said.

"We are quite certain that a combination of things is causing the increase in shelter use," Parker said. "We think that increased severity is pushing people to leave, and the fragile economy is pushing people to shelters as their only viable option," Parker said.

The shelter in 2009 has served 198 people from 68 households. Sixty percent of the clients are children, Parker said.

YMCA staff has seen injuries more severe than in past years. Situations that once were verbal or emotional abuse have escalated to physical abuse, she said.

Parker said staff members observed an unprecedented drop in requests for service in April following the death of Janesville resident Erica M. Ostenson, 25.

Ostenson's former boyfriend, Kyle E. Hicke, 37, of 108 Forest Lake Drive, Milton, was arrested after a high-speed police chase following the shooting. Hicke is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless endangerment, possession of a firearm by a felon and attempting to flee or elude an officer.

Workers at a shelter in Beloit experienced a similar drop in April, Parker said. It's hard to say for certain why families suddenly stopped seeking services, she said.

"Our hypothesis was that women who were considering leaving said, 'Uh uh. I'm not going to leave if that's going to happen to me.'"

Parker said only a fraction of families living with domestic violence ever seek services or report the violence to police.

In Janesville, police made 591 domestic violence arrests in 2008, which was higher than any other year since 2004. Reports of 375 domestic violence incidents were made during the first six months of 2009, police previously have told the Gazette.

What really struck Parker about the numbers statewide and locally is the number of children who have been affected.

In the past 12 months, eight Rock County children have lost at least one parent to reported domestic violence that ended in murder or suicide, Parker said. Five of those children lost both parents.

"Imagine you're a child of primary school age," Parker said. "Imagine how that would shape your life and shape your sense of what the world has to give and what's OK or what's normal in relationships."

Janesville Police Deputy Chief Steve Kopp said the department is concerned that domestic violence caused by the economic downturn could get worse before it gets better.

"That's our fear, that it could get worse," Kopp said.

DOMESTIC HOMICIDES

Rock County in 2008 ranked third in Wisconsin for the number of homicides resulting from domestic violence. Dane County, with five homicides, and Milwaukee County, with nine, topped the list.

No domestic violence homicides were reported in Walworth County.

In Rock County:

2008

-- Jennifer Vordermann, 24, Edgerton was shot and killed Aug. 17 by her husband, Shaun Vordermann, 25. Shaun then shot and killed himself. Jennifer was in the process of moving out of the couple's home. Prior to the homicide, law enforcement had several contacts with Shaun in response to calls from the victim and her mother. Shaun had been threatening to kill himself and Jennifer, her family members have said. Shaun was evaluated by Rock County Crisis Intervention days before the two died. Jennifer's family has filed a lawsuit against Rock County, the city of Edgerton and the Edgerton Police Department.

-- Shukrije Menxhiqi, 38, Janesville was shot to death Aug. 30 by her husband, Rexhep Menxhiqi, 54. He then committed suicide. Four of the couple's five children were home and heard the gunshots.

-- Stacey Hosey, 31, Beloit, was stabbed by former boyfriend Donyil Anderson on Aug. 9, police reported. Anderson, 35, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide on accusations that he killed Hosey and wounded her male partner. A trial is pending.

2009

-- Erica M. Ostenson, 25, Janesville, was fatally shot April 22 by her boyfriend, Kyle E. Hicke, 37, of 108 Forest Lake Drive, Milton, police reported. Hicke killed Ostenson in front of her son, Damon, 5, after an argument, according to reports. He is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless endangerment, possession of a firearm by a felon and attempting to flee or elude an officer. Hicke remains in the Rock County Jail on $1 million cash bond.

-- Darrellwar Tillman, 19, Beloit, died of asphyxiation Sept. 28 at her apartment. Her boyfriend, Jeremy Alexander Leavy-Carter, 20, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide. He is in custody at the Rock County Jail.

Source: The 2008 Wisconsin Domestic Violence Homicide Report

TO GET HELP

Resources are available to leave a violent situation or help a friend.

Most advocacy Web sites warn readers to only search the Web for help from a safe computer. Sites also urge people to call 911 if they are in immediate danger.

-- The YWCA of Rock County. In Janesville, call (608) 752-2583. In Beloit, call (608) 365-1119. Visit ywca.org. Click on the "Find YWs" link, the "local associations" link and the state of Wisconsin on the map.

The YWCA has volunteer opportunities available and welcomes donations of cash and household items. Call (608) 752-5445.

-- The Domestic Violence Intervention Program provides programming for offenders. Call (608) 757-5677. Visit www.co.rock.wi.us and click on the deferred prosecution link.

-- The Wisconsin Coalition to End Domestic Violence. Go online to wcadv.org.

-- The National Network to End Domestic Violence. Call the hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or at TTY 1-800-787-3224 or go online to nnedv.org.

WISCONSIN DEATHS

The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence last month released a report on the 2008 domestic violence incidents that ended in deaths.

According to the 40-page report:

-- Forty-six people died in 36 incidents in 2008. Ten of the deaths were suicides. Only one of the 33 perpetrators was female. Twenty-four of the victims were females.

-- Victims ranged in age from five weeks to 71 years. In comparison with recent years, a higher proportion of victims and perpetrators were age 50 and older.

-- At least 15 children and 25 adult children were left orphaned or without a mother or father as a result of domestic violence. Of the 10 minor children who lost one parent, eight lost their mothers.

To learn more, go online to wcadv.org.