Advocates push firearm limits as Georgia domestic violence deaths rise

Fatality rates involving domestic violence are increasing in Georgia, and while Georgia Republicans look to establish an offender registry, activist groups are looking at different approaches.

Karimah Dillard, the director of policy for the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said the organization is looking at evidence-based approaches to address the issue.

One key component is firearms because they are responsible for 80% of domestic violence deaths in Georgia.

“Georgia, unlike the vast majority of the country, has nothing in our statute that compels the courts to restrict access to firearms for people who are subject to protective orders, which means that different jurisdictions around the state do different things,” Dillard said.

States with these protections have seen a decrease in domestic violence deaths by 16%, Dillard said.

The coalition is working with the Georgia Commission on Family Violence to establish a statewide danger risk assessment protocol for law enforcement to better identify those victims at the most risk.

“This has been implemented in many other states around the country with a lot of success, and we would like to do that here in Georgia,” Dillard said.

Another major issue for fighting domestic violence in the state is funding. The coalition is facing a $16 million reduction in funds from the end of federal programs and federal cuts.

“We have been struggling to keep our domestic violence shelters and sexual assault centers funded so that they can continue to provide life-saving services to victims who seek out their services for help,” she said.