This year our General Assembly has a chance to take a major step forward in protecting victims of domestic violence from repeated abuse. Protecting victims is just one part of ending domestic violence, but an important part.

Domestic violence is a scourge in our community. On average, every 20 minutes, an act of domestic violence occurs in Davidson County, and Tennessee has one of the 10 worst records for domestic violence in the nation.

In 2013, 26 percent of the homicides in Davidson County were a result of domestic violence and, according to data from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, 51 percent of the crimes against persons in Tennessee are a result of domestic violence.

In the United States, more than 15 million children are exposed to domestic violence. After growing to adulthood, boys who are exposed to domestic violence are twice as likely to be violent toward their own partners or children.

The women, men, elderly and children who suffer physical and emotional assault are but the most obvious victims of domestic violence. It is estimated that domestic violence costs our state $1 billion each year in law enforcement expenses, medical expenses and lost productivity.

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