A new report on a jump in domestic violence-related homicides is the kind of horror story that should frighten us all.
The biggest factor? Guns, which were used to kill in 84% of incidents, followed by stabbings, beatings and strangulation.
The Ohio Domestic Violence Network’s 10th annual Domestic Violence Fatality Report, which is based on media reports of fatalities in the state between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, shows that the number of deaths connected to intimate-partner violence increased by 37.7% from the previous year, or from 114 incidents to 157.
According to the new report, the number of fatalities in Ohio has nearly doubled since 2016, increasing for seven consecutive years.
Domestic violence fatalities occurred in 36 of Ohio’s 88 counties, including five in Stark County during that time.
These are numbers that can’t be spun away because there is a dead person and a shattered family behind each and every one.
“Each number in this report represents a person whose life was cut short by violence that could have been prevented,” said Julie Donant, CEO of the Domestic Violence Project Inc. in Canton.
“The rise in domestic violence fatalities across Ohio is more than a statistic, it’s a call to action for every one of us to do more to protect survivors and hold perpetrators accountable. DVPI stands as a lifeline for survivors, a voice for change, and a constant force for healing. During Domestic Violence Awareness Month and every day after, we urge our community to speak up, reach out, and help end the violence before it turns fatal.”
We aren’t talking about “stranger danger.” People killed during domestic violence incidents almost always die at the hand of a person who purported to love them.
Any police officer will tell you that they’d rather chase after a bank robber than answer a domestic violence call, which is rife with uncertainty.
Thanks to a persistent erosion of policy which no longer requires firearms training, along with a rejection of “red flag” laws, no one should be surprised at the increase of such incidents.
Even now, the Ohio Supreme Court is considering a challenge to a state law that prohibits people who are drinking in bars to carry guns. If it’s struck down, it will bring to life every cowboy movie ever made.
U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, has proposed three bills to strengthen protections for victims.
The Fair Social Security for Domestic Violence Survivors Act would reduce the marriage requirement for spousal Social Security benefits from 10 years to five years for those who divorce due to domestic abuse.
The Better Care for Domestic Violence Survivors Act would invest $50 million over five years in a pilot program to train health care providers in trauma-informed care.
The Break Free From Domestic Violence Act would allow survivors of domestic violence, stalking, or sexual assault to break their leases without penalty, enabling them to leave dangerous living situations.
As a state representative, Sykes introduced a bill which extended first-ever protective orders to victims of dating violence.
In Congress, she also has advocated for the Stop Electronic Stalking Act, and recently secured a $500,000 transitional housing assistance grant for the Domestic Violence Project.
Protecting gun rights without action to protect domestic violence victims and first responders will only result in more anarchy, tragedy and statistics.
Confidential help is available 24/7 through DVPI’s 24-hour hotline: 330-453-7233.
Charita M. Goshay is a Canton Repository staff writer and member of the editorial board. Reach her at charita.goshay@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @cgoshayREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Lack of a sensible gun policy a real horror story for domestic violence victims | Opinion
Reporting by Charita M. Goshay, Canton Repository / The Repository
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