Post by SoulTrainOz on Jul 13, 2006 4:59:20 GMT -5
In 2000, more than 7,000 domestic abuse cases were reported in Arkansas alone. The problem of domestic violence in the state is becoming more evident this week after the murder of Betty McCoy. She was killed Tuesday at a restaurant drive-thru in Conway, reportedly at the hand of her husband.
Police say just minutes before she was killed, McCoy filed for a
restraining order against her husband. Police had been called to domestic disturbances involving the McCoys several times before Betty McCoy was killed.
Police say she had taken the right steps legally to try to protect
herself, but domestic violence experts admit there's only so much police and judges can do.
"We just don't understand why," says Betty McCoys sister, Shirley Foster.
A former victim of domestic violence herself, Foster says Betty was scared of her husband.
Foster explains, "I know what my sister went through and that's why I tried to get her to speak and tell us, but she didn't want to tell us because she was embarrassed and I know how she feels."
Foster says the couple recently put their Conway home up for sale. Betty McCoy told her husband she wanted a divorce, and just 20 minutes before her murder she filed an order of protection against Stephen.
"Leaving can be dangerous," says Jayne Anne Kita with the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Kita says cases like Betty McCoys are far too common. Kita says McCoy did the right thing by going to police, but stresses victims need to go a step further.
"She knew she was in danger," says Kita. "I wondered if she had sought help from a shelter or an advocate of any kind. They could have offered her some options or some advice or maybe assisted her with safety planning."
Kita and McCoys family admit they'll never know if anything more could have been done to keep Betty from becoming another statistic. Their mission now is to share her story in hopes other women will learn from it and do more to protect themselves.
We also spoke with members of Stephen McCoys family. They did not want to comment.
The Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence says it's important to note that last year there were 26 domestic violence related murders in Arkansas, up from 19 the year before. Yet, funding for battered women's shelters and advocacy programs is going down.
Source: KTHV News
Police say just minutes before she was killed, McCoy filed for a
restraining order against her husband. Police had been called to domestic disturbances involving the McCoys several times before Betty McCoy was killed.
Police say she had taken the right steps legally to try to protect
herself, but domestic violence experts admit there's only so much police and judges can do.
"We just don't understand why," says Betty McCoys sister, Shirley Foster.
A former victim of domestic violence herself, Foster says Betty was scared of her husband.
Foster explains, "I know what my sister went through and that's why I tried to get her to speak and tell us, but she didn't want to tell us because she was embarrassed and I know how she feels."
Foster says the couple recently put their Conway home up for sale. Betty McCoy told her husband she wanted a divorce, and just 20 minutes before her murder she filed an order of protection against Stephen.
"Leaving can be dangerous," says Jayne Anne Kita with the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Kita says cases like Betty McCoys are far too common. Kita says McCoy did the right thing by going to police, but stresses victims need to go a step further.
"She knew she was in danger," says Kita. "I wondered if she had sought help from a shelter or an advocate of any kind. They could have offered her some options or some advice or maybe assisted her with safety planning."
Kita and McCoys family admit they'll never know if anything more could have been done to keep Betty from becoming another statistic. Their mission now is to share her story in hopes other women will learn from it and do more to protect themselves.
We also spoke with members of Stephen McCoys family. They did not want to comment.
The Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence says it's important to note that last year there were 26 domestic violence related murders in Arkansas, up from 19 the year before. Yet, funding for battered women's shelters and advocacy programs is going down.
Source: KTHV News