SafeHaven of Tarrant County

Attempted strangulation can be a felony under Texas law and an indicator that domestic violence victims could end up dead. And advocates want to prevent that.

In Tarrant County last year, seven women died at the hands of their abusive partners. SafeHaven of Tarrant County reflected on their lives, and what the county has done to prevent more deaths, at an event on Thursday.

In 2020, Tarrant County saw a big increase in intimate partner homicides, with 17 deaths. But besides 2020, these homicides have seen an overall decrease since 2016, according to a new report.

The cold weather and power outages have affected almost everybody in North Texas. But the effects they’re having on local women’s shelters are devastating.

After trending downward for years, domestic violence homicides in Tarrant County have reached an all-time high. This year, 17 deaths were linked to domestic violence. That’s more than double the number recorded in Tarrant County last year.

Intimate partner homicides had been declining in Tarrant County in the last four years, but 2020 is already the worst year on record.

Calls and requests for lifesaving shelter are through the roof at one women’s shelter in North Texas. Others are out of space. Most are out of cleaning…