Oklahoma reports record 122 domestic violence homicides in 2023

Oklahoma experienced a record 122 domestic violence homicides in 2023, marking a 16% increase from the previous year and the highest number in the past two decades. This troubling trend has persisted for five consecutive years, with 30 victims killed in murder-suicides and 50 in intimate partner homicides, 82% of whom were women. The Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board has highlighted the urgent need for legislative reforms to enhance protection for victims and hold abusers accountable. Recommendations include making second violations of protective orders a felony and increasing funding for trauma therapy for children affected by domestic violence. The board emphasizes the importance of comprehensive support systems to address this escalating public safety crisis. Attorney General Gentner Drummond has called for continued efforts to combat this epidemic, recognizing the alarming rise in domestic violence-related deaths across the state.