The Powell Republican Club met on Thursday, the program was the Knox Co District Attorney General Domestic Vioence Prosecutor Willie Lane.
Knox Co Assitant District Attorney Willie Lane and the Domestic Violence Prosecutor talking to the Powell Republican Club
Mrs. Lane said that when Attorney General Charme Allen was elected she created the Domestic Violence Unit. On Thursday Governor Bill Haslam was in town at a luncheon and had mentioned that TN is high in regard to domestic violence. Prosecutor Lane went and looked up the statistics after the luncheon. TN is #6 in the nation where women will be murdered by a man.
One of the issues in the past has been the women that are victims of domestic violence, she either doesn’t show up at court, she will testify for him and/or makes his bond for his release.
So, why should the District Attorney care when the women do not? A club member responded in order to save her life tomorrow and because it is community problem. Prosecutor Lane said domestic violence is the families story and its law enforcement story.
When Attorney General Allen created the Dometic Violence unit she challenged them to treat every case like a homocide. With the work of the unit, the actions of the unit has shown they value law enforcement and law enforcement know their work is not in vain.
The work of the Domestic Unit sends a message to the victim that someone is fighting for them, even if they don’t fight for themselves. Statistics show that it takes 7 times before a woman will leave a man. The work of the Domestic Violence Unit also sends a message to the defendent that Knox Co as a community is saying we are not going to put up with it.
State Representative Bill Dunn gave a TN legislative update to the club.
