A police officer once commented to this newspaper that he would rather respond to a bank robbery in progress than to a domestic violence call.

His reasoning was that he knew what to expect in a bank robbery, but there was always greater uncertainty trying to quell a domestic violence issue.

He went on to note how an officer might have an abusive husband on the ground trying to handcuff him and in the next turn of events, the wife, who he was trying to protect, might come after him with a Louisville slugger or a cast iron skillet.

We can see that officer’s point. 

There is documentation of officers being hurt and even killed when responding to domestic violence. Just a few days ago, a Lowndes County deputy, Chris Butler, was killed in a car crash while responding to a domestic violence issue.

So it would be an understatement to say that domestic violence is a serious issue in our communities. Our daily crime reports in The Moultrie Observer often list some of these incidents.

Many communities around this area have established shelters for battered spouses. Data show these victims are mostly women.

Here in Colquitt County we have Serenity House, a haven for those abused. And we have reciprocating agreements with other communities when space is needed.

Studies have shown that many women will go back to an abusive situation several times before adhering to professional help. For those who don’t remember, the murder of one of our Moultrie Observer reporters by her estranged husband was the catalyst that launched the Serenity House. Yes, we have a vested interest in its application and success.

We encourage those who are being abused to seek help. We encourage the families and friends of those being abused to counsel them in this regard. Be certain, this is not about minding other peoples’ business. It’s about saving lives. And sometimes those lives are the men and women in law enforcement who are trying to help these victims.