NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A new study by the Violence Policy Center found Tennessee ranks fifth in the country when it comes to the number of women being murdered by men in domestic violence situations.
Experts like Kathy Walsh with the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence believe southern culture is to blame.
"I think sometimes offenders of domestic violence are very rooted in, women, children are possessions so they can do with their possessions as they want so to speak," said Walsh.
While Tennessee ranks as 5th in the nation when it comes to the number of women, being murdered by men in domestic violence situations -Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, and South Carolina also ranked in the top ten.
Experts believe southern culture could be to blame. To Walsh, Tennessee has some of the toughest domestic violence laws in the country.
A new law, created just last year requires offenders to turn over any weapons they may have had, even requiring them to sign a court affidavit.
"I think if we want to end domestic violence, we have to ensure that there are services available for victims, and that we hold perpetrators accountable for that behavior," Walsh told NewsChannel 5.
Holding those perpetrators accountable with jail time is a problem. The research shows the perpetrator goes and finds another victim, and then the cycle begins all over again.
Experts believe it would make sense to keep an offender behind bars because it could cut down on Tennessee's high number of domestic violence cases.
But efforts to extend sentences for offenders have failed, because it costs millions of dollars that are hard to find in a state in these tough times.
The fact remains though, that for the past ten years, Tennessee hasn't left the top ten when it comes to the number of cases of men who battered women with deadly results.
With October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the YWCA is gearing up to get the word out about the issue.
They'll be hosting community education presentations at churches, civic groups, and offices.
