16,000 charges filed in domestic violence cases since 2016, Salt Lake DA says
Oct 18, 2023, 1:35 PM | Updated: Oct 19, 2023, 5:17 am
SALT LAKE CITY — Purple flags line the sidewalk in front of the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The 4,000 flags represent not only survivors but the 4,000 domestic violence cases the district attorney’s office screened over the last year.
Lisa Rae Zarogoza’s case was one. She has had a difficult time talking about her experience but said it was important to share her story in order to help others.
“As long as I can get it out there and help one person, I’ll do what it takes and I’ll keep going and going. I’m not giving up,” she said.
Zarogoza shared her story during a news conference Monday night where District Attorney Sim Gill, for the first time, released domestic violence prosecution data trends going back to 2016.
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“There has been a steady increase on felony charges that have been filed by this office,” Gill said.
Of the 30,000 domestic violence cases screened, his office was able to file 16,000 charges. When talking about the severity of domestic violence cases, Gill said the state has had about 6,000 class A misdemeanors compared to a little over 10,000 felonies in the last six years.
During the press conference, Gill brought up strangulation saying it is one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence.
“One of the reasons I’m talking about this, and I’m going to appeal to our legislators that every strangulation victim should get access to a medical exam and to provide assistance where cost of an exam might be a barrier to women,” he said.
Domestic violence resources
Help for people in abusive relationships can be found by contacting:
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition: Utah’s confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic violence hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- YWCA Women in Jeopardy program: 801-537-8600
- Utah’s statewide child abuse and neglect hotline: 1-855-323-DCFS (3237)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
