GRAND RAPIDS, Mich– October marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month and to help put an end to that violence, Silent Observer has released the mugshots of 20 wanted suspects as part of its Love Does Not Hit campaign.
The male and female suspects are all wanted on domestic violence charges out of Kent County. Silent Observer allows witnesses and other people to make anonymous tips regarding cases and the organization hopes community members will come forward regarding this batch of suspects.
“I really appreciate the fact that Silent Observer has decided to undertake this campaign once again. I don’t think the public truly appreciates the amount of domestic violence that occurs on a daily basis,” said Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker. “This is a way to shed light on a problem we don’t talk about enough. Domestic violence not only impacts the victim, but the entire family and our whole community as well.”
According to the most current data available from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence:
- On average, almost 20 people per minute are physically abused in the US by an intimate partner which equates to more than 10 million men and women per year.
- Nearly 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
- 1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year.
- 20,000 calls a day are placed to domestic violence hotlines
- A study of intimate partner homicides found that 20% of victims were NOT intimate partners, but family members, friends, neighbors, persons who intervened or law enforcement responders.
Silent Observer will pay a reward of up to $500 for information leading to the arrest of the listed suspects. Anyone with information should call 616-774-2345.
