(Des Moines, IA) -- A new report reveals a startling increase in deadly domestic violence across the state, with homicides rising 52 percent over the past three years.
The Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence released the data Friday, showing 35 people were killed in the last fiscal year, up from 23 just three years ago.
The report highlights that firearms were involved in 65 percent of the 88 domestic violence homicides during that period. Tragically, sixteen of the victims were children under the age of five.
In releasing the numbers during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the coalition stressed that the crime thrives in secrecy and affects entire communities.