After Sept. 11 . . . Hawaii has seen a sharp increase in domestic violence, including three murders, since Sept. 11. Experts believe the trend will continue because of the stress and uncertainty generated by the terrorist attacks and the subsequent economic downturn.
Domestic abuse
surges in isles
Experts say the economic crisis
is contributing to the turmoilBy Nelson Daranciang
ndaranciang@starbulletin.com"There is indeed a climate of pent-up feelings and there may be an escalation of domestic discord that could lead to violence," said Dorothy Goldsborough, director of criminology and criminal justice at Chaminade University.
"When people feel threatened, they become more threatening. When you are powerless, you exert force over the only people you
have power over," noted Nanci Kreidman, Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Hotline Executive Director.
Both Goldsborough and Kreidman said Hawaii's climbing unemployment since Sept. 11 makes the situation worse.
"Anything harsh like this can precipitate that kind of behavior," Goldsborough said.
In the past month alone, there have been three domestic violence-related slayings, compared with eight statewide all last year.
>> Mercy Garperio, 48, died Sept. 29 of massive blood loss after she was stabbed repeatedly in her Kalihi home. Her husband, Florencio Garperio, 52, is charged with murder. Garperio told police he stabbed his wife during an argument. Garperio's attorney said his client lost his job as a cook a week and a half before his wife's stabbing death.
>> On Oct. 15, Lee Ann Winter, 41, died of stab wounds. Police believe John Winter, 43, stabbed his wife in the couple's Kakaako apartment then slashed his throat in a murder-suicide.
>> Three days later 51-year-old Gaylon Baldado died of a gunshot wound to his abdomen while staying at his ex-wife's home in Hilo. Baldado's ex-wife, Genesis Kauhi, 50, is charged with murder.
"Three domestic violence homicides in one month is staggering," said Kreidman.
She said the Domestic Violence Hotline is receiving nearly double the number of calls per week than it did before Sept. 11.
The week before the attacks there were 63 calls to the hot line. The number of calls increased to 99 the week of the attack and to 110 the week after.
"These are first-time callers who might have been inspired to call for help because their abusers got more abusive or the abuse may have gotten more life-threatening," said Kreidman.
The state courts are also seeing an increase in reports of domestic abuse.
Preliminary reports from the state Family Court show there were 396 requests for domestic abuse restraining orders from Sept. 11 to Oct. 24. During a similar period prior to the attack -- from July 30 to Sept. 10 -- there were 364 requests.
Some state lawmakers had hoped to address the increased threat of domestic violence in last week's special legislative session, but feel the effort fell short.
"This is an extraordinary situation and I wish we would meet it with extraordinary generosity," said Sen. Suzanne Chun-Oakland, D-Palama, Alewa Heights.
Lawmakers are set to vote on bills this week that would provide temporary health insurance for people who lost their jobs since Sept. 11, and money for a jobs program and for emergency food and shelter.
Chun-Oakland said the money lawmakers are appropriating for emergency food and shelter is too low and there is no money set aside for the working poor on welfare who lost their child-care assistance when they lost their jobs.
Gov. Ben Cayetano said he will ask next year's Legislature to use some of the $213 million in the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund to meet increased demands for social services caused by the economic downturn.
In the meantime, as Hawaii's economy falters and terrorism fears weigh on isle residents, the state's domestic violence problem is expected to worsen.
"There will be a lot of quarreling and frustration arising," Goldsborough said.
Kreidman added: "It's just going to be a sustained problem."
Star-Bulletin reporter Rosemarie Bernardo contributed to this report.
