Analysis and critique of author's argument

¶ … Wrong" written by Yvonne Abraham for the Globe on August 22, 2013.

According to Abraham (2013) in her article entitled "Everybody Figured Wrong" everyone who held enough power to provide protection to Jennifer Martel from Jared Remy, her attacker in Waltham, failed Martel. Abraham states that Jared Remy was underestimated and that those who could have protected Martel did not understand that Remy once having attacked Martel would attack again and that it would eventually be a fatal attack.

Checklist of Factors

Abraham (2013) is correct in her assessment of the viability of the use of a checklist of risk factors that is espoused by professor of nursing at John Hopkins University that may be used in identifying what risk factors should be identified in such cases. The work of Lien (2003) reports that the risk for imminent violence is inclusive of the same factors that Abraham cites in her article. The fact that Remy was taking steroids and that he had already attacked and injured Martel, were warnings signs that the abuse would reoccur. Domestic violence is stated in the work of Lien (2003) to be a "pattern of coercive and assaultive behaviors that include physical, sexual, verbal, and psychological attacks and economic coercion that adults or adolescents use against their intimate partner." (p.1) Lien (2003) goes on to state that domestic violence is "not typically a singular event and is not limited to only physical aggression. Rather, it is the pervasive and methodical use of threats, intimidation, manipulation, and physical violence by someone who seeks power and control over their intimate partner." (p.1)

II. Fox in the Hen House

Abraham (2013) correctly notes in her article that the chief of police, having been once convicted himself for domestic violence is very likely to have put up roadblocks for effective handling of domestic violence cases in Waltham. According to Abraham in some cities in Massachusetts, law enforcement and domestic violence advocates work in unison for the prevention of domestic homicide through procedures of referring victims of domestic violence to state agencies who can assist them. Had this program been utilized in Waltham, Abraham holds that Martel would have been highly likely to avoid being the victim of domestic violence death. The fact that such supports were not in place in Waltham added to the fact that the chief of police has been previously convicted of domestic violence leaves many questions about the city's liability that Abraham failed to address in her article.