Video: Domestic Abuse Training for Northeast MS Law Enforcement

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ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) – Every nine seconds, a woman is beaten or assaulted in the United States. Each year, law enforcement from across Northeast Mississippi gather to review new procedures and domestic law changes.

“Women in this situation, you feel bad for them,” says Jessica Farr, a Dispatcher in Aberdeen.

Domestic Violence is an age-old issue that will not disappear. The Aberdeen Police Department and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office hosted a seminar for local law enforcement, including prosecutors, advocates and dispatchers.

“Most of our calls do come from women. Ninety percent of the time, they’re calling frantically. They’re very hard to understand, speaking very quickly, screaming and hollering. A lot of times, their assailant is still in the room with them,” says Farr.

Special Assistant Attorney General Paula Broome provided the training, that included a review of all domestic laws like stalking and strangulation. Though most domestic calls are made by women, men can also be victims of abuse.

“It’s a higher rate for the woman to be abused but in this day and time, there are women that are more aggressive than the men,” says Sergeant Jimmy Cockerham with Aberdeen Police Department.

“A lot of the men, they will tell me later that they just absolutely refuse to put their hands on them,” says Shannon Chief of Police, Desiree Kerschner.

Participants also received advice on determining the main aggressor and protection order enforcement. Even though incidents of domestic violence can’t always be prevented, first responders are now more equipped to protect and serve. In Aberdeen, LaMonica Peters, WCBI News.>

Law enforcement officers were also given continuing education credit for participating in the training.