The Collateral Damage of Domestic Violence

The August 24, 2006 shooting of five individuals in Essex, Vermont serves as a glaring reminder that domestic violence negatively impacts communities as well as families. This incident resulted in the deaths of two elementary school teachers.

Linda Lambesis and Mary Alicia Shanks, two dedicated teachers, were killed by Christopher A. Williams, 27, the former boyfriend of Lambesis' daughter. After shooting Lambesis, Williams then went looking for her daughter at Essex Elementary School where Shanks, 56, was killed in her 2nd floor classroom. Shanks taught for over 30 years and her brother stated, "She passed away in the world she loved so much – her classroom."

Domestic Violence often spills over into the workplace and is inseparable from implementing sound school and workplace violence policies and procedures.

It is estimated that between 960,000 to three million women each year are physically abused by their husband or boyfriend. On average, three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends in America every day.

Read the Domestic Violence Statistics:
http://www.endabuse.org/resources/facts/DomesticViolence.pdf