The number of women dying at the hands of someone they love is dropping in Johnson County.
The Johnson County District Attorney's Office says it's because of a questionnaire used by police to save lives. It’s a list of 17 questions known as the “Lethality Assessment."
"Without it, we wouldn't actually be able to know exactly what's going on in a relationship,” said Olathe Police Sgt. Bryan Hill.
A "yes" to the first three questions prompts an on the spot call to the shelter Safehome. It also means a visit by police officers within the following two to three days.
Since the program started in 2011, the number of women dying because of domestic violence has dropped from five deaths to only one death in 2014.
"You have an average homicide rate of 9, 10, 11 percent a year, which is a huge percentage of the murders," said Johnson County Assistant District Attorney Megan Ahsens.
Now, more women are opting to seek shelter, and calls for domestic disputes are down.
The goal now is to find ways to reach more victims.
"Eventually I would like to see it used by medical professionals or first responders," said Ahsens.
Lethality Assessment
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Ali Hoxie can be reached at ali.hoxie@kshb.com.
