Experts note uptick in domestic violence cases as South Florida sees 3 deadly incidents in March

So far, this year alone, NBC6 has reported at least six domestic violence murders just this year.

Since 2020, there’s been an 8.1% increase in these kinds of cases, with 500% of them ending in gun violence. And here in South Florida, in just this month alone, there have been three domestic violence cases ending in murder.

“I think we are seeing a society where many, many people are more stressed, more anxious, dealing with mood disorders, and lacking the skills to deal with those emotions,” Alessana Fordin said.

Fordin is the owner and director of Lotus Counseling Center. She says that after the pandemic, individuals have had a difficult time regulating their feelings and have instead resorted to hurting those they love.

“Sometimes we act out with the people we feel safest with," Fordin said. "Unfortunately, many people project unto another person what they are feeling and kind of point the finger outward, rather than, let’s take a minute here to see how we are participating in this."

It’s one of the many reasons that leads to domestic violence murders.

Dr. Daniel Bober shares that these cases could also result from feeling unworthy.

“I don’t want to say it’s a uniquely Western phenomenon but I think it is," he said. “I think people face tremendous pressure to look a certain way, be a certain person, play a certain role, and when they feel like they can’t meet up to those expectations, for some people that is overwhelming. And the only thing they can do is to take control of the situation.”

While the reasons why they happen vary, we have seen these cases play out — this month, on three different occasions.

Tuesday, an apparent attempted murder-suicide took place in a Plantation home. The husband allegedly killed his wife and 2-year-old son.

Last week, a man shot a woman he was romantically associated with and her roommate in their apartment off Bird Road.

And at the beginning of the month, a father killed his wife and two children in their Miami-Dade home. In all three of these cases, the murderer also attempted to kill themselves or died by suicide.

“A lot of it has to do with this concept that we call toxic masculinity in society, and it’s how traditional gender roles are defined,” Bober said. “The male has a certain role as the provider and protector, and when they can no longer be in that role anymore, for example, if they lost their job, if the wife has gone outside of the marriage and there is jealousy, they have a breakdown, they lose their ability to control their behaviors and they cross over into violence.”

Experts in the field say it’s difficult to predict if we are seeing the beginning of a trend of even more domestic violence murder cases in our area.

But what they can advise is to seek help if you find yourself in an unsafe situation.

“Sometimes we just cannot handle these things alone, and we do need support and guidance to help point us in the right direction,” Fordin said.

Experts say there are ways to diffuse conflicts before they reach this magnitude of violence.

You can always remove yourself from a situation, speak to a family member or a public resource like a counselor or therapist, and if a situation has already escalated, make a safety plan outlining where you will go and what you will do if things take a turn.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.