Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has designated 78 communities across 47 states, territories and the District of Columbia under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022. This includes specific areas in West Virginia, as part of a broader initiative to reduce domestic violence.
United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will work with each designated jurisdiction to create plans to reduce intimate partner firearm violence. They will prioritize the prosecution of domestic violence offenders prohibited from owning firearms under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g).
“Domestic violence abusers use firearms to threaten, intimidate and coerce, and abusers with access to a gun are five times more likely to kill their partners,” United States Attorney Will Thompson of the Southern District of West Virginia said. “These designations will strengthen and enhance our ongoing collaboration with law enforcement and other community partners.”
United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld of the Northern District of West Virginia highlighted the importance of the initiative. “Domestic abusers are some of the most dangerous people in our community,” he said. “This initiative will make West Virginia safer, especially for survivors of domestic violence.”
Special Agent in Charge Shawn Morrow of the ATF Louisville Field Division echoed these sentiments, stressing the prevalence of domestic violence. “Domestic violence is prevalent in every community and affects people regardless of their background,” he said. “Too frequently guns are used by abusers to silence their victims. ATF is committed to working with the United States Attorney to hold offenders accountable and protect those who most need it.”
The West Virginia designations will bolster existing measures, including ongoing training sessions in cooperation with the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence. These sessions educate advocates on federal laws, enforcement options and resources, while focusing on the needs of victims and survivors.
Designated communities include rural, suburban, urban and Tribal areas. The Justice Department identified these communities using data to pinpoint areas that would benefit from increased resources and are committed to partnering with the Department to prosecute offenders.
In West Virginia, Kanawha County has been designated in the Southern District, while the Wheeling area, including Ohio, Brooke and Hancock counties, has been designated in the Northern District.
The Justice Department plans to designate additional jurisdictions as USAOs continue coordinating with local stakeholders. All USAOs will keep combating intimate partner firearm violence and prioritizing prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.
