Glendale News Press
Published September 21, 2005
Killings trigger domestic concerns
Police and YWCA remind of services that offer help to those in abusive
relationships.
By Tania Chatila, News-Press and Leader
GLENDALE — In the last two weeks, two Glendale woman have died in
what police believe to be domestic-violence related cases, bringing a
decades-old problem into the spotlight.
“It’s always been an issue,” Glendale Police Sgt. Tim Feeley
said. “But it’s really come to the forefront because of these issues.”
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On Sept. 7, 67-year-old Glendale resident Teymur Iskandari confessed
to stabbing and killing 59-year-old Lusik Aslanyan, his wife of 40
years.
Two days later the body of 24-year-old Odet Tsaturyan, of Glendale,
was found in the trunk of her boyfriend Artur Khanzadyan’s 2005 Audi,
police said. Khanzadyan, a suspect in the murder, and Tsaturyan were
known to have had a history of violence in their relationship.
“We’ve had two incidents in a short period of time,” said Kathie
Mathis, director of domestic violence programs at the Glendale
YWCA. “What is that saying to us? What is that saying to the
community? It’s here.”
Community members need to be more informed of the different resources
local police and agencies like the YWCA offer for battered women and
children, she said.
“I thought, here we are in this community, and in 2005, there’s a lot
more awareness of domestic violence because of the Nicole Simpson
incident, and yet domestic violence continues,” Mathis
said. “Batterers are sill hurting women and children, and yet we have
more services than ever.”
Members of Glendale YWCA’s domestic violence program work closely with
police, local churches and area hospitals in offering services to
women in violent relationships, Mathis said.
Along with free services such as counseling, legal aid, employment
referral and education programs, the YWCA has two shelters in
unidentified locations for battered woman and their children, she
said.
A 45-day emergency shelter provides a free, safe haven for battered
woman in immediate danger, and a two-year transitional living shelter
provides a place for battered woman to get back on their feet, she
said.
“I think that’s one of the hardest things, to get the word out that we
have these resources,” Feeley said. “And that’s what investigators do,
to try and empower the victim — let them know what we offer.”
Last year, the Glendale YWCA served 4,000 women in domestic-violence
related crises through its shelters and other services, Mathis said.
And Glendale police made 211 arrests on domestic violence issues
between
January and August of this year, Feeley said. “Each one of us needs
to be responsible in trying to eradicate this,” Mathis said. “If it
happens to you, don’t keep it a secret. Tell somebody and get
help. And you know, people are always afraid to get involved because
it is dangerous. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make a call that’s
anonymous.”
The YWCA domestic violence program does not offer services for
batterers, but will refer them to where they can get help, she said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress