BETHEL, Conn — The quiet suburb of Bethel is the latest Connecticut community to grapple with domestic violence turned homicide and suicide. By the time police arrived at the home of Traci Reservoir Street Tuesday, it was already too late for Traci Jones, who recently filed a restraining order against her husband, Lester Jones.
The Bethel community now mourning the loss of a beloved hairdresser whose life was taken by her husband in a fatal domestic dispute. Traci Jones filed a restraining order but that wasn’t enough to save her life.
It’s an issue all too familiar to law enforcement, lawmakers, and advocates who say domestic violence is a public health crisis. Whether or not someone is going to respect a court order can be unpredictable. Protecting victims takes a community effort, said Mary-Jane Foster, President and CEO of Interval House, Connecticut’s largest agency supporting victims of intimate partner violence.
“It’s a public health crisis and it is rampant,” said Foster, who encouraged victims or loved ones of people being victimized by partners to get in touch with a domestic violence agency like Interval House where a victim advocate can help with a safety plan. “A safety plan is a dynamic plan. It changes, depending on the circumstances, all the time.”
“A victim or survivor is isolated - that’s what happens in these situations and when that victim is isolated, he or she is in more danger, so stay in touch with your family members, your friends, your colleagues—anyone you think might be in danger. Stay in touch," said Foster.
Implementing a public policy to combat domestic violence is an ever-evolving major theme at the state Capitol.
Last year, lawmakers funded domestic violence counselors at 18 court locations and increased access to restraining orders for people experiencing emotional or financial abuse.
Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney said domestic violence is a priority again this year.
“To look at everything we can possibly do, to look at models that other states are doing and make sure that we have policies adopted in every single area,” said Looney.
Specifically, this year, Senate Democrats said they are looking to create more awareness surrounding the most vulnerable times for victims, the time after someone files for a protective order or divorce.
“We want to increase communications to make it known that law enforcement in the area should know that vulnerable period, so the information is shared that an order has been served.," Looney added.
Traci’s friends posted to her Facebook page and said, “this should have never happened. Restraining orders mean nothing, just a slap on the wrist piece of paper.”
According to state law, Lester Jones would have been required to surrender his weapons to police when his wife filed for a restraining order. It’s unclear if that happened. FOX61 reached out to Bethel police but have not heard back.
Samaia Hernandez is a reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at shernandez@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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