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Interviewer: Joining us now to talk in depth is Lisa Angel with the North Carolina Domestic Violence Commission. Thank you very much for joining us, Lisa.

Lisa Angel: Thank you.

Interviewer: Recently, there have been several high profile cases across the state of North Carolina either directly or indirectly linked to domestic violence situations. One of them most recently was in Gastonia. It involved a 31-year-old pregnant mother of two who died in a house fire being investigated as an arson and a homicide. No arrests have been made, but we do know that the victim detailed different threats including one from a man who she said threatened to burn her house down. Now, in your opinion, where the appropriate steps taken in her case? Did the system work for her?

Lisa: Well, she did the first right step which is always to consider getting a domestic violence restraining order. But, victims need to know that's one piece of the safety plan. She also, or victims also in those circumstances should consider things like moving or moving into a shelter that Kings Mountain, the Gastonia county area does have a domestic violence shelter and also to consider lots of safety mechanisms like letting friends and family know where you are at all times, changing your way that you go to work everyday, changing your routines so that you are looking out for your safety on a day-to-day basis.

Interviewer: And Maria Lauterbach, Holly Wimunc, two names that have become household names across our area. Investigators say they were both pregnant soldiers who were killed by men that they were involved with. What about any signs that someone should look for?

Lisa: Well, both tragedies in North Carolina, at the Domestic Violence Commission we are very concerned that we are seeing a rash lately of domestic violence homicides. Anytime that a woman is leaving a relationship, she is at risk potentially for domestic violence. Of the women in this country who are murdered by significant others, 75% of the time they were murdered after or as they left the relationship. So, one of the things it is very hard for us to predict, which separations are going to end in violence and which ones aren't, but it is important that we take safety consideration at all times. So, thinking about what will every victim's safety plan be as they leave a relationship is very important.

Interviewer: Lisa, you mentioned those statistics and they are really staggering. Is there really an increase in the domestic violence cases that we are seeing or is it because we are reporting all of them or is it because we are becoming more aware or is it a combination?

Lisa: Well, it's hard for us to know. One thing is the legislature last year changed the way that we do the reporting so this year, in '08, we will have a more accurate figure for domestic violence homicide, so at the end of the year we will have a better sense of how many women who are murdered in North Carolina are murdered as a result of a domestic violence relationship. We hope because we have been working very hard with the legislature to change and increase penalties as well as protections for victims, we hope that we are doing a better job, but these latest rash of domestic violence homicides has made us very concerned.

Interviewer: And finally Lisa, I'm certainly concerned and what should you do if you think that maybe not yourself, but someone that you know is potentially in trouble?

Lisa: Well, the first step is to let that victim know that you are concerned for their safety that you are someone that is there to help and is there to listen. That's very important for victims to know that someone will be out there to help them and to give them access to resources in the community. In North Carolina, every county has access to a domestic violence protective shelter and let that victim know about those resources that are out there so when she is ready, she can access them.

Interviewer: All right. Thank you very much Lisa Angel, joining us from the North Carolina Domestic Violence Commission for some timely and certainly important information shared with us today. Thanks.

Lisa: Thank you.