DENVER — Despite a decrease in overall homicides across the state last year, domestic violence deaths increased by nearly a quarter in 2024, a comprehensive report released by the Colorado Attorney General’s Office revealed Tuesday.
The findings from the Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board show an even more alarming trend when it comes to these type of cases: All collateral domestic violence deaths last year were children between 3 months and 7 years old, with kids making up more than half of all collateral deaths over the past four years.
“Domestic violence is not only a crisis between partners—it’s tearing families apart and claiming young lives,” said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, who chairs the review board, in statement Tuesday. “We must do more to protect children and survivors before tragedy strikes.”
The report shows there were 54 domestic violence cases that resulted in 72 deaths — a 24% increase from 2023, when there were only 47 domestic violence cases resulting in 58 deaths.
Of those deaths, 38 were killed by a current or former intimate partner and 8 were children, the report shows. Five of those children were killed amid custody battles between their parents – a high-risk period for domestic violence victims and their families.
The report further shows that domestic violence remains a deeply gendered issue, with nearly 9 in 10 victims being women, and nearly 9 in 10 perpetrators being men.
The data also show minorities are overwhelming affected by domestic violence compared to their white counterparts.
White people, who make up about 71% of the statewide population, according to the U.S. Census, accounted for about half of all domestic violence cases – whether they were victims or perpetrators. On the other hand, Hispanics, who only make up about 26% of the state population, had higher numbers of domestic violence deaths, with Hispanic victims accounting for 34% of all deaths and Hispanic perpetrators accounting for 31% of all cases.
The same discrepancies can be seen in Black communities. Though Blacks only account for 4% of the state population, 10% of domestic violence deaths were among Black people, and Blacks accounted for 19% of all perpetrators, according to the report.
The report also found that firearms remain the leading cause of domestic violence deaths. Of all 72 fatalities in 2024, 75% involved firearms – including all 8 child deaths last year. The numbers are consistent with trends over the past four years, which show that four out of five domestic violence deaths in Colorado from 2021 to 2024 involved a firearm.
Despite more people living in urban areas than rural ones, rural counties saw greater numbers of domestic violence deaths compared to their urban counterparts. Data shows Costilla, Lake, and Conejos counties had double digits for domestic violence fatalities per 100,000 people.
“Rural counties also continued to experience disproportionately high rates of domestic violence fatalities per capita, underscoring the ongoing challenges survivors face in accessing safety and support,” a spokesperson for the Colorado Attorney General’s Office said.
Among some of the board’s recommendations for 2025 are stronger prevention and intervention measures, including:
- Requiring law enforcement to temporarily remove firearms at the scene of domestic violence arrests.
- Clarifying state law to ensure third-degree assault domestic violence convictions prohibit firearm possession.
- Encouraging law enforcement to consider a protocol to provide resource materials to both parties at domestic violence calls where no arrest is made.
- Expanding local fatality review team protocols to include interviews with family members and perpetrators to better identify missed warning signs.
Read the full report from the Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board here or in the embed below.
Tuesday’s report mirrors some of the findings released at the city level by Denver police. Though most violent crime was down in 2024, domestic violence cases rose 6% compared to 2023, according to the most recent data provided by the agency.
Advocates for domestic violence victims told Denver7 at the time that the rise started at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic — a trend that hasn’t yet slowed.
Natasha Adler, director of survivor services with SafeHouse Denver, which services domestic violence survivors and their families, told Denver7 she believed the rise is due to a criminal justice system that isn’t holding perpetrators accountable coupled with lax sentencing.
“Especially with bond setting,” said Adler. “And so a lot of our domestic violence offenders are getting probation. They're getting early release, and they're not being held on those large bonds to be able to keep survivors safe.”
Denver
While other crime is down, domestic violence is on the rise in Denver: Police
Adler told Denver7 there are likely many other factors contributing to the increase and said she doesn’t want to put all the blame on any one judge or the criminal justice system.
“Really at the end of the day, domestic violence occurs because abusive partners use abuse,” said Adler. “Making sure that we're recognizing that when we're addressing the issue is going to be the most productive.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available through Violence Free Colorado or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.
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