Local Organizations Hold Summit on Domestic Violence

St. Louis County Attorney's Office hosted summit in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn. – Domestic violence claimed the lives of twenty-four Minnesotans in 2017, according to a study by the Minnesota Coalition of Battered Women.

Local organizations came together for a summit in Duluth on how to best handle domestic violence in Northeastern Minnesota.

The St. Louis County Attorney’s Office hosted the summit at Clyde Iron Works, bringing together criminal justice professionals with partner organizations from across the region.

Presentations focused on the seriousness of strangulation cases, culturally appropriate ways to work with indigenous families, and best practices for helping victims.

“When we work together and we learn more about the strategies they’re using or research that they’re presenting on, new trends that they’re working on, we can better collaborate as a partner agency with the County Attorney’s Office to serve the children and families that we work with,” said Laura Gapske, Program Director of First Witness Child Advocacy Center.

Duluth is a pioneer community in domestic violence prevention with the “Duluth Model” being developed in the 1980s. The model brings together resources for a shared mission.

That idea is still evolving today with partners networking at the summit.

“We work in fields that are often quite thankless and where the community doesn’t have a full appreciation of what we’re doing behind the scenes and so it’s important for us to come together collectively and support each other,” said Nathaniel Stumme, head of the Criminal Division with the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office.

Attendees hope their dedication will continue to reduce domestic violence in the Northland.

They say working together will help improve public safety for everybody in the community.