As I walked along my spot on Old Hickory Boulevard and Central Pike picking up trash all along the side of the bluff, I noticed a bunch of papers just blowing around in the wind. Once I collected them and took a closer look, I noticed that it was 13 pages of a document someone must fill out to obtain an Order of Protection. I wondered why it discarded. Was it out of frustration?
The paperwork did ask A LOT of detailed personal questions which I suppose makes sense. To obtain such an order, you need to provide evidence of the different times that something has occurred including dates and times the abuse that has taken place and photographs of any injuries sustained — the more detailed the better.
Why is that so significant? These are often things that people go to great lengths to cover up and keep hidden with makeup, sunglasses, clothing (i.e. long sleeved shirts even in the heat of summer to cover bruises, etc.). Adding insult to injury, victims must recount these horrific incidents to the authorities. Forcing victims to relive such traumatic events could jeopardize their mental health leaving victims vulnerable to experiencing post traumatic stress.
Perhaps the papers were discarded out of fear, with the victim reasoning that the consequences of actually filing them out would be worse than what they are currently going through. I mean how much protection does it really offer? It’s just a piece of paper, right? What good could it possibly do? It’s easy to see why someone might feel that way, isn’t it?
At this point, many readers may find themselves thinking: Why would someone take such abuse? Why don’t they just leave? The reality is that they may feel like they have no where else to go, or maybe they don’t want to put anyone else at risk, especially family members or other loved ones fearing the abuser might turn their wrath on their protectors. Or it could be that they are economically dependent on their abuser, and they feel they cannot provide even the bare necessities for themselves or their children if they leave.
By now, many readers may be thinking: This could NEVER happen to me. I too once felt that way. Life lessons though have taught me differently. From my personal experience, I found out that you never really know what you will take from someone you “LOVE” until you are actually faced with a situation, and even then, how you respond must be determined by the individual in that moment in time.
Here are some sobering statistics that tell the REAL story of domestic abuse in Tennessee:
40 percent of women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime, but it may surprise you to know that men also experience domestic abuse.
- In 2024, there were 60,635 domestic violence incidents reported, 70.79 percent (42,897) of domestic violence victims were women. That means 29.21% (17,704) males reported being victimized as well. (Statistics available in the 2024 Report on Domestic Violence @ Tn.gov)
- In 2025, Tennessee passed Savanah’s Law, which requires the TBI to create and maintain a registry of individuals who have been convicted of domestic violence offenses after January 1, 2026. In addition, other crimes may also be included such as stalking, sexual assault and even homicide when they are deemed domestic offenses. (BWJP.org)
- So far in 2026, 16 people have died as a result of domestic violence homicides across the state. That is a 23 percent increase over last year, according to Jennifer Escue, CEO of the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (WKRN News 4/2026)
Bottom Line: If you haven’t experienced domestic violence personally, chances are you know someone who has.
One effort to fight against domestic violence is an initiative to ensure that individuals convicted of domestic violence surrender any firearms they may have. Currently they are supposed to do so within 48 hours, but there is no way to track what actually happens to these guns. Those working this new law are revising the firearms disposition affidavit to list the recipient of any gun owned by those convicted of domestic abuse.(Channel 5 News 3/17/26)
Why is this significant? In 2024, 67 percent of domestic violence incidents leading to murder were committed with a firearm, and offenders who have access to a gun are five times more likely to kill their victims. (ofs.Nashville.gov)
Even more recently on April 7, a new law was passed allowing parents to challenge the cause of death ruling in the case of a child’s death that was ruled a suicide. This process was previously limited to only the spouse for married couples. The case that inspired this bill involved a woman who challenged her daughter’s death, which was ruled a suicide, but was in fact a case of domestic violence committed by the child’s father. 4/13/26 Updated 4/14/26 WZTV News
Though these things will take time to develop, it is well worth the effort to have more tools to fight against domestic violence.
What can be done now to assist and support victims of domestic violence? Help is available, if you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence please contact:
The National Domestic Hotline
1-800-799-7233 or
Text BEGIN to 88788
Website: www.the hotline.org
For additional resources in Davidson County contact:
The Office of Family Safety
610 Murfreesboro Pike
Nashville, Tn 37210
Phone: 615-880-1100
Email: ofsnashville.gov