Letter to the Editor - Cauwels: Domestic violence is a serious problem in South Dakota

What do The United States, Afghanistan and Kenya have in common? They are the only countries in the world where maternal death rates are rising. The United States has one of the highest, if not THE highest, death rate for women who are pregnant or have had a baby recently.

It may not surprise you to learn that while South Dakota isn’t the worst (that’s Arkansas) we do rank pretty poorly. What DID surprise me though, was that the leading cause of death for pregnant women in the U.S. is homicide. Women are 35 percent more likely to be murdered when they are pregnant than when they aren’t. Domestic violence is a serious problem in South Dakota, so much so that Sanford asks patients routinely about their feelings of safety at home. They made this change in response to the data that showed how many pregnant women are being murdered. Unfortunately, they sometimes ask the question in front of the abuser so we still have some work to do. 

It’s difficult to get a protection order in South Dakota, but if you can actually get one, they will often tell people “if you see something, say something.” Meaning if you see your abuser driving by your house or hanging around your parking lot at work ... report it. It’s up to law enforcement to investigate and determine if any violations require action.

As a mandatory reporter myself, that approach makes sense. If I suspect child abuse I should report it. I don’t have the burden of proof. The professionals will follow up and make the determination. Or at least that’s how it used to work.

Recently, Minnehaha County has made a significant change. If you have a protection order in Minnehaha County and you report seeing a vehicle that matches your abuser driving by your house and you even have electronic verification of several drive-bys, you can go to jail for false reporting. A Valley Springs woman is currently serving time in the Minnehaha County jail for the crime of reporting a suspected violation of her restraining order. 

It’s a head scratcher to me why the first female Governor is fighting voter approved expansion of medicaid for working moms but is pushing to build a bigger women’s prison. 

Nichole M. Cauwels

Brandon