One-half of Lexington homicides in recent times have been linked to domestic violence and mental health issues. That is the word from Devine Carama who directs One Lexington. He spoke to the Lexington Rotary Club Thursday.
One Lexington works to address violent crimes by coordinating efforts inside and outside of government with public and private partners.
Carama said the coronavirus pandemic and now inflation have contributed to more stress.
“It’s juicier to think there’s just a bunch of gangs running around shooting at each other, right? But, in reality, when you look at these instances, whether it’s the father who killed his entire family, the mother that stabbed her two children, we are dealing with a crisis in Lexington,” said Carama.
Using a gun in a violent act or being victimized by a gunshot can be a predictor of future behavior, according to Carama.
Carama said studies show people on either side of a gun are 20 times more likely to go back to that lifestyle. He noted sometimes it’s retribution-related, but other times survivors strike back.
“In getting shot, you survive, maybe that desensitizes you a little bit and say hey, that wasn’t too bad and so you’re more apt to get more involved into that cycle that leads to a violent outcome,” said Carama.
Carama told Rotarians, youth can access social media, videos, music, and films in their hand with a phone. He added one thought is to flood these mediums with kindness and goodness.
