Advocates encourage domestic violence victims to not give in to intimidation

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — A man police said assaulted his girlfriend called her from the Gaston County jail and told her to tell a judge that the incident never happened.

Advocates for victims of abuse said that type of intimidation happens more than people realize.

The man was eventually charged with felony obstructing justice.

"This is not uncommon,” said Renee Bradshaw, who is an advocate for domestic violence victims. “This is what happens.”

[LINK: Domestic Violence state and national resources]

Intimidation often keeps victims from moving forward with charges and domestic violence protection orders, she said.

"If they're scared to death of them, if they're afraid -- they're going to die or they are going to take their children from them," Bradshaw said.

She said that about 30 percent of the victims she helped file domestic violence protection orders last year backed out of the process.

Data from the last fiscal year show that 1,061 people did the same thing in Mecklenburg County and 247 people in Gaston County.

Lisa Verrier Christy, with Charlotte's Safe Alliance, encourages victims to seek help from agencies like hers to help them break the cycle of abuse.

"We just ask those additional questions to help get them thinking and guide them through the process,” Christy said.

Deputies said phone calls made by jail inmates are recorded.

Cox Media Group