Over this past week, Bellevue police called in backup from the SWAT team due to a standoff that resulted from a domestic violence call. The SWAT team attempted to negotiate with the suspect until he was able to be detained. He was arrested and is pending charges.

This is just one of the many events that is frequently seen in the news headlines lately as domestic violence levels rise. With everyday citizens being charged with domestic violence to police officers and government officials, this crime is happening everywhere, each day.

A day before the stand off, a former Bellevue police officer was arrested for the third time for domestic violence in an ongoing case. This case began in April in which he was placed on administrative leave. Since then, he has been charged with fourth degree assault, tampering with a witness and two counts of the violation of a court order for disobeying a no-contact order. 

Another case has caught media attention involving the lawsuit against former Bellevue College dean who has been accused of multiple counts of rape and abuse. The victim ordered a domestic violence protection order against him yet the abuse continued. 

The ongoing amount of domestic violence cases that is in the news is only a small reflection on what is actually going on behind closed doors. Domestic violence comes in a variety of forms from the violation of a protection order to assault, all of which are met with harsh penalties and punishments if convicted.