The death of a Marshfield woman allegedly at the hands of her estranged husband was the 13th time this year that someone in Massachusetts lost their life to an intimate partner, according to organizations determined to end domestic violence.
Shana Warner was allegedly attacked and fatally injured Monday night by her estranged husband, Allen Warner. He was arrested by Whitman police Tuesday afternoon, officials said.
Shana Warner filed for divorce this May, the third time she turned to the courts to end her connection to her husband, according to court records.
Sandra Blatchford, program director of the South Shore Resource and Advocacy Center, said abuse victims face heightened risks once they file for divorce, because abusers “perceive that they’ve lost control. That is one of the times when we see an escalation from an abuser, and it can escalate to the point [of what] we saw last night.”
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She said advocates are available to assist victims with seeking restraining orders and other protections when they file for divorce. But if victims don’t disclose their abuse in divorce filings, they may not be told about available resources, Blatchford said.
Additional resources include hospital-based programs and individual counseling groups, as well as victim referrals from local police departments, she said.
Blatchford said Shana Warner is the 13th fatal victim of intimate partner violence this year in Massachusetts.
There were 24 such homicides statewide in 2017, according to Jane Doe Inc., another group that helps victims of domestic and sexual assault.
Travis Andersen can be reached at tandersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe.