Domestic violence conference held in Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Prosecutors, investigators and counselors from around the state met to discuss ways to improve the fight against domestic violence.<br/><br/>Marcia Smith is the executive director

Thursday, October 6th 2005, 6:22 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Prosecutors, investigators and counselors from around the state met to discuss ways to improve the fight against domestic violence.

Marcia Smith is the executive director of the Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. She said Wednesday that on average one woman is killed every week in the state as the result of domestic violence. She says that in recent years there have been 49 to 55 domestic violence homicides annually.

She says the state ranks third nationally for violence against American Indian women and fourth for violence against black women.

Oklahoma law enforcement responds to about 25,000 domestic violence calls a year.