Promising Young Scholar and Athlete Shot Dead in Case of Domestic Violence

If you just open any newspaper or visit any popular news website, you cannot miss the headlines that focus on the violence that occurs within a family.  Just today, some of the articles on CNN.com included, "Mom stole dead child's ID," "Mom guilty of arming teen," and "Drown baby called 'suspicious'."  While may automatically assume, or find it easier to believe, that most of violence are committed by strangers, the reality is that assailants are people often known to us.  Sadly, it is not unusual for the crimes to be done by those who are supposed to love us the most.

Rajaan Bennett was a young man from Powder Springs, Georgia, who had just received a full scholarship to play football at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.  He was an honors students who was liked and respected by his peers.  On February 18, he was shot dead by his mother's ex-boyfriend, Clifton Steger, while trying to protect his mom and other family members.  Steger was upset about the relationship with Bennett's mom coming to an end, and decided to share his grief through the violence of a horrific murder/suicide.

So, that's it.  A grown man who was depressed over losing his girlfriend cut short the life of a promising young man who hoped to use his football skills as a way of earning a degree and becoming an architect. 

The homicide of Rajaan Bennett reveals a disturbing trend.  While initial statistics show a 10% drop in homicides for 2009, the number of homicides occurring in the home seem to be on the rise.  Many believe this increase can be linked to our slow economy.  People become desperate when they cannot afford to care for the family for which they are responsible.  Or, perhaps the support agencies can no longer pay the salaries of enough staff members to care for women who call in a moment of crisis.

Whatever the root cause may be, there is no justification for this senseless homicide.  Still, I would like to hear your thoughts.  How do tough times in the economy affect family relationships and maybe even lead to family violence?  Please leave your thoughts in the comments so that we can learn from one another.