Critique of Yvonne Abraham's analysis of Jennifer Martel's murder

¶ … Wrong" written by Yvonne Abraham for the Globe on August 22, 2013.

According to Abraham (2013) in her article entitled "Everybody Figured Wrong" everyone who held enough power to provide protection to Jennifer Martel from Jared Remy, her attacker in Waltham, failed Martel. Abraham states that Jared Remy was underestimated and that those who could have protected Martel did not understand that Remy once having attacked Martel would attack again and that it would eventually be a fatal attack.

Checklist of Factors

Abraham (2013) is correct in her assessment of the viability of the use of a checklist of risk factors that is espoused by professor of nursing at John Hopkins University that may be used in identifying what risk factors should be identified in such cases. The work of Lien (2003) reports that the risk for imminent violence is inclusive of the same factors that Abraham cites in her article. The fact that Remy was taking steroids and that he had already attacked and injured Martel, were warnings signs that the abuse would reoccur. Domestic violence is stated in the work of Lien (2003) to be a "pattern of coercive and assaultive behaviors that include physical, sexual, verbal, and psychological attacks and economic coercion that adults or adolescents use against their intimate partner." (p.1) Lien (2003) goes on to state that domestic violence is "not typically a singular event and is not limited to only physical aggression. Rather, it is the pervasive and methodical use of threats, intimidation, manipulation, and physical violence by someone who seeks power and control over their intimate partner." (p.1)

Summary and Conclusion

Abraham (2013) did a good job of writing the article assessing the failure of those in power to address the danger that Martel was in after having already been injured in an attack by Remy. As well, Abraham (2013) did her research for the article and cited the risk factors that should have come to the attention of those in power who ultimately failed Martel in providing referral to agencies who could have made the difference in whether Martel lived or as in this case, unfortunately lost her life at the hands of her abuser.