Law enforcement officials across the state handled a number of domestic-abuse cases this weekend that they attribute to holiday pressures.
'Tis the season for domestic violence, said Deputy Eldon Tuttle, a jailer in Sanpete County. "It happens all the time during the holidays, and Christmas is the worst."Three domestic disputes led to 10 arrests in Orem on Christmas Eve, and several more arrests resulted from "a bunch of family fights" Christmas morning, said police Lt. Mike Larsen.
"The combination of stress and gloomy days and alcohol just turns people to fighting," he said.
Fifteen family fights also were reported to Ogden police from midnight Friday to midnight Christmas Eve.
From early Saturday through Christmas Eve, Salt Lake County deputies responded to 13 domestic-violence calls, although no one was jailed, said Deputy Jim Potter.
"The Christmas season brings added pressure," said Detective Guy Yoshikawa, a member of Salt Lake City's domestic-violence squad. "Some people, instead of trying to communicate, use their fists out of frustration."
From early Saturday through Sunday morning, 35 domestic violence calls were received by the Valley Emergency Communications Center, which dispatches officers for Sandy, South Jordan, Midvale, Murray, West Jordan and West Valley City.
During Christmastime, "emotions and passions are the highest," Potter said. "A lot of times there's a split-up of some kind. There's children involved. The emotion of Christmas, loneliness and having problems with your mate all enter the picture."