While the O.J. Simpson case has focused attention on what advocates say is escalating domestic violence, federal crime figures show the rate of domestic homicide is actually in decline.

The overall rate of women killed by husbands or boyfriends has dropped 18 percent since the late 1970s. More dramatic is the decline in such murders of black women; they are down 41 percent since 1976."These declines are substantial, particularly when compared to people's perceptions," said James Alan Fox, the dean of Northeastern University's College of Criminal Justice who analyzed FBI crime statistics and census data for the study. "It's a tragedy when it happens, but it's not happening any more (frequently) now."

Fox and others believe the decline in murders reflects heightened awareness of domestic violence. That awareness has translated into tougher laws, more aggressive enforcement and an increase in the number of shelters for battered women.

Murder is just the tip of the iceberg, however. From 1980 to 1990, federal figures show, reports of domestic assault - cases of violence that fall short of murder - rose from 2 million to 4 million, according to Rita Smith, coordinator for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Fox was quick to note that the declining homicide figures do not mean domestic violence overall is on the wane. He looked only at homicides.

But he said the study suggests that more and more cases of domestic violence are being dealt with before they escalate into murder.

"What it basically suggests is that in the last 15 years, many more programs, from shelters to restraining orders, have come into place," he said. "Women do have alternatives other than to stay in an abusive situation."

Joan Zorza, senior attorney with the National Center on Women and Family Law, said the first law specifically dealing with domestic violence was passed by Pennsylvania in 1976. By 1989, similar laws were on the books of all states.

"There's no question they have a positive effect," she said.

Fox looked at 36,100 murders of women ages 18 to 34 from 1976 to 1992, the most recent year for which figures are available. A third of those murders were attributed to boyfriends, husbands or ex-partners. That proportion jumped to nearly half of all the murders when Fox factored out unsolved cases where the identity of the murderer was not known.

Husbands were the killers in half the cases. Boyfriends accounted for 36 percent of the killings. The rest of the murders were committed by divorced spouses or common-law husbands.

While the O.J. Simpson murder case has given some the impression that domestic violence is a national crisis growing out of control, Fox's study shows a gradual decline in the rate of domestic murders over the past 18 years.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Domestic homicide

Although 4 million domestic assaults are reported annually, tougher laws, better enforcement and more shelters have helped reduce the number of cases that end in murder.

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Domestic homicides among females: Ages 18-34

1976 732

1980 813

1992 702

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