10-31-2025 8:20pm

Police: Domestic violence cases spike in Bowie

Bowie resident Sherri Cook remembers how hard it was to leave a relationship she describes as mentally, physically, and financially abusive around 13 years ago.

As Cook recalled, she was afraid of the uncertainty if she left.

It took time to figure out how to completely separate her emotions, finances and housing situation from that of her partner's.

When she sought help from law enforcement or judges, she said some questioned or warned that she would just end up back with her partner or worse, dead.

“It felt like a really lonely time – just feeling like I'm not protected out here, the law doesn't matter and there’s no real help. So, it was hard, to say the least,” Cook said.

Cook, 50, made it out and has spent the past 13 years trying to help other abuse victims escape unhealthy relationships and start new lives under her brand Keom Works, which stands for Keeping Each Other Motivated. As a motivational speaker, life coach and author, Cook’s mission is to help people who’ve experienced domestic violence find hope.

Advocates like her may be needed now more than ever. Bowie, the largest city in Prince George’s County, is experiencing a significant increase in domestic violence.

The Bowie Police Department responded to 424 calls for service related to domestic violence incidents and made 34 arrests between Jan. 1 and Oct. 6, 2025, Police Chief Dwayne A. Preston said at the Oct. 6 city council meeting.

That was a nearly 22% increase in calls and 48% increase in arrests from the same period in 2024, based on the raw data, the chief said.

Preston added that of the two homicides in Bowie this year, one was domestic-related.

Crimes such as assault, theft and homicide are logged in crime reports posted on the city website. Domestic violence may be associated with those other crimes, but it is not listed as a separate crime on the website; it is monitored independently, Bowie Police confirmed.

What's behind the increased incidents?

Preston characterized the increase in domestic violence incidents as unusual and noticeable but said the reasons behind the trends are not yet clear. “We don’t want to speculate, but I think that we all believe and know that in order to be effective and bring about some solution, you got to understand what the cause is,” he said in a follow-up call.

Cook isn’t surprised by the increase in domestic violence in Bowie. She said she believes people are dealing with a lot of uncertainty, pressure and stress right now, due in part to mass federal layoffs which have affected much of Bowie and Prince George’s County.

At the same time, Cook pointed out that the increase demonstrates more people are reaching out for help. “You know for many years, people weren’t even calling. People suffered in silence,” she said.

The Prince George’s County Family Justice Center, a victim’s advocacy organization, reported seeing 764 clients from Bowie so far this year, a nearly 30% increase from 2024. The center has seen a 20% increase in clients for the entire county.

Established in 2016, the center operates under the authority of the Prince George’s County Circuit Court and focuses on support for survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault and elder abuse by partnering with 22 community-based organizations and local government agencies.

Denise McCain, director of the center, is hesitant to name one reason for the rise in domestic violence in Bowie – where almost 22% of the employed population works or formerly worked for the federal government – but she believes an intersection of factors may contribute to the increase, such as financial stress, unemployment and anxiety.

“I think it’s important that we get information and the word out to help people understand you don’t have to live in this situation. We can’t change it, but we can give you the resources to help you move beyond that. It may not happen today or tomorrow, but we will walk you through that process,” McCain said.

Justice center operates Bowie offices

The center operates satellite offices at the Bowie Police Department and Bowie State University. Bowie police refer to their office as “the kiosk.” Each satellite office is open to the public but functions as a private meeting room, allowing the public to interface with center intake staff, McCain said.

Preston said the Bowie Police Department plans to collaborate with its community services unit to follow up on incidents and track domestic violence calls to see how many are coming from repeat callers.

The rise in Bowie incidents comes amid a decline in the number of domestic violence offenses recorded in Prince George’s County this year, following a spike in domestic violence cases the previous year. Total domestic violence cases declined 10% between January 2024 and January 2005, according to data from county police.

RESOURCES

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Here’s a list of resources to learn more about the issue or to seek help:

Prince George’s County Department of Family Services provides support through its domestic violence and human trafficking division.
Prince George’s County Family Justice Center operates under the authority of the county circuit court and offers a wide range of services.
Maryland Center for School Safety provides resources on domestic and dating violence.
Interfaith Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence lists faith groups that support survivors.
Everytown for Gun Safety Resource Guide includes identity-based resources.
National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-7233.
National Network to End Domestic Violence conducts an annual survey, tracks policies and spreads awareness about the issue.

Nicole Ramos is a journalism student who covers Bowie as part of the University of Maryland Howard Center for Investigative Journalism.

CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, the last sentence was revised Oct. 31 to make it clear that domestic violence cases in the county declined 10% since January 2024, not in January 2025.