Domestic violence has many faces, and none of them is pretty. Most of these attacks are against women. And police will tell you it’s not unusual for a woman to be a victim repeatedly.

In Lawrence, the number of domestic violence cases and attacks against women is staggering. In 2009, for example, police responded to 975 domestic disturbance calls and investigated 71 rapes and 598 incidents of domestic battery, plus 24 sexual battery and 11 stalking cases.

So Lawrence police and the Douglas County district attorney’s office are applauded for teaming up and securing grant money to add a detective and a prosecutor who will focus their energy on reducing the number of incidents of domestic violence and other crimes against women. They also will provide continuity for victims.

It’s possible, because part of the effort is to convince victims to report domestic violence more often, that the numbers won’t improve right away.

“Our goal is to educate the public on these crimes and the importance of reporting them,” said Sgt. Matt Sarna.

But the ultimate goal is clear, Sarna said. “We would like to see a decrease in all of these numbers.”

The police department secured a $53,613 grant, and the city kicked in $18,000, while the DA’s office’s grant totaled $76,000, with another $16,670 coming from the county. Both offices hope this one year of funding can be extended.

Domestic violence cases are tough to investigate and tough to prosecute. The victim and attacker know each other. Not only do they know each other, they have a relationship — and perhaps they have children together. So victims can be reluctant to call police or to follow through and help detectives and prosecutors.

And, as is the case with many crimes, other factors can come into play, including alcohol and drug use.

So breaking the cycle of domestic violence can be a daunting task. But it’s one that’s well worth undertaking for the safety of county residents.