Maine Attorney General Janet Mills said she thinks the key to ending a “culture of violence against women” is to have women in key positions of authority.

“We need more women in law enforcement,” she said. “We need more women judges, and more women district attorneys.”

Mills said that in some cases, despite new laws designed to help and support victims through a process that can be very difficult and complex, how they are applied across the board means that some cases slip through the cracks.

“Most law enforcement agencies take domestic violence very seriously,” she said. “But almost every woman knows someone who has been the victim of domestic abuse. That’s not the case with everyone, and putting a personal face on the problem can’t help but change how you react to it.”

Mills said a new study, called the Maine Domestic Abuse Homicide Review, is coming out shortly that lists several warning signs of possible deadly abuse, and gives tips for how people who might be dealing with a victim of abuse in a professional setting should respond.

“Take suicide idealization very seriously,” she said. “That applies to victims and perpetrators. The threat is greatest just when the relationship is about to end.”

The study recommends screening questions for doctors and others who might encounter the victim. “Keeping the question open-ended, but not too vague,” she said. “Asking ‘Has your husband ever put his hands on you in anger?’ will elicit a different response than ‘Are you being abused at home?’”

She said that encouraging people to talk at work about their personal lives could save a life. “Women and other domestic violence victims are often isolated. Work is sometimes the only outlet they may have away from home. Policies that prevent people from asking personal questions or discussing personal situations can be harmful.”

Mills said she is running for Attorney General again in December. The Legislature will meet and vote for the Attorney General, Secretary of State, and Treasurer after the election. “I like being Attorney General,” she said. “I’d like to continue doing this work, and to continue to be one of those women in positions of authority.”