There’s a popular saying that the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. Interpretations of that can vary, but it’s often understood to mean that you can tackle large and difficult tasks by breaking them down into small, manageable pieces and dealing with those pieces individually.

That might be a good way to look at an idea Mayor Nick Gradisar has for reducing domestic violence in our community. The subject came up during an editorial board meeting last week, following an awful start to the year that saw four domestic violence-related homicides in a span of only two months.

Gradisar said he’s asked police department administrators if it would be possible, in cases where patrol officers respond to domestic violence calls, to provide some information to the victims about social service programs that might be able to help them.

Gradisar acknowledged that there could be legal issues with that approach. He asked his staff to investigate the matter further. But if there aren’t any legal restrictions related to protecting victims’ privacy or anything of that sort, then this seems like an idea worth pursuing.

Of course, the details could be a little bit tricky. For example, how and when would police provide that information? If officers start telling victims about domestic violence programs while they’re at the scene of incidents, they also might be alerting the abusers, who could threaten the victims with further violence for seeking that type of help.

Also, it’s important that the information be provided in a respectful and non-threatening manner so that victims don’t feel like they’re being violated or pressured into taking action before they are ready.

Gradisar’s logic is easy to follow. Too often, domestic violence starts slowly, but escalates within relationships to the point where victims could be seriously injured or killed. Gradisar clearly is hoping to make more victims aware of the resources available to them as early as possible, to lessen the risk they’ll be subjected to more serious harm.

Is it the total solution to the problem? No, of course not. If it were easy to rid our society of domestic violence, it would have happened a long time ago.

Human relationships are complicated, so some victims may elect not to seek help even when it seems obvious to others around them that they should. Walking away from toxic people in our lives isn’t always as simple as it might seem to outsiders.

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And in some cases, there may be no pattern of escalation. One partner in a relationship simply might snap without prior warning, leading to tragic consequences.

There may be other good ideas out there about ways to reduce domestic violence in Pueblo. That’s why there’s value in one or more symposiums like the one City Councilman Mark Aliff is organizing.

Those types of meetings can be productive if they raise awareness about the social service programs available or result in methods for expanding or delivering those services more efficiently.

Domestic violence is a complex issue and it will require steps taken on different fronts to combat it. The mayor hasn’t come up with a blueprint for swallowing an elephant whole. But maybe he has carved out a good-sized chunk that would be easy to digest.