LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Center for Women and Families reports domestic violence is on the rise across Kentuckiana. They say deaths related to domestic violence are on pace to be double what they were in 2021.
The center's crisis response team is working to change those numbers by meeting the needs of, and providing a range of services to, clients living in domestic violence situations.
One of the chief jobs is manning the center's 24/7 hotline, which clients can call for immediate housing, advice on creating a safety plan or just to talk.
"Everybody's story is different which means their needs are different. So our team is trained on assessing needs," Rev. Dr. Caitlin Simpson, director of crisis response, said.
Simpson said for extremely at-risk clients, there's a specific screening tool. They create escape plans and find immediate hotel stays.
"What we know is that someone from a high fatality situation benefits greatly from de-escalation time," she said.
Law enforcement sometimes call when a person at a scene needs of crisis response. The Center for Women and Families also works with hospital partners, dispatching team members to help when clients need them.
“Every client is coming from a different starting point and we need to be able to meet them where they are," Simpson said.
During the pandemic, Simpson said calls became more frequent, more serious and more violent. She said when evictions start happening, that creates stress in the household, for example, which can cause an increase in violence.
"So all those pieces work together to create those increases," Simpson said. “People are bumping up against a wall and what’s behind them is violence so they are desperately trying to move forward and find a way out."
Already in 2022, the team has received 2,661 calls and the center has served around 3,600 people.
Because the center takes a holistic approach, helping clients with everything from housing to transportation to legal support to therapy, Simpson said resources and funding are often what they need the most.
“In any way someone can show up with funding or resources in that way so we can extend that out," she said.
Simpson said one of the most common misconceptions about domestic violence is that it only impacts women.
“It really transcends any label, anyone can find themselves on the receiving end of a perpetrator," she said. For that reason, Simpson said central hubs of support, like the Center for Women and Families, are crucial.
If you or someone you know is in a domestic violence situation help is available.
The Center for Women and Families 24-7 emergency hotline number is 1-844-237-2331. The Metro United Way Community Database has an easy-to-remember three-digit hotline, 211.
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