BOSTON (WHDH) - With millions of Americans forced to stay at home, there is a deep concern about a rise in domestic violence cases.
Marianne Winters is the executive director of Safe Passage in Northampton, which provides emergency shelter and counseling for adults and their children fleeing instances of domestic violence.
Winters wants survivors to know that even now when the streets are bare and everyone is left to their own devices, resources are available for those living with abuse.
“Survivors are the strongest and most resilient people that I know,” she said. “There are ways you can think about to make yourself safer.”
“People who are living with abuse are now basically quarantined at home with all day with the person who’s abusing them. It’s a perfect storm for increased isolation, increased stress and increased violence,” she explained.
7NEWS spoke with Boston Police about what they are seeing during this time of increased risk.
Overall, they said that simple domestic violence cases in the city of Boston are up 40 percent for the year compared to 2019.
Specifically, in the month of March 2019, there were 166 simple domestic violence incidents. In March of 2020, there have been 203 reported incidents.
Police add that the number of aggravated domestic violence incidents is relatively the same.
This serves as a reminder that clues of abuse can look different for many people.
“Sometimes the clues aren’t that there’s a black eye on a person when they’re on a video call, but it’s that they are acting strange, or saying something strange,” Winters said.
Anyone looking for domestic violence resources during the COVID-19 emergency can go to Jane Doe Inc, the Mass. Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence.
They can also go to the Safe Passage website.
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