Domestic Violence Network Issues Annual State of Domestic Violence Report
1,743 victims denied services due to lack of availability in 2014
Indianapolis…Safe and sufficient housing continues to be the number one need for Central Indiana victims of domestic violence calling in to crisis hotlines, according to the just-released Annual State of Domestic Violence Report.
The State of Domestic Violence Report, compiled by the Indianapolis-based Domestic Violence Network, uses 2014 data and was developed to increase access to key data about domestic violence in Central Indiana. Data is based on similar reports compiled in 2013, 2011, and 2008. It includes information on the available community data, community-wide efforts to end domestic violence in Central Indiana, as well as ways concerned citizens can get involved in those efforts.
Among the key findings in the newly issued report:
o Housing is the top concern for those calling in to domestic violence hotlines
o 1,743 victims were denied services due to program over capacity; in 2013, that number was 601; this year’s number is the highest recorded in this report
o The number of crisis calls among all agencies jumped to 20,789 in 2014 from 18,980 in 2013; consistent with a steady rise in recent years
o There were at least 17 domestic violence related fatalities in the nine-county area served by the Domestic Violence Network. This represents an increase from the previous two years but a decline from three years prior.
A complete copy of the report can be downloaded at https://dvnconnect.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2015-State-of-Domestic-Violence-Report.pdf
Kelly McBride, executive director of the Domestic Violence Network, said it is difficult to know whether domestic violence is increasing or if awareness surrounding the issue is encouraging victims to seek help.
“What we do know from this data is that 1,743 people were turned away from services that they desperately needed, and that housing continues to be the number one issue that victims and survivors need assistance with in Central Indiana,” McBride said.
“DVN uses the data from the Annual State of Domestic Violence Report to plan our efforts to end domestic violence, including education outreach to high schools and Indiana colleges, as well as health care providers and area businesses,” McBride added.
When considering trend information, it is important to note that changes in trends do not necessarily indicate increases or decreases in the prevalence of domestic violence. Rather, they could indicate changes in reporting patterns among victims.
“Data are limited to reported information – reports to services providers, crisis lines, law enforcement agencies – and do not capture the thousands of incidents of domestic violence that are unreported nor the thousands of secondary victims of domestic violence, including the children who witness horrific events at the hands of abusers,” McBride concluded.
About the Domestic Violence Network
The mission of the Domestic Violence Network is to engage the community to end domestic violence through advocacy, education, and collaboration.
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Kelly McBride is available to speak about the State of Domestic Violence Report. Contact Kelly at kmcbride@cvnconnect.org or (317) 872-1086.