October is Domestic Violence Awareness month.
During the pandemic, with more people isolated at home, people in abusive relationships have been in greater danger, said Laura Beth Weaver, executive director of the Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley.
“Advocates were greatly concerned that these stay at home orders were keeping people isolated with abusers,” Weaver said. “We saw an increase in the severity of violence that people were experiencing,”
In some areas, there’s been an increase of reported incidents of domestic and sexual violence in recent years. Outside the New River Valley, Roanoke police say in 2021, the number of reported rapes more than doubled. Domestic aggravated assaults there also increased.
The majority of cases, however, go unreported to police.
The Women’s Resource Center helps between 3,000-4,000 victims and survivors a year. They have a shelter, and a hotline where staff are available to give support and advice 24 hours a day.
“It’s confidential, and you can just say I need to talk through this situation for myself or for a loved one,” Weaver said.
Shelters and organizations like the Women’s Resource Center have seen decreases in federal funding in recent years. Earlier this year, however, Congress reauthorized funding through the Violence Against Women Act.
Weaver said advocates and allies can give victims support before, during and after they are ready to leave an abusive situation.
“While there’s so much in our communities right now to disagree about, what we can all agree on is that people deserve to be safe,” Weaver said. “People deserve a safe place to sleep, to eat. And a community that supports them in that is important.”
If you’re in danger, or if you’d like to talk with an advocate about domestic or sexual violence, you can call the Virginia Statewide Hotline 1.800.838.8238. It’s maintained by the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance.
The Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley also has a crisis hotline: 540.639.1123.
