Elizabeth Freeman Center Launches Rise Together for Safety and Justice iberkshires.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from iberkshires.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
While the Pittsfield Police Department saw fewer calls related to domestic violence and sexual assault than in the previous year, observers donât necessarily see that as a good thing.
Many believe that the pandemic has worsened risks for violence and made it more difficult for survivors to report. They say underreporting, exacerbated by pandemic conditions, could offer a more accurate explanation for the trend than a drop in violence.
Due to travel and gathering restrictions, survivors may have fewer opportunities to report violence without perpetratorsâ knowledge, and they may fear backlash if perpetrators find out they are making a report.
Pandemic increased risks for domestic violence, sexual assault, observers say berkshireeagle.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from berkshireeagle.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Executive Director Janis Broderick spoke to the Human Services Advisory Council last week about the link between domestic violence and homelessness along with an increased need for the organization s services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Domestic violence is the cause of homelessness in the great majority of families and female-identified persons in shelters or violence survivors, she said on Thursday. Studies show that 74 percent of domestic violence survivors stay with their abuser longer or return to an abusive situation because they cannot shelter and feed their children. I would estimate that at least 95 percent of those who come to us are having housing issues. Many are fleeing danger, others are struggling with the activeness of violent relationships, so addressing homelessness poverty and housing stability is critical to stop the cycle of violence.