Domestic Violence Concerns Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Why experts say domestic violence may be spiking and what you can do to help.

STAYING HOME AS ARESULT OF THECORONAVIRUS, IT'SCAUSING CONCERNFOR A DIFFERENTPROBLEM...DOMESTICVIOLENCE.REPORTER JOHNMADDEN SPOKEWITH THE WOMEN'SCENTER FORADVANCEMENTWHO WANTSPEOPLE TO NOTFORGET ABOUTTHE ISSUE DURINGTHESE TIMES OFCHANGE ?

?TODD SCHMADEREROMAHA POLICECHIEF CAPT.WAYNE HUDSONDOUGLAS COUNTYSHERIFF'S OFFICE"STARTING TO SEELESS OF THE CALLSTHAT WOULDREQUIRE A LOT OFTRAFFIC SUCH ASTRAFFICACCIDENTS, ANDSTARTING TO SEESOME MOREDOMESTICVIOLENCE." IN ASUNDAY PRESSCONFERENCEOMAHA POLICECHIEF TODDSCHMADERERMADE NOTE OF THECHANGE "THEREHAS BEEN A SPIKEIN OUR CALLS FORDOMESTICVIOLENCE WEDON'T KNOW WHATATTRIBUTED TO ITCOULD BE MORETHAT PEOPLE AREAROUND EACHOTHER MOREOFTEN BUT YES WEHAVE SEEN ANINCREASE." SAMEFOR CAPTAINWAYNE HUDSON OFTHE DOUGLASCOUNTY SHERIFFSOFFICE NATS WITHLESS CARS ON THEROADWAYS ANDWITH MOREPEOPLE INSIDE IT'SRAISING CONCERNFOR SOME "WHENYOU HAVEVIOLENCE ANDABUSE HAPPENINGTHE STRESS IN AFAMILY WILLESCALATE IT."PREVIOUS STUDIESHAVE SHOWN THATHIGHERUNEMPLOYMENTCAN LEAD TO MOREDOMESTICVIOLENCE, ANDNOW WITH LOTS OFPEOPLE INSIDE DUETO THECORONAVIRUS, THESAME COULD BEHAPPENING NOW"WE GOTECONOMICSTRESSERS WEGOT PEOPLE THATARE SCARED ANDANXIOUS AND IT'SREALLY HARD TOUNDERSTAND BUTPEOPLE THAT LOVEOTHER PEOPLEARE VICTIMS OFTHIS." AMYRICHARDSON OFTHE WOMEN'SCENTER FORADVANCEMENTSAYS DOMESTICVIOLENCEHAPPENS WHENPEOPLE AREISOLATED WITHEACH OTHER ANDWITH SO MUCHGOING ON, THISISSUE MAY BEGETTINGOVERLOOKED "1 IN4 WOMEN WILLEXPERIENCEDOMESTICVIOLENCE SEXUALASSAULT,TRAFFICKING ORSTALKING IN THEIRLIFETIME AND SO ITIS A HEALTH ISSUETHAT NEEDS TO BEIN THEFOREFRONT."FRIENDS ANDLOVED ONES OFTHOSE WHO MAYBE OR ARECURRENTLYVICTIMS WILL PLAYA CRUCIAL ROLEDURING THIS TIME"YOU HAVE TO BEGOOD NEIGHBORSYOU HAVE TO MAKENOTICE WHEN YOUHAVE FRIENDSTHAT YOU KNOWTHIS IS GOING ONIN THEIRHOUSEHOLDFAMILY MEMBERSEVERYBODY NEEDSTO SURROUND ANDBE VERY CAREFULDURINGTHIS TIME."THE WOMEN'SCENTER FORADVANCEMENT HASMULTIPLERESOURCESAVAILABLE TO HELPTHOSE IN NEEDINCLUDING A 24HOUR PHONE LINE"SOMETIMES THEWORST COMESOUT IN PEOPLEDURING THIS AND ITWILL BE THELESSER PEOPLETHAT IS GOING TOBE ASSAULTED." INOMAHA JOHNMADDEN 3NN