Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said assault calls, often related to domestic disputes, are up 9% since Harris County’s stay-home order went into effect March 25. In the same time period, the Houston Area Women’s Center say its hotline’s call volume increased 40%, said Emily Whitehurst, the center's president and CEO.
“I want you to know that the shelters in this region are taking all the precautions; they are practicing social distancing; these are safe places for you to go,” Whitehurst said. “Living with an abuser may not be.”
The public outreach campaign will be aimed at educating those who may be experiencing domestic violence, and it will also help bystanders understand the signs to look for and ways to help.
"A wife now facing stay-home orders with a controlling and increasingly violent husband who is afraid to leave with her young children because of the pandemic, these are the kinds of calls that we get regularly, but they are escalating under the quarantine and are compounded by the complications of people not knowing how to manage this situation," she said.
To spread the message, the Houston Food Bank will distribute fliers with its supplies; the Houston Office of Emergency Management will send text messages though its alert system; and The Houston Dash will lead a social media campaign. The effort was coordinated by the Houston City Council Public Safety Committee lead by Council Member Abbie Kamin, various other city departments, and financial support from H-E-B and Uber.
Whitehurst said that in times of crisis, increased stress and instability lead to higher incidences of violence.
“This city saw a 45% spike in domestic violence murders after Hurricane Harvey,” she said. “This city cannot let that happen again.”
Other service providers in Harris and Montgomery counties are seeing similar needs.
For help or questions, visit www.nocovidabuse.org or call the 24/7 domestic violence hotline at 713-528-2121.
