Officials raise concerns about increase in domestic violence

With most people shut up in their homes more than ever before, many health officials have raised concerns about another health crisis spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic – an increase in domestic violence.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and laid bare the magnitude of abuse that exists and statistics show a global surge of 60 percent in cases,” said Julie Gill Shuffield, president of the Casa de Esperanza board of directors.

As a local shelter and service provider,

Casa de Esperanza provides protection and education for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and human trafficking in Yuba, Sutter and Colusa counties. The shelter also serves as a safe haven for victims to escape violent situations.

Casa works closely with local law enforcement agencies and county victim services to assist those dealing with domestic violence situations.

Debbie Collier, interim executive director for Casa de Esperanza, said that since the onset of the pandemic, numbers at the Yuba City based shelter have been down but rose during the holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.

During that time, Collier said the shelter provided shelter to seven women and six children and 79 crisis calls were received.

Collier said based on her experience as a local licensed marriage and family therapist coupled with her involvement in Casa, she believes that the numbers may have declined during the pandemic because victims are approaching the situation differently along with almost every other aspect of life at this time.

“They are either not making that phone call because they are at home with the whole family and cannot get a second alone to do so or they are just jumping ship entirely and get a divorce,” said Collier. “The divorce rate has risen quite a bit during the pandemic.”

Collier said another reason many victims of domestic violence, especially those with children, may be especially cautious to seek help at this time is because of fear of exposing themselves or their children to COVID-19 by leaving the home and the subsequent blame that could come from their abuser for doing so.

Yuba County Sheriff 's Office public information officer Leslie Carbah said her department saw about a 6 percent increase above their five-year average in domestic violence reports in 2020 – which range from verbal disturbances to physical assault – but the numbers may not necessarily be directly

related to the pandemic.

“We must remember correlation doesn't equal causation; so a much more in-depth analysis would be required to look into any relationship to COVID,” said Carbah.

Chris Sachs, chief of the Marysville Police Department, said his department did not observe an increase in domestic violence amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Sachs, between March 1 and Dec. 31, 2020, the Marysville Police Department responded to 111 incidents of domestic violence, down slightly from the 117 incidents reported during the same time period in 2019.

Across the bridge, Captain Chad Niswonger, operations commander for the Sutter County Sheriff 's Office, said his department also did not see an increase in domestic violence cases during the pandemic last year and domestic violence incidents during the holiday season, which Niswonger said are typically higher during the months of November and December, were also down in 2020.

“We had a 60 percent decrease during the holiday season in our domestic violence-related calls

and arrests from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31,” said Niswonger.

Niswonger said data from March 1 through Dec. 31, 2020, indicated that his department responded to four fewer cases of domestic last year compared to 2019.

“All these stats include both physical and verbal domestic disputes/violence calls for service,” said Niswonger.

Yuba City Police Department Lt. Sam Escheman said his department saw a slight increase in the number of domestic violence incidents that the department responded to in 2020 compared to 2019 numbers.

“There is no doubt COVID-19 has contributed stress to everyone in our community in one form or fashion,” said Escheman. “We would consider it as a possible contributing factor, however, it would be premature to say the increase we have seen at YCPD was all due to COVID-19.”

Colusa County Assistant Sheriff Mike Bradwell said his department responded to fewer domestic violence calls in 2020, with 21 reported from April 1

through Dec. 31, compared to 30 domestic violence incidents reported during that same time in 2019.

Williams Police Chief James Saso said incidents within the city of Williams were slightly fewer in 2020 than they were the previous year as well.

According to Saso, there were 13 felony domestic violence cases and 12 misdemeanor domestic battery cases filed last year. In 2019, there were 16 felony domestic violence cases and 18 domestic battery cases filed.

Tootie Hackett, founder of the Williams-based domestic violence program Karen's House, said she saw a big increase in incidents of domestic violence within Colusa County in 2020, despite reports from local law enforcement showing a decrease.

“Most people don't want to report it,” said Hackett.

According to Hackett, Karen's House provided assistance to an estimated 15 individuals in 2020, up significantly from their yearly average of three cases.

Hackett said the increase in cases was from Colusa County as well as surrounding areas, including Sacramento.

“We do whatever we can to help, from helping to provide clothes or put them up in a motel,” said Hackett. “Whatever they feel comfortable with and need at the time.”

The nonprofit organization advocates on behalf of victims of domestic violence and their children, by providing a safe space that promotes intervention, prevention, awareness and empowerment.

Hackett established Karen's House – Colusa County's first domestic violence program

– in April 2018 after the disappearance and death of Williams native Karen Garcia – to offer resources and help to those stuck in abusive situations as Garcia was prior to her death.

Since being established,

Karen's House has partnered with Colusa County with the hope of expanding services and Hackett said they have been trying to obtain grant money to open a shelter in the near future.

For more information or local assistance with domestic violence, call Casa de Esperanza at 674-5400 or Karen's House at 517-7507.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline also offers advocate services 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800799-7233.