Domestic violence risk in holidays addressed
Domestic violence doesn’t take a holiday.
That’s the message behind a new San Antonio-led social media campaign that aims to raise awareness about the risks of domestic violence during the holidays and direct victims to resources throughout the community.
“All the research about family violence shows that violence increases when people are under stress,” said Jenny Hixon, violence prevention manager at the Metropolitan Health District. “That’s why we decided that it’s important to get this messaging out there.”
The campaign, unveiled this month in partnership with the Police Department and University Health, is part of a larger effort among city and county officials to address the increase in domestic violence injuries and fatalities in Bexar County.
At least 30 people died from domestic violence in Bexar County in 2019 — killed by partners, spouses, ex-lovers or members of their families or households, according to data collected by the San Antonio Express-News.
That’s only a slight decrease from the prior year, when 32 people died from domestic violence, the data shows. (Statistics on fatalities differ, depending on the source, because of differences in the way deaths are tracked and defined.)
In an effort to address the problem, city leaders unveiled an educational campaign last year called
“Love Is ... ” that aimed to promote healthy relationships.
City officials also unveiled a wide-ranging plan that aims to fill gaps in the safety net by eventually creating a local crisis hotline, providing free legal help to survivors and training nurses to be experts in identifying signs of domestic violence, among other initiatives.
Hixon said community outreach is vital because “violence is so endemic to many relationships.”
“People don’t realize that violence is not OK,” Hixon said. “That’s why we need to get the message out there that, one, no one has the right to hurt you. And two, there are people who can help you get safe.”
Hixon said that message is more important than ever, as many people have to stay home to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
While studies show that family violence is caused by an abuser’s deeply held beliefs of superiority and need to control, additional stressors — loss of a job or use of illegal drugs and alcohol — can trigger violence or make it worse.
For example, after Hurricane Katrina made landfall in 2005, one study partially funded by the National Institutes of Health found that physical abuse nearly doubled and emotional abuse increased by one-third among a sample of women in southern Mississippi.
Already, some cities have reported similar increases in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Seattle Police Department, for instance, found a 21 percent increase in domestic violence reports in April after stay-at-home orders were put in place.
In San Antonio, emergency 911 calls increased by 18 percent in March, compared with the same time in 2019. Officials said the increase in calls was not necessarily indicative of more offenses; it could mean that more victims reached out for help.
Still, it left Hixon and other public health officials worried.
“There’s a variety of reporting out there, depending on the city,” Hixon said. “But one thing we know for sure is that the severity of violence in relationships that were already violent got worse.”
Hixon said it’s important for people in violent relationships to make a safety plan and stay in contact with friends and family. She suggested that victims keep a packed bag with essential items at a friend’s house, in case of an emergency.
She also suggested that victims set up a code word with friends and family members to communicate when the victim’s life is in danger.
It’s also imperative for friends and family members to stay in contact with the person in the abusive relationship — no matter how difficult it is, Hixon said.
“It’s really important for people to know they have a place to go,” Hixon said. “Being that place that’s always safe for them to go is a true lifeline in violent relationships.”
Hixon said the educational campaign on family violence will continue into the new year. In the coming months, Metro Health plans to unveil a series of TV and radio advertisements, in addition to billboards on highways and buses.
“We hope the messaging is getting out there,” Hixon said. “It’s part of our commitment to address some of the big structural issues in our community, and also an ongoing commitment to get information out to folks.”