Despite a decline in overall homicides and crime in Philadelphia, the number of domestic violence homicides has risen dramatically since 2008. Twenty-two of the 35 domestic homicide victims in 2008 had previously called the police, totaling 178 calls in all, and some of these victims even had restraining orders against their suspected or convicted killers. Last February, Willie L. Scott killed his former girlfriend in front of their 4-year-old daughter. The police had responded to at least 10 calls for help from the house since 2008. In response to the 67% increase in domestic violence homicides since 2008, the Philadelphia Police Department is adjusting response protocol so that the Police Department will know when it receives a call from a house that had previous reports of domestic violence or restraining orders.
The increase in domestic violence is also occurring nationally, which experts say is largely linked to the recession. Prior to the onslaught of the recession last year, domestic violence rates had been decreasing for 15 years. Yet, a recent study showed that since September 2008, 75% of our nation’s domestic violence shelters have reported an increase in women seeking assistance, with 73% of these shelters crediting this rise to financial problems.
But despite this troubling increase, services for domestic violence victims have been depleted. This year, California, which accounts for 13% of emergency domestic violence calls, cut $2 million from the state budget that was used for financing 94 domestic violence centers and shelters. Similar cuts have occurred in West Virginia and Illinois, the latter of which has reduced financing for domestic violence programs by 75%.
The result of these cuts is all too clear – reductions of staff, accessibility, quality of service, and ability to successfully assist people in need. At the moment when these services are most needed, they are unable to provide essential, and often life-saving, help. Indeed, “Domestic violence is up, and while the poor economy that helps drive the violence is still not rebounded, states are drastically slashing funding for domestic violence services,” said Sheryl Cates, Chief Executive of the federally financed National Domestic Violence Hotline. States must follow Philadelphia’s lead in developing necessary steps to protecting victims of domestic violence before it is too late. The desperate need for services, assistance, and funding for victims of domestic violence has been heightened in the past year, and our nation must act accordingly. Funding for domestic violence services should be increased in times of need, not cut.
It's scares me to think that the recession has a great influence with the increase of the number of domestic violence. What is going to happen next?
Posted by: Backlinks Provider | October 03, 2010 at 07:26 AM