Lake County Gazette

After Illinois Gov. J.B Pritzker issued stay-at-home orders to help combat the spread of COVID-19 to keep people healthy, a side-affect has been an increase in domestic violence reports across the country and Lake County. 

Lake County's A Safe Place nonprofit told media outlets, such as the Daily Herald, that through mid-May, phone calls to its hotline increased from 14 per week to 100, the publication reported on May 12. 

What is happening in Lake County is not a unique situation. The National Domestic Violence Hotline reported in May that its call volume was up approximately 15% from April 2019 to April 2020 and that it continues to see an uptick in calls as states rollback stay-at-home orders. The hotline's statement was part of an announcement about funding. 

"This funding will ensure that when survivors contact us, our advocates will be there to provide validation, resources and safety planning to enable them to make decisions for a safer future," Katie Ray-Jones, National Domestic Violence Hotline CEO, said in the news release. 

Similar to what the national hotline is experiencing, the Daily Herald reported that the number of people searching for safety and shelter has also doubled, making it difficult for A Safe Place to provide housing for everyone. 

"We have been prioritizing 'life' clients, meaning if a client's life is in danger per law enforcement and public health records, and they are actively fleeing, we are taking them in,” A Safe Place CEO Pat Davenport told the Daily Herald. “If we had the funding to take in all domestic violence victims at this time, we would be providing hotel shelter to over 180 clients."

In one case, a partner is accused of hospitalizing a victim after accusing the victim of trying to spread COVID-19 to them, the Daily Herald reported. 

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has also seen a rise in domestic violence-related calls, Sgt. Christopher Covelli told the Daily Herland. The year-to-year difference in calls is 3% for April, but when it comes to March, it was 21%. 

While Lake County Haven, which can house 10 victims at a time, said it hasn’t seen an upward trend in the number of people seeking safety, the executive director, Laura Sabino, said she’s convinced it’s because people are heading to A Safe Place instead. 

"We are certainly seeing the vulnerability of women and children during this pandemic," she told the Daily Herald. "We focus on mental health, which is in great peril now."

Pritzker has also acknowledged the trend, telling the Daily Herald, "Domestic violence is everyone's business. It's more important than ever to look out for your neighbors."

Those who are seeking help or assistance can call the state’s Domestic Violence hotline, which is free and confidential, at 877-863-6338. A Safe Place also provides a 24-hour hotline at 800-600-7233.