Published Sunday, June 21, 2009
Increase also evident in domestic violence cases
The Newnan Times-Herald
Domestic violence is on the rise, and Community Welcome House Executive Director Linda Kirkpatrick thinks the economy has a lot to do with it.
Just as the overall crime rates tend to rise in the summer, Kirkpatrick expects that the incidents of domestic violence will rise, too.
Domestic abuse ranges from physical to sexual, economic, emotional and psychological abuse.
In 2008, there were 111 domestic violence fatalities statewide, according to statistics recently released about domestic violence in Georgia. From 2003 to 2008, more than 700 Georgia citizens lost their lives.
In Coweta County in 2008, there were four domestic violence incidents that resulted in fatalities, according to Kirkpatrick. The majority of the aggravated assaults reported to police are domestic violence incidents.
Georgia ranked 14 in the nation for its rate of men killing women. In 45 percent of the cases studied, children were present during the killing. Nearly 1 in 3 American women report being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives. Half of the men who frequently assault their wives also frequently abuse their children.
These startling statistics fuel the Welcome House to continue providing an emergency shelter in the county for women and their children.
Last year, Kirkpatrick says, the non-profit group received a lot of calls for service from women trying to decide whether to leave their abusive situation. Many of those women chose to stay where they were because of economic reasons.
"We've been giving out a lot of safety plans," said Kirkpatrick.
The shelter also has been housing more people than in past years.
In 2008, the Welcome House received 474 calls for assistance. They admitted 154 residents and helped 314 through outreach.
Through May of this year, the Welcome House has received 111 calls, admitted 84, and helped 111 through outreach.
Those numbers are dramatically higher than those from 2007 and 2006 -- before the recession was in full-swing.
In 2007, a total of 126 women and children were admitted to the Welcome House. In 2006, 96 women and children stayed at the emergency shelter, according to Kirkpatrick.
During the 2008-2009 school year, Kirkpatrick said the Welcome House received more calls from concerned counselors than usual. They also saw more referrals from the hospital and the Department of Family and Children Services.
Kirkpatrick wants to get the message out to everyone suffering in an abusive situation that the Welcome House is willing to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"We can help them with anything they need from legal advocacy, giving them a safety plan, working with children or working with counselors," said Kirkpatrick. "We want them to know we believe them."
To those women who think there's no way out, Kirkpatrick has a directive.
"Call us and let us talk to them about their options," she said. "There is damage being done to them and much more so to their children. That's what they really need to understand."
The Welcome House number is 770-304-0966, or they can be reached online at www.communitywelcomehouse.org .
