Calls to 911 reporting domestic disputes have dipped across Monroe County, records show.
But the number of criminal complaints has largely held steady, and the rate of such reporting in the city remains two-and-a-half times the statewide average. The county remains just under 2 times the statewide average.
That’s according to the Willow Domestic Violence Center of Great Rochester and the Rochester Monroe County Domestic Violence Consortium. The annual accounting of domestic violence reporting, released Thursday, shows rates of domestic violence continue to be elevated across Monroe County.
In all, the report counts 4,481 criminal reports of domestic violence in the county last year, and 37,354 calls to 911 involving domestic disputes, and 6,089 domestic incident reports made to the county. That’s a slight drop from last year, when 4,521 reports were made and 38,546 calls to 911.
Criminal reports for domestic violence include aggravated assault, simple assault, sex offenses, and violations of orders of protection.
"It is fracturing families. It is traumatizing children, and it is the reason that thousands in our community are living in fear every day," Willow President and CEO Meaghan de Chateauvieux said at a news conference Thursday. “Most of us probably don't know about that. And when you are surviving, when you are afraid, and you are walking on eggshells, you exist, but you cannot thrive."
While the city and county's figures are high, it's unclear whether that is due to extraordinarily high rates of domestic violence, or a higher willingness to report incidents compared to other parts of the state.
De Chateauvieux said it's likely a combination of both.
"We have this serious problem that keeps growing and growing, and that is true," she said. "The flip side of that also is that we have a community that is here to support survivors, and that survivors in Monroe County and even beyond are seeing the work that we are doing here, and they see us standing together, and they see the supports that we have available to them and are calling more often."
The report was generated through the Statewide Targeted Reductions in Intimate Partner Violence (STRIVE) initiative, a data-driven project to address domestic violence in communities around the state. Monroe County received $2.6 million last year, which was split between Willow, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, the Rochester Police Department, and various other county and local agencies.
The report attributed four homicides in Monroe County last year to domestic violence, compared to three in 2024, and 13 in 2023.
Ilse Passalacqua is vice chair of the domestic violence consortium. She said the numbers are a way to show the prevalence of domestic violence, and to encourage people to seek assistance.
"Remember, domestic violence does not discriminate," Passalacqua said, "whether the abuse is physical, emotional, sexual, financial or psychological. It can affect anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, identity, sexual orientation, age, income or profession."
At the news conference, Rochester Mayor Malik Evans and County Executive Adam Bello issued a joint proclamation declaring October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the city and county.
"It's time to talk honestly about domestic violence, how we prevent it, how we support survivors, and how we hold those who commit these crimes accountable," Bello said.
De Chateauvieux said that critical resources are still needed to support victims seeking to escape domestic violence. Those include strong orders of protection following violent incidents, and access to better emergency housing resources.
