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Domestic violence rates in Monroe County 1.6 times statewide rates

Caitlin Whyte
/
WXXI News

Officials from Willow Domestic Violence Center and all levels of local government stood in purple in support of October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month

With that proclamation from the mayor, the Rochester/Monroe County Domestic Violence Consortium released their annual report to the community.

"During 2017 Willow Center received 5,590 calls to their emergency hotline, slightly higher than past years. Monroe County rates of domestic violence are 1.6 times the statewide rate, excluding New York City. And City of Rochester rates are 3 times as high."

Meaghan de Chateauvieux is the President and CEO of Willow Domestic Violence Center said there were just over 4,800 reports of domestic violence in Monroe County last year, 54% of those were in the city, and 46% from surrounding suburbs.

She says in the coming months they will dig deeper in the numbers.

"Is it a resource issue, a staffing issue, is there a larger trend driving the data? Are we seeing the impact of the MeToo movement, and more survivors reporting? As we become more visible in our support of survivors as a community and share the information and resources available, we expect the numbers to continue to rise as more survivors step forward."

Greece Police Chief Patrick Phelan says first responders are on the front lines when it comes to these disputes and says domestic violence is a cycle.

He believes education is key to stopping domestic violence, and that kids need to learn what a healthy relationship looks like early on.

"We need to teach kids not to be abusers, we need to teach little boys not to be abusers, we need to teach little girls to recognize the signs so they recognize it when they see it and they can stop it. This is important, and it’s something that I don’t think we're doing effectively."

Jerri Lynn Sparks is a survivor and advocate who used Willow Center services, then under a different name, to get a divorce from her husband.

"We think we know what a domestic violence survivor looks like, we think we know when it’s coming. And I personally did not see what was happening to me."

She says they helped her develop a safe plan, get neighbors involved and rebuild her life after her abuser was put in jail.

Willows 24 hour hotline can be reached at 222-SAFE (7233).