A Disturbing Increase

In the past we typically average between 21 - 26 reported sexual assaults a year at the ER. Currently, however, we have responded to 32 sexual assaults for the year 2008. This is a 30% increase. Even more startling, 25 of these assaults happened in the last six months of this year, 19 in the last 3 months of the year.

In every month of the last 6 months reported sexual assaults have been double what they were in the corresponding months last year. This is a highly unusual time to see a spike in numbers since winter is typically the quietest time of the year for sexual assaults.
These assaults correlate closely in time to the economic downturn. The National Institute of Justice recently completed research that indicates under financial strain crimes in families triple and after bouts of unemployment they quadruple. As we know, more than 70% of sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows, typically a relative.

Although unemployment in the core of Hancock County does not appear to be much changed there is still significant financial strain across the board, and the general pessimistic mood and constant fear about finances is creating an unprecedented strain in families.

These numbers are such a significant increase that they may be indicative of not just an increase in reports but an actual increase in assaults.

In addition to responding to the ER we sheltered 4 of these clients and helped 11 with protection orders. Nineteen of the 32 were over the age of 18; 13 of them were between 13 - 17 years of age.

We are working on some community trainings and discussions with other service providers and first responders throughout the system to try to understand root causes and how best to respond to this growing issue.

Past, Present and Future

Happy New Year 2009! Let's take some time to reflect on the past, present and future at Open Arms:

We were impacted significantly by the two large floods in August 2007 and February 2008, bringing our combined total in damages in excess of $70,000. What many people do not realize is that research indicates increases in family violence after a major disaster. These increases can last for as many as four years.

We have seen first hand the effects of this natural disaster on the need for family violence services. The number of children in foster care in our community experienced a 76% increase from 2006 to April of 2008. Supervised visitations for abused children have increased by 300%.

While we were already struggling to keep up, the economic climate shifted drastically. The National Institute of Justice recently conducted a study which revealed that during difficult economic times the incidents of family violence against women and children increase considerably. The rate of domestic violence among couples experiencing high levels of financial strain triples, and it quadruples if the family experiences two or more periods of unemployment. Reported sexual assaults in our community have increased by 30%, almost all of them occurring in the last six months of 2008.

In the midst of these unprecedented needs for service we are experiencing the most significant financial down turn in agency history. We are being forced to reduce the revenue in our operating budget by more than $60,000 in 2009. Several grants have been cut, including two federal grants that have been cut by more than 10% and to which further cuts will be made. Donations are also down; prior to Match Day they were behind by about $7,000.

2009 will see major changes, as funding cuts are projected in multiple areas. We have already eliminated some staff, both in Harmony House and the shelter program. We are hoping to simply maintain what we have, and find a way to triage and prioritize cases so that the people in most need get any available services.

We extend a big thank you to all of our volunteers and donors of 2008! As we enter this new year we look forward to your continued support while we work together to serve our community.