October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and with many people still working from home and in isolation, victims being at home with their abusers is a huge concern.
Fearless is an organization in Orange County committed to helping victims of domestic violence. Executive Director Kellyann Kostyal-Larrier says calls on the Fearless emergency hotline have gone up 47 percent, comparing March to September of last year.
What You Need To Know
- Domestic violence hotline calls have been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic began
- Fearless has resources to help people in dangerous situations
- They've had to make changes to how services are provided
They’ve had to make significant changes to how their organization provides services because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The first thing we introduced was our ability to web chat," Kostyal-Larrier said. "The ability for someone to come on and chat with an advocate and know that that chat goes away, it’s not tracked. It disappears because of safety and confidentiality."
If you or someone you know is in a harmful situation at home, visit the Fearless website.