SafeHaven of Tarrant County Continues Battle to End Gender-Based Violence as the Pandemic’s Effects on Domestic Violence Persist
October 1, 2021
SafeHaven of Tarrant County Continues Battle to End Gender-Based Violence as the Pandemic’s Effects on Domestic Violence Persist
In Concert with National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Organization Releases Second Annual Local Fatality Review Report Bringing Effects of COVID-19 into Full View
More comprehensive than its inaugural release, the fatality review illustrates the danger of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) through compiled data that will rigorously bring the harm caused by the global pandemic into view. According to the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice (NCCCJ) incidents of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) increased by 8.1% across the U.S. after lockdown orders. Fueled by this continued need across the county, nation, and globe, SafeHaven upholds its aim to end the silent epidemic that WHO calls devastatingly pervasive.
The pandemic’s effects on IPV have yet to be fully realized and understood. Therefore the Fatality Review Report is designed as a tool to continue, year-over-year, evaluating and improving the current system with which both abusers and victims interact in the hope of ending DV fatalities.
Compiled by SafeHaven and several collaborating organizations including the Tarrant County District Attorney, JPS Hospital Systems, and local police departments, the fatality report includes details about the intimate partner homicides that took place across Tarrant County in 2020, including perpetrator/victim demographic information, crime information, and the interaction with community agencies before the homicide. The 2020 report validated fears that the pandemic would have a major impact on previously violent relationships, as the county’s number spiked to 17 homicides.
When asked about the new report SafeHaven of Tarrant County, President and CEO Kathryn Jacob said, “This year, somehow more than those prior, I am overwhelmed with gratefulness that SafeHaven shares in this work with powerful collaborators here in Tarrant County. The pandemic has been devastating, obviously, and has had a ripple impact in ways we predicted, but could not anticipate the specifics. The 2020 report truly paints a picture of what that year meant for victims locally.”
As COVID-19 continues to be a widespread problem across the state, SafeHaven persists in fighting the battle against DV while managing the virus. Due to safety and health concerns, the organization will not be holding in-person events during DVAM and cannot accept volunteers into its facility at this time. However, after the outpouring of support and understanding from their donors through last year’s virtual events, the organization feels confident continuing virtual efforts — prioritizing the safety of their clients, the community, and especially its hard-working staff!
“We hope to continue taking these safety steps for only a little while longer; life-saving measures don’t begin and end with our shelters. We want to continue doing our part to keep our community healthy and safe,” continued Kathryn.
With volunteer restrictions in place due to COVID-19, the organization is urging people to use their resources in ways that can help women and children impacted by IPV; believing that together we can put an end to this cultural epidemic.
Kathryn finished by saying, “As always, but now more than ever, sharing your wallet and your voice are the two major ways you can help survivors remain safe in Tarrant County. SafeHaven promises our community to be good stewards of your generous investments in this work; and, when you use your voice to believe and assure survivors that they are not alone, this is not an isolated struggle, and that there are resources available, you are genuinely doing the very best thing in your power.”
For more information about SafeHaven, or to set up an interview with SafeHaven President and CEO Kathryn Jacob, please email Holland Sanders at Holland@hollandcollective.co.
About SafeHaven of Tarrant County
SafeHaven’s mission is to end domestic violence through safety, support, prevention, and social change.
The largest and most comprehensive domestic violence service provider in Tarrant County, and the county’s only state-designated “Family Violence Center” by Health and Human Services, SafeHaven has enabled thousands of women and children to rebuild safe, independent lives for more than 40 years. Vital services include 24-hour emergency shelters, a 24-hour crisis hotline, legal services, children’s programs, evidence-based prevention curriculum, and reformative services. With one in three women in Tarrant County experiencing domestic violence in her lifetime, SafeHaven’s no-cost services are crucial in ending domestic violence in Tarrant County.
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