SAN JOSE — After a drop in domestic violence and abuse claims at the outset of the Bay Area coronavirus sheltering order, South Bay officials and service providers say they have seen reports climb back up as the initial uncertainty from the movement restrictions has given way to people increasingly seeking services again.
Esther Peralez-Dieckmann, executive director of NextDoor Solutions to Domestic Violence, said shelters and service providers for abuse survivors saw a 38% decline in calls in the early days of the regional stay-at-home order that went into effect March 17 and is set to continue through at least the end of May.
“We believe from the information we are getting … people are experiencing much higher rates of violence and abuse,” Peralez-Dieckmann said at a news conference Tuesday. “They’re sheltered with their abusers and are monitored.”
What has changed between now and the initial wake of the shelter order, she said, is an increased familiarity with the restrictions.
“Rates for calls for us are climbing back up,” Peralez-Dieckmann said. “People are learning to navigate the space.”
For reference, Peralez-Dieckmann said 911 operators in the region get about 6,000 domestic-violence calls a year, against more than 20,000 calls that local domestic-violence shelters receive each year, a disparity she said is one measure that illustrates what prevailing research has shown is chronic and often drastic under-reporting of abuse.
San Jose police Chief Eddie Garcia added that he anticipates delayed reporting to occur once people are allowed to interact more — albeit with physical distancing — meaning more accounts surfacing as restrictions loosen.
The Tuesday news conference was organized by San Jose City Councilmember Sylvia Arenas, as the city council was scheduled to reallocate $515,000 in police reserve funds to support the formation of an SJPD special-victims unit housed under the department’s existing sexual-assault investigations division. The new unit aims to offer more investigative personnel dedicated to crimes against women and children.
Arenas added that San Jose has funded increased housing and service vouchers for abuse survivors.
“Isolation really breeds this kind of abuse and crime. Many people may feel unsure about the future, feel very insecure, and possibly out of control,” Arenas said. “And when people feel out of control, they tend to hurt others. We want to make sure we give our community as many options to stay safe and know we are here for them.”
Councilmember Maya Esparza said domestic-violence and child-abuse risks are especially pronounced in crowded housing situations where economic conditions have forced multiple families to live in single-family dwellings.
“Living in these conditions even before the COVID crisis meant children were living with strangers,” she said. “With the added impacts of the shelter-in-place order, these communities are being pushed in even more unbearable conditions.”
Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, who last year spearheaded a $5 million boost in funding to support survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking, said officials and advocates are waiting and ready to hear from them.
“If you need to call 911, call 911. If you can’t talk, text,” Chavez said, referring to relatively new 911-texting capabilities. “We are open for business.”
Domestic violence and child-abuse resources
NextDoor Solutions: 408-279-2962, 24 hours a day; nextdoorsolutions.org
YWCA Silicon Valley: 800-279-2782, 24 hours a day; ywca-sv.org
SafeChat Silicon Valley: SafeChatSV.org
Santa Clara County Child Abuse and Neglect Center: 833-SCC-KIDS (722-5437)
