Safe House of Southeast Missouri serves record number of requests

Safe House of Southeast Missouri in Cape Girardeau served a total of 146 individuals in its last fiscal year, including 142 women and four men. Its previous fiscal year the agency served 84 and in 2018 it served 119 according to its fiscal year annual report.

Safe House executive director Jessica Hill said there are a several different factors explaining why there has been an increase in numbers, including the agency's relocation in June 2019, which increased its bed capacity from 17 to 40.

"Once we moved into our new facility we were able to just bring people in because we had the space for them," Hill said. "I think another part of it is the growing awareness of the fact that we're here and that we serve anyone who's been a victim of domestic violence. So, whether that's a male or female, whatever your identity is not an issue. We serve people no matter who their abuser is."

Hill said another factor causing the increase in domestic violence cases is the COVID-19 pandemic currently surging in parts of the country. More individuals are staying home whether it be because of working remotely, unable to find employment or needing to quarantine/isolate because of exposure/infection from the virus. The added stress of forced enclosure and possible financial issues from being unemployed can make a bad relationship turn worse, possibly leading to abuse.

Safe House has made adjustments for its residents in order to limit possible virus exposure between individuals staying at its facility. Masks are required inside the building and every resident is tested for COVID-19 when they arrive at the facility. The agency has also decreased its four-person rooms to two-person and have a quarantine room on a separate floor from the other rooms if a resident tests positive for the virus.

The weather and time of the year is another factor determining the amount of requests Safe House receives from individuals who have experienced abuse.

"In the winter and when the school year starts we tend to see more requests. During the summer you are able to be out more and maybe have some more space and then right around the holidays we see an increase," Hill said. "Sometimes that's pressure of not wanting to spend another holiday in a terrible situation. It does kind of follow a pattern throughout the year where you'll see cold months tend to have more requests, warmer months have fewer."

For more information about Safe House of Southeast Missouri, call its hotline at (573) 651-1614.