As a closing point to Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence has sponsored a series of PSA videos. Singer and songwriter Natalie Merchant appears in the videos as a spokesperson for encouraging people to step up and say something when they suspect abuse.
Vera House's Annual Report to the Community Wednesday listed some sobering facts. New York State's domestic violence and sexual assault hotlines received a total of 329,164 calls in 2012; there were a total of 119,355 assaults reported by police agencies outside New York City during the same year. Intimate partner assaults where females were the victim increased by 6% since 2011.
For further information and a description of resources available to those in need, visit http://www.opdv.ny.gov.