Domestic Violence Shelters See More Crisis Calls Amid Coronavirus

DUPAGE COUNTY, IL — The new coronavirus and the related stay-at-home order have caused a lot of stress for people, but imagine being stuck in your home with someone who is verbally or physically abusive to you. That's the situation many victims of domestic violence are finding themselves in, according to Amy Milligan, domestic violence services director at Metropolitan Family Services. The facility, which runs Family Shelter Services in Wheaton, has seen an increase in crisis calls since the shutdown began, Milligan told Patch.

“When we are hearing from people, typically it is because the situation is really dangerous,” Milligan said. She said the organization has seen an increase in people needing shelter, orders of protection and help from the police.

Amid the increase in crisis calls, the shelter converted from a communal setting to a hotel model, with residents now being housed in a local hotel that provides a safe and confidential space for victims of domestic violence.

“At the front end of this I think folks thought this might be something that lasts a couple of weeks," Milligan said, explaining that a lot of domestic violence victims try to wait out their situation until they feel safe enough to find shelter.

As the shutdown continued and was extended, Milligan said more people reached out.

Services That Can Help

People who are in a situation of immediate danger should call their local police department, Milligan said.

Those in need can also call the shelter's 24-hour service line at 630-469-5650 anytime to speak with a volunteer or trained counselor. “We’re ready for people to contact us at any time," Milligan told Patch.

Milligan said if someone is in an abusive situation, she would "encourage people to take whatever steps they feel like they can while keeping themselves safe." This can be "difficult because people are in such close quarters and not out of the house at work for part of the day every day," she added.

She added that people in abusive situations "have to be very careful, very creative about how they connect with others while staying safe."

Milligan suggests calling when you are out for groceries, visiting a family member or somewhere else where you feel it is safe to call. She added that the volunteers and counselors on the other end of the line can make the call quick if necessary.

Milligan said people who do not have a car can be given a code for Lyft or Uber to help get them to a shelter safely due to emergency funds that have been made available by the state of Illinois during the coronavirus crisis.

Other Tools To Help

Milligan said the Family Shelter Services offers Telehealth counseling for victims of domestic violence as well.

In a recent press conference, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said that during the coronavirus crisis, domestic violence is "everyone's business," encouraging people not to be silent if they are someone they know are in danger.

The state of Illinois also has a domestic violence hotline that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That number is 877-863-6338.

How People Can Help

Milligan said this time of year would usually be the time when the shelter would hold a large fundraiser to aid domestic violence victims, but that has changed to a virtual format, or E-Gala, due to the coronavirus shutdown.

Residents can click the link to make a donation to Metropolitan Family Services.