Home Wasn’t Safe. Then COVID-19 Made It Seem Like the Only Option.
Seeing a “disturbing” decrease in clients and callers amid COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, some domestic violence shelters in rural counties worry this is just the “calm before the storm.”
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By Mary Tuma
May 19, 2020
The 24-Hour National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). A list of support services and shelters through the Health and Human Services Commission can be found here.
Last year, the Noah Project of Abilene celebrated its 40th year as a trusted resource for victims of domestic and family violence across 10 largely rural counties in West Central Texas. Noah recently finished an expansion project that gave the shelter much needed growth, upping its capacity by about 30 percent, adding eight rooms and 24 beds. From 2013 to 2019, the shelter—the largest one between Dallas and El Paso—has seen a nearly 90 percent jump in clients.
