Hurricane Beryl not only damaged homes and knocked out power for many in the Houston area, but it also fostered unsafe situations at home.
The Houston Area Women’s Center is reporting an uptick in domestic violence cases since the hurricane hit. Unfortunately, they say this isn’t something out of the ordinary during disasters.
Why does this happen?
Research shows these storms and specific events affect survivors of domestic violence. There are contributing factors to some of the stressors that come with the storms such as losing power, difficulties with food, tensions rising, and other barriers in the home that could lead to domestic violence.
Survivors can also be trapped inside the home with abusers due to outages and road inaccessibility.
It’s the same stressors HAW officials saw during the COVID-19 pandemic. They said disasters increase isolation from family and friends, making vulnerable populations all the more vulnerable. This isolation makes it even more difficult for survivors to seek and access support services and resources.
To help victims, KPRC 2 created a series, “Breaking Free,” which reports on domestic violence and its horrific consequences. The series showcased various stories of survival, heartache, and some even ending in death, but each shared a list of free domestic violence resources on how to get help.
Do you know someone in need of help? KPRC 2 released the following features in “Breaking Free.”
Help is also available immediately if you need it through the following numbers:
- Houston Area Women’s Center: (713) 528-2121
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799−7233
- If you are in immediate danger, call 911.