For the first three weeks of Indiana’s stay-at-home order, the phones at ASSIST Indiana were relatively quiet.
Then, the calls started coming in more frequently than ever.
ASSIST, an organization that provides counseling and advocacy to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and rape, helps hundreds of people who live in 10 central and southern Indiana counties, including Johnson County, where it serves about 325 clients.
Since 2016, the organization has helped about 1,500 people; 100 of those were from the last month and a half alone, according to ASSIST.
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Johnson County arrest records also reflect an increase in domestic violence cases. In February, there were 24 cases of domestic battery countywide. That number jumped to 39 in March, when the stay-at-home order first took effect, and in April, there were 36 cases, still a 50% increase from the February figure, said Joe Villanueva, Johnson County prosecutor.
The numbers are likely just the tip of the iceberg, said Bill Rosier, chief financial officer for ASSIST Indiana.
“They’re at home with their abuser right now,” Rosier said of domestic violence victims. “Their abuser knows what they’re doing. It’s a controlling environment. A lot of victims feel like they don’t have any rights at all. Their phones are being monitored. They are a prisoner in their own situation; they can’t get away during lockdown.”
While the first step for victims is to get to a safe place and away from their abuser, the stay-at-home order isolated people from the outside world, leading to increased chances of people becoming victims of not only physical abuse, but gaslighting, said Jenny Lee, CEO and founder of ASSIST Indiana.
“It’s a whole different world during the pandemic,” Lee said. “People are more isolated and tend to believe their abusers more because there’s not the day-to-day camaraderie (with other people). If you take that away and reduce social support, it’s prime time for victims to be victimized.”
There are safeguards for victims who are in dangerous situations. If someone calls 9-1-1 and their abuser enters the room, they can put the phone down and the police will be able to find them by tracking the location on their phone, said Duane Burgess, Johnson County sheriff.
Along with arrests, protective orders are filed and perpetrators of domestic violence are not allowed to immediately bond out of jail. Victims can also fill out paperwork for the jail to contact them as soon as their abuser is released, Villanueva said.
“We have a domestic violence advocate here to work with victims,” he said. “We encourage (victims) to speak with us. We establish safety plans that help go through what the alternatives are if they can’t stay at home.”
Such alternatives include staying with a friend or family member. If that’s not an option, ASSIST can pay for temporary hotel stays or long-distance bus tickets to get victims to safer places using grant funding from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, and can also point victims in the direction of Turning Point and No Place to Call Home, which help victims by connecting them with housing resources, Rosier said.
The most important thing a victim can do—although it’s difficult—is call for help, he said.
“It’s a tough decision for a survivor. The hardest thing a survivor can do is make the call to us. Once they take that step, they can be helped,” Rosier said.
Domestic and sexual abuse survivor Virginia Roach contacted ASSIST about two and a half years ago, after seeing other therapists that made her feel worse about her past trauma, Roach said.
“I had been to many many therapists,” Roach said. “The wording was just different; it always seemed to make me feel worse, that I had blame for what happened to me. It triggered me. I have PTSD and it didn’t help me.”
The counseling at ASSIST helped her overcome that trauma, and can be especially useful for people going through the same situation during the stay-at-home order, said Roach, a Franklin resident who started seeing Cindy McAtee, an ASSIST therapist.
“ASSIST worked with me on my comfort zone,” Roach said. “If I wasn’t ready to go into certain details of conversation, they would wait and make sure I had a support system when I went home … She was constantly making sure I could text her or get back in (to see her) when I needed to. It was almost like I had a second mom.”
Overcoming fear and moving forward can be scary for victims, but it’s worth it in the end, she said.
“I keep wishing I could save every child (who) has that going on in their life, or even adults. It’s a scary place to be. When you’re in it, it feels so dark and you don’t know anyone out there who can help you,” Roach said.
“There’s someone who can believe you. Many of us know and understand what you’re going through. You just have to reach out for help and take control of your life instead of letting the abuser or perpetrator keep control.”
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Here is a look at the number of domestic violence arrests during the last three months in Johnson County:
April: 36
March: 39
February: 24
Source: Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office
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People in emergency situations are advised to call 9-1-1. In non-emergency situations, reach ASSIST Indiana at 317-739-4456.
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