Kimberly Catalanohad been in a marriage with an abusive partner. At first, she felt shut off from the world and helpless. Until she reached out for help.
With Gov. Doug Ducey's stay-at-home order to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, other domestic violence victims are stuck at home with their abuser.
In March, Phoenix, Tucson,Mesa andChandlersaw a rise in domestic violence 911 calls, according to data from each city's police department.
It's still unclear if this reflects a larger crime trend, but it has raised concerns in the COVID-19 era.
"Going through an abusive situation on its own is isolating as it is. But also to have that magnified by being told by the outside world that you can’t leave your home," Catalanosaid in a video produced by the Phoenix Police Department. "The feeling of hopelessness must be overwhelming."
'Anxiety is a growing force'
Gov. Doug Ducey'sstay-at-home order came onMarch 30.But before the order, some employers were allowingpeople to work from home, and some cities, including Phoenix and Tucson, had ordered non-essential businesses closed.
And as more people stay home,an increase in alcohol consumptionand uncertainty over job securitycan heighten anxiety among families.
Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said that the number of times his deputies responded to calls has stayed static in March and the first two weeks of April, compared with the same time last year.
Still, he said, the health crisis could affect crime trends.
"My fear is just over time," he said. "Depending on when this comes to conclusion, anxiety is a growing force, as is depression and the impact on you economically."
The Arizona Republic analyzed data from PhoenixandTucsonbecause its police departments have the most up-to-date statistics available on the city's websites. Some citiesdon't yet have the latest data availableto make a crime comparison with previous years.
Mesa and Chandler provided some numbers and analysis.
Aggravated assaults, domestic violence up in Phoenix
In Phoenix, officers took 596 reports of aggravated assaults in March 2020, a 17% increase from the same month last year, an Arizona Republic analysis of the Police Department's data.
Asfor 911 calls, they dipped slightly in March, down 1% compared with the same month in 2019, the analysis shows.
But domestic violence calls increased 16% in March, compared with the same time last year. In total, 2,011 people called 911 reporting a domestic violence case in March 2020.
Sgt. Mercedes Fortune, aPolice Department spokeswoman, said inthe first two weeks of April domestic violence calls were up 15% compared withthe same time last year.
"It is too early to say that the health crisis hashad a direct impact on certain types of crimes," she said."With that being said, it is however important to keep our community informed about trends which can impact their safety.Domestic violence has been identified as one of those trends."
Some risk factors are increasing because of COVID-19, Phoenix police said in a public advisory, such as:
- Stay-at-home orders and social isolation could put potential abusers closer to their victims.
- Victims may not have access to the same network of support systems through family and friends.
- Economic fears could add increased stress on both the abusers and their potential victims.
- Domestic abuse is about power and control. The abusers may use COVID19 fears to exercise control over their victims.
- Victims may worry that shelters or other resources aren’t available because of COVID closures. That’s not true. Help is available.
Tucson: Domestic violence calls up in March, drop in April
In Tucson, domestic violence 911 callsare up 5.7% percent in March compared withthe same month last year. In total, 2,010 calls in March 2020 related to a domestic violence issue, Tucson police data shows.
Not all calls result in a police report.
Still, Tucson data shows police officers took 678reports related to domestic violence in March. That's a 3.8% increase from the same time last year, the data shows.
But since Ducey's stay-at-home order, which started March 30, to April 15, the number of domestic violence calls dropped 18.6%, said OfficerRay Smith, a Tucson police spokesman.
Regardless of what may be affecting those numbers, Smith said Tucson police want potential victims to call 911 if they need help.
"As always, if there is an active domestic violence occurrence, please call 911. TPD has not changed how we respond to violent incidents," he said in a statement.
"We want the community to know that DV(domestic violence)is everyone's business. If you see or hear something, please call it in. You can remain anonymous, but please let us know."
Mesa: Family fight calls upbut no certain trend
In Mesa, cases of fights among families are up in Marchcompared withthe same month last year, according to data provided by Mesa police.
In March, there were 502 calls for service related to a family fight, a19.5% increase from the same month last year, when there was 420 similar calls.
Detective Nik Resheta, a Mesa police spokesman, said the increase doesn't necessarily mean it was because of the governor's stay-at-home order.
On average, there were 16.19 calls per day during March related to a family fight, Resheta said. That's an increase from March 2019, when there were 13.55 family fight calls a day.
But during May 2019, Mesa police averaged 16.19 calls a day, he said.
"Although March 2020 is slightly higher than March 2019, we are not seeing any numbers that we haven’t already seen in the past year," he said."We will continue to monitor the data as it comes in and let you know if we see a trend emerging."
Chandler: Domestic violence calls up
Sgt. Jason McClimans, a Chandler police spokesman, said domestic-violence calls for service are not the same as domestic violence crimes. Still, he said, domestic-violence calls are up.
In March, the department had522 calls, up 14.9% from the same month last year, the data shows.
In this year's first quarter, Chandler had1,307 calls related to domestic violence, a 4.3% increase compared withthe same periodlast year, the data shows.
"Just like every other agency in the Phoenix area and with the stay-at-home orderin place, we are seeing a rise in DV (domestic violence) calls for service,"McClimanssaid.
Services available for victims
Catalanoshared her story in a part of a domestic violence awareness campaignfrom the Phoenix Police Department to help victims find resources during aperilous time.
Victims who are suffering right nowmay feel like they have nowhere to turn to for help, she said.
"The feeling of being trapped. And also knowing that even if you do try to leave your house, where can you go?Everything is shut down. Where are the services? Will the hospital even take me?"
For victims who have these questions, the answers are yes, advocates and police say.
Tasha Menaker, co-chief executive officer for theArizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, said some victims may believe services have been limited because of the virus. But that's not the case, she said, adding that victims should seek help.
"It hasn't changed the resources that are available," she said."It's just the way the services are delivered have been adjusted."
For example, she said, shelters are still open. But in some cases, advocacy centers in Arizona are practicing social distancing to help prevent the spread. Other services may have moved online, she added.
Ed Mercurio-Sakwa, the CEO of Emerge! a Tucson organization that helps domestic-violence victims, said that people seeking help shouldn't have to worry about those changes, because the help will be there.
"It should be fairly seamless for them," he said.
Resources: If someone needs help
Menaker and Mercurio-Sakwa said that while police have reported a rise in domestic-violence calls, the organizations have seen a drop in calls from victims.
Both said it's possible that people don't know resources are still available to them. It's also possible that because victims are staying home with their abusers more it's made it more challenging to call or text for help, they said.
Still,Mercurio-Sakwa said concerned friends or relatives should continue to reach out to people who may be in an abusive relationship to check if they need help.
"I think the most important thing to know is that help and resources are still available," Menakersaid.
In Arizona, people can call theArizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence,602-279-2900 or 1-800-782-6400 or visits its website,acesdv.org/helpline.
The group has a database for available resources for people across the state, Mercurio-Sakwa said.
The Phoenix police website,www.phoenix.gov/domesticviolence, has a list of places people can contact in Maricopa County
In Tucson, residents can call Emerge! at 520-795-8001 or visit its website atwww.emergecenter.org/.
Victims can also call or text 911, police say.
Trends in other crimes: Some down, some up
It's still unclear how much COVID-19 has affectedcrime.
In Phoenix,the first three months of the year, overall crime went up 2.2%compared with the same first three months in 2019. But there already was an upward trend in crime in the samefirst three months ofthe past fiveyears, the data shows.
In 2016, 14,412 crimes were reported in the first quarter of the year. In the first quarter of 2020, 15,890crimes were reported, a 10.3% increase.The city's population grew an estimated 2.8% in that time.
Even with the increase in overall crime, reported burglarieswent down in March and in the first quarter.
In March, 608 burglaries were reported, a 21% decrease from the same month last year. And there were 1,814 burglaries reported in the first three months, a 14.8% decrease from the same period in 2019. The five-year average for the first quarter is 2,375 reported burglaries.
Other reported crime that went down: Drug offenses, down 1%; larceny-theft, down 6.3%; arson, down 32%; and rape, down 2.6%, comparingMarch with the same month in 2019.
In March, these crimes saw an increase: mother-vehicle thefts, up 18.6%;andmurder, up 62.5%compared withthe same monthlast year, when there were eight homicides. There were 13 this March.
