While policies like the state-wide stay-at-home order are put into place to address community safety, the government recognizes that isolation and social distancing may exacerbate situations of abuse for survivors of domestic violence.

The order explicitly details an exemption in section 1 for individuals whose residences are unsafe due to domestic violence. In these cases, state government urges these individuals to leave their home and stay at an alternative location.

But getting help and finding an alternate space to live can be extremely difficult, especially in times of national crisis.

Because of this, one Chapel Hill nonprofit is working around the clock to provide survivors of domestic abuse with the necessary resources.

The Compass Center for Women and Families is working hard to make this access to resources a little easier. Their mission is to help all people navigate their journey to self-sufficiency, safety, and health.

Cordelia Heaney is the Executive Director of the Compass Center. She said the center’s number one goal during this pandemic is making sure their services are still made available to the community.

Services like their 24-hour domestic violence hotline.

“Our 24-hour domestic violence hotline, which is 919-929-7122, is available for anyone who wants to reach out and get more information about services, who wants to have help safety planning, if they need to seek emergency housing or if they want to get more information around protective orders,” Heaney said.

The Compass Center is also still offering their career, financial and legal information services over the phone and in person. Heaney said these are crucial services for survivors who have experienced or are experiencing domestic violence.

“Because of the long-term financial implications of domestic violence, and the co-occurrence of domestic violence and financial abuse, we know that many survivors are also going to be struggling financially right now,” Heaney said.

On top of that, Heaney worries about kids who are home from school and parents who are home from work and may have to spend an increased amount of time with an abuser. She said with school dismissed and many adults out of work, more people are being regularly exposed to domestic violence.

“Often school or work is a respite for people, it’s a break from conflict and from power and control and with people sheltering in place together that opportunity to have some space and some safety is gone for a lot of people,” Heaney said.

Heaney said, generally, domestic abuse centers and related facilities nationwide are seeing an increase in people accessing their services. This trend was anticipated as it was already seen in other countries around the world.

“In China and in Italy and in France, and other countries where COVID-19 hit harder a little bit earlier, they already saw that trend and we’re seeing that here in Orange County,” Heaney said. “In March of this year compared to March of last year we’ve already seen a 15% increase in client outreach to us for domestic violence related services.”

Even more strikingly, Heaney said they’ve seen a 116% increase in requests from clients seeking emergency housing as it relates to domestic violence.

“So we’re already seeing a big increase in the need for services and we think that trend is only going to continue,” Heaney said.

To learn more about their community resources, or to make a donation, visit the Compass Center’s website. Alternatively, visit their Facebook page.

Note: 97.9 The Hill has been Chapel Hill and Orange County’s daily source for free local news since 1953. Please consider making a donation to continue supporting important local journalism like this.

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