ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - While domestic violence cases happen all year round, experts say they tend to see an uptick around the holidays. The National Coalition of Domestic Violence reports the increase can be as much as 20% during the month of December.
Domestic violence is defined as the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetuated by one intimate partner against another.
41.8% of Missouri women and 35.2% of Missouri men experience intimate partner physical violence, sexual violence or stalking in their lifetimes. For Black men and women, those numbers are disproportionately higher, with 45.1% of Black women and 40.1% of Black men experiencing intimate partner violence in their lifetimes.
Lydia House is a St. Louis Domestic Violence shelter. The Chief Executive Officer of Lydia House, who wished to remain anonymous, said there's no single reason to pinpoint for the increase... there are many factors that play a role.
"Things like alcohol and drugs, and just tighter finances during the year, or you know, financial issues cause the violence to heighten," the Chief Officer said. "Groceries are a much higher cost. Sometimes when those paychecks get stretched further, finances cause a lot of problems in the household. We're in tighter quarters in colder weather too, and so there's a lot of times when you're not getting out of that situation."
The Chief Officer said domestic violence is all about power and control. Domestic abusers are likely to do things to isolate their victims, like tracking their phones or preventing them from seeing friends and family. The chief Officer said control is one of the biggest warning signs.
"You know, when you feel like you're in a relationship where someone is exerting power over you in many ways, that's the biggest red flag their is," the Chief Officer said.
Other red flags to look out for is if you're being demanded to stop participating in hobbies or you're given frequent criticism that puts you down. The Chief Officer of Lydia House recommends victims who want to leave their abuser should seek out local resources or in a serious crisis, call 911.
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