MONROE - The slumping economy could be causing a jump in domestic abuse, particularly against children, according to local domestic abuse advocates.
Staff at Green Haven Family Advocates were surprised to discover they had been helping twice as many people, and more than three times as many children as in previous years.
And, it's putting a strain on the organization and its budget.
March 2009 statistics show the organization helped 53 people and 61 children, while March statistics for 2007 and 2008 were 23 clients with 21 children and 28 clients with 18 children, respectively.
The community-based, not-for-profit organization helps families of Green County affected by abuse and violence. Executive Director Alice Franks-Gray said she had to recount the numbers a couple of times to confirm them.
"Reading about the economic downturn and domestic violence on the national and state level as being more severe, we expected a 60 percent increase," Franks-Gray said. "But talking with Janesville, with a 120 percent increase over last year, and to Beloit and Madison, our 100 percent is in line with those."
Of the total number of clients who received help at Green Haven, almost half were from the City of Monroe, as it has been in the past. The number of March clients from the communities of New Glarus, Monticello and Brodhead has climbed from 17 percent to 25 percent to 30 percent in the past three years. Out-of-state clients rose from 4 percent to 7 percent and 11 percent.
Of the 53 clients, 52 were white; six were male.
The increases have also put a significant strain on the organization's budget and staff.
"The budget was not set up for double the clients," Franks-Gray said. "We have been dipping into the reserve funds."
Green Haven also pulled back on its in-school programs, because "we needed all hands on deck," she said.
But extra funding from United Way may help to re-establish programming in the schools.
"I think that is where we can have an impact for the future to break the cycle of violence with kids," Franks-Gray said.
The number of people from the communities of Monroe, New Glarus and Monticello more than doubled, but Brodhead clients went from one in 2007 to six on 2008 and seven in 2009.
A trial program, Office Call, started in Brodhead in 2008, may have had an impact on that city's increased numbers - a sign that the program is working well. Police officers called to the scene of a domestic disturbance provide victims with the opportunity to call Green Haven.
The program has given Green Haven the opportunity to intervene faster and to reach out to the children involved sooner.
"Of the victims with an opportunity to speak with Green Haven immediately at the scene, the likelihood of those victims seeking service the next day has increased substantially," Franks-Gray said. "They also are more likely to create safety plans and seek assistance to leave for relatively longer terms."
Franks-Gray said Brodhead officers find the program benefits them, as well, when dealing with victims. Green Haven hopes to expand the program to other communities.
The closing of the General Motors plant in Janesville has had an effect on families, not only in Rock County, but also in Green County, Franks-Gray said.
"Families that were fragile before the economy had its downturn are more so now," she said. "Sometimes the only break people had were when they went to work."
"Children are watching and learning what a marriage looks like. Is it any wonder there's a generational component (of domestic abuse) popping up?" she said.
Green Haven Family Advocates Inc. is actively pursing funds from the Violence Against Women program in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. A grant for transitional housing would help Green Haven assist survivors and families for up to 36 months, while clients sought education and become self-sustained.
Individuals can help by participating in several free fund raising programs set up:
• Goodsearch.com - Register "Green Haven" as your beneficiary and use Goodsearch for all your Internet searches. Each search rings up 1 cent for the organization.
• Used cell phones can be dropped off at Green Haven for recycling. There is no drop-off costs to donors.
• WE CARE PROGRAM - Register at any Pick 'n Save service desk to participate and identify Green Haven Family Advocates, Inc. (#295425) as your non-profit organization. Pick 'n Save will donate a percentage of your grocery bill to Green Haven every time you use your saver's card.
• http://www.greenhaven4help.com - Check Green Haven's Web site for more information on how you can help, and watch for their annual Mother's Day plant sale coming soon.
• Checks work as well. "Our budget is not set up for this many clients. It's at the breaking point. I hope the community sees the value of our services and wants to support us, so that doesn't occur," Green Haven Executive Director Alice Franks-Gray said.
Staff at Green Haven Family Advocates were surprised to discover they had been helping twice as many people, and more than three times as many children as in previous years.
And, it's putting a strain on the organization and its budget.
March 2009 statistics show the organization helped 53 people and 61 children, while March statistics for 2007 and 2008 were 23 clients with 21 children and 28 clients with 18 children, respectively.
The community-based, not-for-profit organization helps families of Green County affected by abuse and violence. Executive Director Alice Franks-Gray said she had to recount the numbers a couple of times to confirm them.
"Reading about the economic downturn and domestic violence on the national and state level as being more severe, we expected a 60 percent increase," Franks-Gray said. "But talking with Janesville, with a 120 percent increase over last year, and to Beloit and Madison, our 100 percent is in line with those."
Of the total number of clients who received help at Green Haven, almost half were from the City of Monroe, as it has been in the past. The number of March clients from the communities of New Glarus, Monticello and Brodhead has climbed from 17 percent to 25 percent to 30 percent in the past three years. Out-of-state clients rose from 4 percent to 7 percent and 11 percent.
Of the 53 clients, 52 were white; six were male.
The increases have also put a significant strain on the organization's budget and staff.
"The budget was not set up for double the clients," Franks-Gray said. "We have been dipping into the reserve funds."
Green Haven also pulled back on its in-school programs, because "we needed all hands on deck," she said.
But extra funding from United Way may help to re-establish programming in the schools.
"I think that is where we can have an impact for the future to break the cycle of violence with kids," Franks-Gray said.
The number of people from the communities of Monroe, New Glarus and Monticello more than doubled, but Brodhead clients went from one in 2007 to six on 2008 and seven in 2009.
A trial program, Office Call, started in Brodhead in 2008, may have had an impact on that city's increased numbers - a sign that the program is working well. Police officers called to the scene of a domestic disturbance provide victims with the opportunity to call Green Haven.
The program has given Green Haven the opportunity to intervene faster and to reach out to the children involved sooner.
"Of the victims with an opportunity to speak with Green Haven immediately at the scene, the likelihood of those victims seeking service the next day has increased substantially," Franks-Gray said. "They also are more likely to create safety plans and seek assistance to leave for relatively longer terms."
Franks-Gray said Brodhead officers find the program benefits them, as well, when dealing with victims. Green Haven hopes to expand the program to other communities.
The closing of the General Motors plant in Janesville has had an effect on families, not only in Rock County, but also in Green County, Franks-Gray said.
"Families that were fragile before the economy had its downturn are more so now," she said. "Sometimes the only break people had were when they went to work."
"Children are watching and learning what a marriage looks like. Is it any wonder there's a generational component (of domestic abuse) popping up?" she said.
Green Haven Family Advocates Inc. is actively pursing funds from the Violence Against Women program in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. A grant for transitional housing would help Green Haven assist survivors and families for up to 36 months, while clients sought education and become self-sustained.
Individuals can help by participating in several free fund raising programs set up:
• Goodsearch.com - Register "Green Haven" as your beneficiary and use Goodsearch for all your Internet searches. Each search rings up 1 cent for the organization.
• Used cell phones can be dropped off at Green Haven for recycling. There is no drop-off costs to donors.
• WE CARE PROGRAM - Register at any Pick 'n Save service desk to participate and identify Green Haven Family Advocates, Inc. (#295425) as your non-profit organization. Pick 'n Save will donate a percentage of your grocery bill to Green Haven every time you use your saver's card.
• http://www.greenhaven4help.com - Check Green Haven's Web site for more information on how you can help, and watch for their annual Mother's Day plant sale coming soon.
• Checks work as well. "Our budget is not set up for this many clients. It's at the breaking point. I hope the community sees the value of our services and wants to support us, so that doesn't occur," Green Haven Executive Director Alice Franks-Gray said.