In 2016, the San Antonio Police Department responded to 34,000 calls for domestic violence and so far this year, 31,000 calls have already been made for the same issue.
Domestic violence includes threats or abusive actions made to intimidate or injure another person in the home – regardless of age, gender or relationship status – and typically escalates over time.
A new statewide report from the Texas Council on Family Violence shows that Bexar County is one of the top five counties with the highest number of domestic violence deaths in the state.
Bexar County has the highest rate of domestic violence reports per capita in Texas and one of the highest in the nation, according to Family Violence Prevention Services, Inc.
The lethality of domestic violence cases are also a concern statewide, with over 100 Texas women killed each year since 2011. Children who witness violence are also twice as likely to abuse as adults.
How does a victim, relative or friend recognize and report domestic violence? What programs or approaches are working to reduce domestic violence locally?
Guests:
- Linda Canizales, director of external affairs for Family Violence Prevention Services, Inc.
- Amy Zuniga, survivor of domestic violence
- Officer Betty Cardona, San Antonio Police Department
- Julia Raney Rodriguez, co-founder & chair of the Bexar County Domestic Violence Task Force and attorney with Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid
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