County Attorney Mitchell stands with shelter providers to talk about this devastating problem.
(Phoenix) – As part of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell stood alongside a domestic violence survivor and shelter leaders to bring awareness to this issue and its impact on our community.
“Last year, my office received over 4,000 submittals involving domestic violence and we are on pace to have similar numbers this year,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “While number of cases has declined from the peak numbers we saw during the pandemic, one submittal is still one submittal too many. It means there are still people enduring the pain and humiliation of this awful crime.”
Domestic violence does not discriminate. A person’s gender, age, race, religion, educational background, or socio-economic status does not matter when it comes to domestic abuse. The cycle of violence shows that a victim will leave her abuser seven to twelve times before leaving the relationship for a last time. According to experts, the propensity for violence is at its highest point when a victim decides to leave the relationship and the abuser has lost all control.
“Leaving an abusive relationship is not easy. A survivor not only has to think about their safety, but also how this decision will affect their safety, finances, emotional state, and their children. As a shelter we provide safe spaces for survivors when they decide to leave their abusive partner and flee their home. Our goal is not only to provide survivors with basic needs, but also to provide resources to independently thrive in a life free from abuse,” said Cindy Garcia program director for Chicanos Por la Causa De Colores Shelter.
Other shelter executives who joined County Attorney Mitchell today included Myriah Mhoon, Chief Executive Officer for New Life Center and Tammy Abernethy, Chief Executive Officer for Hope Women’s Center. All three organizations serve men, women and children throughout Maricopa County.
Recently, our office announced the successful conviction of an abuser who set his ex-girlfriend’s home on fire after she ended the abusive relationship. The victim shared her story with the hope of empowering other women to do the same if they find themselves living through an abusive intimate partner relationship. The video is available below. For additional domestic violence data released by MCAO, please click here.
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