The Covid-19 pandemic has led to schools and businesses shutting down. In East Tennessee, our governor issued Executive Order 24 last week which orders Tennesseans to stay in place except for essential activities. While some are relishing staying at home and a slower pace, there are others who live in homes with an unsafe partner or parent. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 20% of women and 14% of men experience physical violence at the hands of a partner. Calls for assistance since the Covid-19 outbreak have declined according to Jennifer White-Reid, vice president of Domestic Violence Residential and Legal Programs at the Urban Resource Institute. The decline may be due to victims having limited alone time from their abusive partners. Reaching out for help via telephone or researching options online may be difficult with a controlling partner home at all times.
If you are reading this and are a victim of domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. If you are in East Tennessee, please feel free to call McKinnish Law Group, PLLC 865-233-1105 during normal business hours (8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.). You may also call the following resources in East Tennessee:
- Family Violence Helpline at 865-521-6336
- In Blount County you can call Haven House 24 hours a day at 865-982-1087
- In Sevier County, you can call Safe Space at 800-244-5968