Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Las Vegas shelter: Virus lockdowns further endanger abuse victims

SafeNest, a Las Vegas-area nonprofit, has seen a 12% increase in calls to its 24-hour domestic violence hotline during the COVID-19 pandemic, shelter CEO Liz Ortenburger said. As victims of domestic violence are forced to quarantine at home with their abusers, they may face increased danger, she says.

“Imagine, it’s typical for domestic violence victims to feel isolated in normal circumstances,” Ortenburger said. “And now here we are in this unprecedented time, you are feeling doubly isolated.”

Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo on March 25 said there was no noticeable increase in domestic violence incidents because of isolation from the pandemic, but he did report a 3% increase in aggravated assaults, which could also include domestic disputes. And Undersheriff Kevin McMahill said Wednesday that crime is down about 27% since March 15, including a 37% drop in domestic violence reports.

Those figures, however, might not tell the entire story, Ortenburger warns.

Some victims of domestic violence won’t call the police because of myriad reasons, including fear or their immigration status, she says.

To speak with someone from Safe Nest, call or text the 24-hour crisis hotline at 702-646-4981.

But SafeNest “does not discriminate in the delivery of services based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation or gender identity,” according to its website.

“We have served trans clients and LGBTQ clients,” Ortenburger added, “and we’re always working with people for what feels right and safe for them.”

In 2019, 100,000 domestic violence phone calls were made to Metro Police, Ortenburger says. From that data, she estimates that 50,000 households in Clark County deal with domestic violence each year.

SafeNest can provide a number of services, including a “calm, trained advocate” who can help each client work through their own unique issues and assess options. SafeNest can also provide emergency protection orders, safety planning and shelter.

In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, Ortenburger says SafeNest has not found any cases of COVID-19 at its shelter, though they have adhered to “quarantine protocol” and clean the facilities “three and four times a day.”

If you think a friend or family member may be quarantined with a domestic abuser, Ortenburger suggests frequently checking up on loved ones and making your presence known.

“Anything people can do, dropping off a plate of cookies (while social distancing), dropping off notes or calling the house,” Ortenburger suggests. Even if you can’t get ahold of the victim, creating a presence is important, she says, though she recommends not alluding to the fact that you think something is going on. Messages like “We’re thinking about you” can go a long way, she says, “and remind people that there are those that care about them.”

While Nevadans across the state worry about the loss of jobs, the economy and catching COVID-19, the effects of the coronavirus are especially harmful to those confined with their abusers, especially if someone in the household has been laid off.

“If you are in a domestic violence relationship and there’s a gun in the home and your batterer is losing his or her job, there’s an added layer of job-loss stress and your chances of homicide are escalating,” Ortenburger said. 

Calling or texting the SafeNest hotline is an immediate first step people can take to get out of their violent situations, she added.

Shade Tree Las Vegas, another nonprofit focused on combating domestic violence in Clark County, assisted 2,290 families last year and also provides services like emergency shelter, victims’ services and more.

“One in four women and one in seven men will experience domestic violence in their lifetime,” says Shade Tree CEO Linda Perez says. That statistic doesn’t stop just because of a pandemic.

If you know someone who is in a domestic violence relationship, Perez recommends being as empathetic and understanding as possible.

“We never want to tell them that ‘they’re stupid’ or ‘you shouldn’t be there’ or ‘you shouldn’t put up with that.’ We want to love them and say, ‘Hey, did you know about Shade Tree? Did you know about SafeNest?,’” she says. “I love to encourage family members to be empathetic, but a victim will not leave until they are absolutely ready. We just have to be there, let them know there are resources and not be judgmental.”

Perez says the pandemic is “not a good mixture” for those facing domestic violence. “The victim has nowhere to go right now, they’re quarantined in their home, so it is an issue.”