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October Is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Washtenaw County

Domestic Violence

  Washtenaw County is designating October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

 

Around 5,000 Washtenaw residents, the majority of whom are women, seek help each year at the SafeHouse Center in Ann Arbor.

 

 

Executive Director Barbara Neiss-May says today's technology, especially social media, can make it more difficult for those in an abusive relationship to leave.

 

She says,

 

"[Suddenly] here’s a new tool to track somebody. For example, someone who is in a domestic violence relationship, they may have their phone tethered to the account and [the abuser] can say “I know where you were, who you were talking to, what you were doing” whereas before that might not have been the case.”

SafeHouse offers help for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as their families. More information is at safehousecenter.org.

 

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- Amanda LeClaire is an assignment reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact her at 734.487.3363 or email her: aleclair@emich.edu