BOZEMAN — Every minute, 32 people experience domestic violence in the United States, according to Break the Cycle, a national domestic violence statistics tracker.
Local advocates say that reality is reflected in the Gallatin Valley — though the way survivors seek help can change during the holiday season.
“Locally, Haven has been seeing an increase in people that we are serving in general,” said Kareena Robinson, program director with Haven, a Bozeman-based domestic violence support center.
Robinson said while the overall number of survivors seeking services is rising, the holidays often bring a noticeable dip in calls for help.
Haven domestic violence support center reports increased demand for services:
Montana advocates say domestic violence calls shift during holidays
“In my time working with survivors, a lot of times they are trying to just get through the holidays, their kiddos might be at home with them if they have kids. They might be spending time with family,” Robinson said.
Robinson explained that domestic violence often occurs behind closed doors, within the privacy of relationships, making it difficult for victims to safely reach out — especially during times when family members are home more frequently.
Bozeman Police Captain Hal Richardson said reports to law enforcement often come after an incident has already occurred.
“Because it is so under-reported, a lot of times the outreach happens after one of these happens,” Richardson said.
Richardson added that in many cases, it is neighbors — not victims — who contact police.
“That is probably the majority of the calls,” he said.
While some survivors wait until after the holidays to seek help, Robinson said Haven often sees an increase in outreach once routines return to normal.
“Anecdotally speaking, we do tend to see an increase go back up after the holidays have subsided and the kids have returned to school, people go back to work. Then people tend to reach out more,” Robinson said.
Robinson emphasized that support is available year-round, including during the holidays.
“While navigating the holidays, we are happy to be here to support them as well,” she said.
Anyone in need of help can contact Haven’s 24/7 hotline at 406-586-4111 or text the organization between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. if they do not feel safe speaking freely.
Both Robinson and Richardson stressed that reaching out early can be critical.
“We don’t want them to end up so far down the line that it ends up in a potential homicide,” Richardson said.
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