INDIANAPOLIS -- Of the 28 women killed in Indianapolis this year, roughly a third of those murders has been at the hands of an intimate partner or family member.
According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, one out of every four women will suffer severe domestic violence at the hands of an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Those terrifying statistics are why places like the Beacon of Hope exist.
The Beacon of Hope is a crisis center in Perry Township that serves the victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in central Indiana.
In October alone, 87 new victims were helped. That’s in addition to the more than 700 follow-ups and families Beacon of Hope is already serving.
“Sometimes it can be very hard to know if someone is in a situation,” said Sandra Ziebold, CEO and Director of Beach of Hope. “It impacts one in four households so someone you know is likely impacted by domestic violence.”
Ziebold says their counselors are there to listen, give advice and provide resources and a way out for victims.
“There’s a lot of victim blaming,” she said. “But there are so many barriers as to why people stay.”
Ziebold says some people stay out of fear for their pets – which is why they have a foster program to help with those animals.
She says abuse often comes in cycles and you may notice different types of behavior from a person being abused over a short period of time. The best thing you can do is to encourage them to get help and let them know there are people and resources to support them.
If you or someone you know needs help to get out of a violent situation you can call the Beacon of Hope Crisis Hotline at 317-731-6140.
MORE TOP STORIES | Two-year-old dies after suffering severe head trauma, father's girlfriend arrested | Brown County prosecutor believes Daniel Messel connected to Lauren Spierer case | Severe storms, tornadoes leave damage throughout central Indiana | Woman shot, killed at apartment complex on Indy's west side | Cathedral High School graduate Kassandra Braun dies on 'Semester at Sea' trip in Myanmar
Top Trending Videos
