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Domestic Violence Counts
the National Census of Domestic Violence Services
Executive Summary for
Arkansas
Download this report as a PDF file
"A woman came in today who was so badly beaten that she was coughing up blood. We were able to help her obtain a protection order against her abuser that afternoon."
-An Arkansas program
On September 25th 2007, 19 out of 35 identified local domestic violence programs (54%) in Arkansas participated in the
National Census of Domestic Violence Services (NCDVS). Designed to address the safety and confidentiality needs of
victims, the Census collected an unduplicated, non-invasive count of adults and children who received critical services from
local domestic violence programs during the 24-hour survey period. Since some local programs did not participate, this
Census provides a powerful glimpse but remains an undercount of the actual number of victims who sought and received
services.
VICTIMS SERVED
During the 24-hour survey period 164 victims of domestic
violence received housing services from a domestic
violence program, either in emergency shelter or
transitional housing.
341 adults and children were served in Arkansas.
- 226 adults and children found refuge in emergency
domestic violence shelters or transitional housing provided by local domestic violence programs.
- 115 adults and children received non-residential
services, including individual counseling, legal advocacy, and children's support groups.
- In just one day, 84% of local programs provided individual counseling or advocacy but only 26% were able to provide transitional housing.
LIMITED RESOURCES
Programs reported a considerable unmet demand for
services due to a lack of resources, including limited
staffing and overflowing shelters.
35 requests for services were tragically unmet due to a
lack of resources.
- 14 unmet requests for emergency shelter
- 19 unmet requests for transitional housing
- 2 unmet requests for non-residential services
"A woman came in scratched from head to toe after being dragged though a thorn
bush by her husband. We don't have grant money for an attorney, so we were not
able to help her with legal counsel. We tried to refer her, but we only have a handful
of attorneys willing to assist when Legal Aid cannot, and their ability to assist is
becoming less and less frequent."
HOTLINE CALLS
Domestic violence hotlines provide critical support and
information for victims in danger.
72 hotline calls were
answered, more than 3 hotline calls every hour.
PREVENTION AND EDUCATION
Local domestic violence programs implement prevention
and early intervention curricula at schools, and provide
training's in the workplace and to the broader community.
- 1,277 people were trained during the survey day by local domestic violence programs.
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