For many years, people who have been concerned about the issue of domestic violence have warned many people to be aware that the likelihood of these instances increases during the holiday season.  As a result, many awareness campaigns have been designed to occur during this time of year in an attempt to alert people to their rights and to help them understand their options if they decide to put an end to this cycle.

However, a recently released statistical study has led to many to rethink this belief regarding domestic violence incidents during the holidays.  The National Domestic Violence Hotline, or NDVH, tracked the number of domestic violence reports between the years of 2004 and 2009.  Surprisingly, nationwide call volume during the week of Thanksgiving decreases by about 15%, and drops by around 45% to 60% on Thanksgiving Day.  In addition, domestic violence calls drop between 5% and 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.  However, those calls also rise by approximately 5% after the holidays are over.

The results of this study have surprised many people, but there are also potentially enormous risks with simply assuming that domestic violence does not occur as often during the holidays.  For instance, it’s quite possible that victims of domestic abuse are simply not as likely to file a report during this time in hopes that it will not disrupt the family dynamic.

San Diego Domestic Violence Lawyers

Obviously, no time is a proper time for domestic violence, and those who suffer at the hands of an abuser never enjoy a break from the constant fear they feel, regardless of the date on the calendar.  Anyone who is in this position needs to take the courageous step of putting an end to this cycle by making an effort to obtain the confidential help of a professional.