Greenwich: A year ago during the COVID-19 lockout, YWCA leaders in Greenwich were baptized while requesting their domestic abuse services.
Nonprofit leaders say the reduction may be due to the inability of some victims to reach out to the abuser at home or the perpetrators to monitor their victims’ phones.
As COVID-19 restrictions began to ease last fall, leaders at YWCA Greenwich saw a new trend: a significant increase in the number of individuals in need, especially among children and those in high demand for crisis services.
“The average number of services we provide to a customer has basically doubled,” says Meredith Gold, director of domestic violence services at YWCA Greenwich, which provides a range of support to victims of domestic violence.
Gold reported to DCF (Department of Children and Families) during COVID that “teachers and people who work remotely with children actually get a real view of the home and see things.” “So (in the uprising) there is progress, but this technology and our new way of teaching has given us a glimpse into what it really is.
Demand for services continues to rise, he said. The number of domestic violence reported in the city before the COVID-19 outbreak last spring has increased, and reports from Greenwich Police have increased since then.
In April 2019, police reported 18 domestic incidents. According to SGT, that number has risen to 23 in April 2020, and 38 in April 2021. Domestic Violence Coordinator for Greenwich Police Department Brent Reeves.
Gold says YWCA Greenwich is helping homeless adults and children.
From September 2019 to September 2020, the number of children receiving services such as counseling, support groups and advocacy from YWCA Greenwich increased by 44.5 percent. Between February 2020 and February 2021, the number of YWCA Greenwich child customers increased by 40 percent, Gold added.
With that information in mind, the YWCA Greenwich Outreach prioritizes self-defense courses to reach high school students, including the YNET program, from classroom to virtual.
Elizabeth Casolo, a senior at Greenwich High School, has been part of the YNET program since her first year. It teaches students how to identify valuable resources and how to help a friend who may be experiencing teenage violence, she said.
Through YNET, students can learn about healthy relationships and learn how to identify unhealthy behaviors in their lives or in the lives of loved ones, Casello said. He said the discussions are problem-solving and often lead to sharing information and resources.
Many students approached Cassolo outside YNET to ask if their relationships were abusive. She says she has not seen many examples of unhealthy relationships, but many people are uncomfortable talking about it, so some symptoms may be unknown.
“It is really important to be able to start conversations with people outside of our meetings, because this is something that everyone should know,” said Casolo.
The YNET program teaches students about consent, boundaries, close partner abuse, healthy and unhealthy relationships, and how to identify domestic or family violence, Gold.
“This is where everyone, especially young people, are more vulnerable and vulnerable, not only to domestic violence but also to their emotional and mental well-being,” he said.
Gold adds: “We know that 16- to 24-year-olds are at high risk of being in a relationship, and we know that young people are less likely to talk to an adult, especially their parents.” If they talk to someone, they may become their peers.
After launching YNET, YWCA Greenwich created a girls’ club to help middle school girls build self-confidence and self-confidence.
Nonprofit leaders have created a high school program recommended by the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for kindergarten through eighth grade students. The lessons will help students identify emotions, avoid pressures and solve problems using calm techniques, said young Rosie Enrat. He teaches some violence prevention courses for YWCA Greenwich participation and community educator.
For middle school students, the Defense Education Program focuses on personal relationships and introduces sixth grade students with words such as close partner violence, agreement, boundaries, and dating violence.
Leslie Coplin, one of three YWCA Greenwich staff members who teach violence prevention to more than 1,865 students in the city, said she knew the courses were effective.
One student recently arrived in Coplin and began a new love affair, and her best friend expressed concern that her behavior had changed. An eighth-grade student she met online said she felt a gas lamp. Coplin realized that another student’s behavior sometimes led to emotional and digital abuse.
The main purpose of YWCA Greenwich staff is to serve as counselors and educators so that needy students feel comfortable reaching out for help.
tatiana.flowers@thehour.com @TATIANADFLOWERS