(WXYZ) — Domestic violence cases in metro Detroit are taking a dangerous turn for the worse.
In tonight's 7 UpFront segment, we're talking with Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy about what's behind the escalating cases and what's being done to protect the victims.
You can see the full interview in the video player above.
"We were always afraid at the beginning of the pandemic that because people were at home, that we had many people at home with their abusers, that we expected it to spike," Worthy says. "It took a little longer than we thought to spike, but it's really and dramatically out of control. Back in 2018 we only had 4 domestic violence homicides. In 2019 12. In 2020 24 during the pandemic. And now, so far from January to mid-March 2021, we are already at 10. So, we are afraid we're going to far exceed the domestic violence homicide this year, as well as far exceeding the domestic violence cases. We already have almost 2,000 referrals to us from Wayne County police departments to us from domestic violence cases. Almost 2,000 and it's just March."
"I've been doing this for a very long time, and I have never seen numbers like these," Worthy says.
First Step Services: Resources for Domestic Violence Survivors or Sexual Assault. Offers shelter. Crisis line - 734-459-5900
Avalon Healing (formerly Wayne County SAFE) - 313-430-8000
National Domestic Violence Hotline - 800-799-7233.
