Erie County accounts for 12.5% of the state’s domestic violence cases outside New York City, according to the New York State Office for Prevention of Domestic Violence.
Their numbers show Erie County accounted for nearly 6,594 domestic violence cases in 2023, compared to about 52,824 for the rest of the state.
An area of particular concern is the number of domestic homicides, both locally and statewide, Family Justice Center COO Katharine Miles-Kania said.
“What does it say to someone where crime overall has gone down?" she said. "But we have a little asterisk next to it, which is domestic violence, crime, however, is rising at a time that overall crime is going down. So yes, these numbers are incredibly concerning.”
According to the Office for Prevention of Domestic Violence, Erie County went from 5,154 victims in 2019 to the number of nearly 6,600 in 2023. That’s an increase of nearly 27.9%, far higher than the increase of 11.1% for New York State.
Hispanics United of Buffalo Domestic Violence Program Director Judy Torres is seeing an increase in reports from male survivors of domestic violence. It could be a positive sign because it means more men are seeking help, she said.
“If they come forward, it is a good thing. It's important because what difference does it make, whether you are male, female, trans, LGBT or any(thing), but you're suffering from domestic violence?" Torres said. "There's always a common denominator. There's only one, actually, and that's an abuser.”
Many people don’t realize how life-threatening a domestic abuser can be, since the time a survivor starts breaking away is also when the abuser feels control slipping and is most likely to commit homicide, Miles-Kania said.
One of the keys to leaving an abusive relationship for good is having a safe place to go, she said.
“Having a place to stay can be a barrier for someone to stay in an abusive relationship, because there's truly nowhere to go," Miles-Kania said. "Or it's an opportunity for people, for them to know that there are safer options out there.”
