Nonprofit sees rise in domestic violence calls across Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Coburn Place is a nonprofit organization that serves survivors of domestic violence has seen an uptick in services.

The increase is large in part due to the pandemic, according to Coburn Place. Survivors were cut off from resources during the shutdown and has forced them to stay at home with their abusers in 2020.

There were 252 people who have sent a text and 2,605 people who have called in crisis last year, according to statistics at Coburn Place.

Out of those calls, 904 were domestic violence-related and 1,701 were not, but typically related to someone needing housing resources.

On average, 400 people are on a waitlist for housing at any given time and Coburn Place served 792 people in 2020.

Staff at the facility have been providing on site housing and working with landlords in the community to provide off-site housing.

Coburn Place has transitional housing where 35 families can stay at a time up to 24 months.

The local non-profit also provides virtual advocacy services such as therapy and support groups.

Meanwhile, staff have been coming up with solutions to accommodate the influx of women by coming up with better housing plans for each family or individual, ways to utilize the facility more efficiently and a plan to add 30 more housing units.

“Over the course of the last two years we’ve been looking at locations around the community within a two-mile radius of our current location so we can potentially buy something,” said Coburn Place Executive Director Julia Kathary. “Whether build or renovate an existing apartment building or something along those lines.”

Kathary said the next steps would be to consult with the community and city leaders on zoning and possible funding.

Help is available 24/7 by calling Coburn Place at 317-923-5750 or texting 317-864-0832.