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Cumberland County proclaims October Domestic Violence Awareness Month; local shelter reports rising demand
Summary
Cumberland County commissioners read and presented a proclamation recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and highlighted services available through Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties.
Cumberland County commissioners read and presented a proclamation recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and highlighted services available through Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties.
The proclamation cited national and local statistics, and county officials invited DVSCP staff to provide an update. Sonia Brown, director of Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties, and Stephanie (direct services director) and Amanda Novakar addressed the commissioners and attendees.
"Our shelter has been full all summer. We filled all of our 10 bedrooms," Amanda Novakar said, noting staff were "hoteling extra families" when shelter space was exhausted and that the program no longer has funds to continue hoteling additional families. Novakar and Brown said hotline volume is increasing and that the program is on track to surpass prior years' call totals in October.
The proclamation included operational figures supplied by DVSCP: staff answered 1,727 hotline calls in 2024, sheltered 116 adults and 89 children, logged 2,727 counseling hours and assisted 430 individuals with protection from abuse orders. DVSCP representatives described empowerment counseling for adults and children and invited residents to contact the agency by text or phone for help.
Commissioners and DVSCP staff discussed legal protections and enforcement. Commissioner Needer and others urged residents to contact state legislators to support stricter penalties for violations of court-issued protection-from-abuse (PFA) orders. "We're still working on it," Sonia Brown said when asked about legislative changes; Commissioner Needer encouraged constituents to "contact your representatives to urge support" for stronger enforcement.
The proclamation was read and presented at the meeting; DVSCP accepted the recognition and posed for official photos.
The county's formal proclamation and the DVSCP statistics underline continued demand for local domestic violence services and the program's reliance on community support and legislative action for stronger enforcement of PFA orders.
Ending: DVSCP representatives thanked the commissioners for the acknowledgement and reminded the public that help is accessible via call or text.
