We are confident that our programs and the funding we provide to organizations working on the ground are making a difference.
Have the numbers gone down? No. You're absolutely right that these are unconscionable numbers.
As department members, we have leverage to support organizations that do the work on the ground to help women and people who have been abused.
However, the numbers sometimes go up because people are more likely to file reports because they trust the police more. Our data shows that the number of reports is increasing.