National Domestic Violence Hotline Shares 2022 Impact Report with Congress
For Immediate Release on July 18, 2023
Long-time Congressional champion on domestic violence, Senator Murkowski (R-AK) &Payton Iheme, Vice President of Global Public Policy for Bumble, among speakers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, on July 12, the National Domestic Violence Hotline (The Hotline) hosted a Congressional briefing on the data and insights from their 2022 Impact Report – highlighting the organization’s historic high contact volume with more than 2,000 incoming calls, chats, and texts per day.
Speakers at the briefing included long-time Congressional champion on domestic violence, Senator Murkowski (R-AK), Katie Ray-Jones, CEO of The Hotline, Shawndell Dawson, Director of the Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Payton Iheme, Vice President of Global Public Policy for Bumble, Lauren Siller, The Hotline’s Bilingual Senior Program Services Manager, and Joseph Petito from The Gabby Petito Foundation.
“The Hotline’s mission is to shift power back to those impacted by relationship abuse,” said Katie Ray-Jones, CEO of the National Domestic Violence Hotline. “No matter who calls— whether it’s a victim, family member, or the person causing harm— and no matter what kind of support they need, The Hotline is here 24/7 to answer their call and support them on their journey to a safer future.”
During the panel briefing, the group shared the latest trends in what survivors are experiencing, including an increase of 114% in those contacting The Hotline reporting housing needs and homelessness, and a 22% increase in those reporting that firearms are part of their abusive experience. These trends are especially alarming as demand for domestic violence services is at an all-time high. Payton Iheme noted the importance of private-public partnership and Bumble’s partnership with The Hotline to ensure all relationships are healthy. After losing their daughter, Gabby, to intimate partner violence, Joseph Petito from the Gabby Petito Foundation shared, “The Hotline was one of the very first organizations we supported— what they do is incredible.”
In 2022: A Year of Impact, The Hotline reports answering 446,320 calls, chats, and texts – a historic high for the organization and a nearly 10% increase, approximately 40,000, more calls than the year before. In response to this unprecedented demand for services, The Hotline hired a record number of advocates, created a queue management system to decrease wait times and enhanced the self-service options for those unable to reach out or wait safely for live services.
For survivors from historically marginalized communities, their experience can be compounded with a multitude of additional institutional barriers when seeking safety. The Hotline reports that the need for domestic violence services and support has never been greater in this country.
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The National Domestic Violence Hotline envisions a world where all relationships are positive, healthy, and free from violence. If you or someone you know is experiencing relationship abuse in any form, help is available. The Hotline provides free, confidential support 24/7/365. Text START to 88788, call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or chat with us online at TheHotline.org. You are not alone.