| 111th Year, 9th Issue | Thursday, October 14, 1999 | Sparta, North Carolina |
An increase in the number of local domestic abuse calls has encouraged the organization of support services for victims. DANA (Domestic Abuse is Not Acceptable), a taskforce of local representatives, plans to begin training of volunteer advocates this November in response to a jump in abuse reports.
According to Sheriff Mike Caudill, calls dispatched for domestic abuse increased 46 percent in the last two years in Alleghany County. The number of calls in 1996 was 336, while the number of domestic abuse calls in 1998 was reported at 490.
"When you hear the facts and figures, it really opens your eyes," said Ellen Billings, who is coordinating the task force through the Alleghany Partnership for Children.
"FBI statistics show that nationally a woman is battered every 12 seconds," she said. "This is not just low income people - it's from every walk of life. After hearing the figures, it's obvious there is a problem."
Billings is looking for individuals who would like to attend training sessions scheduled for early November.
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Email: allnews@ls.net