Pollitt Hill: As domestic violence rises and worsens, Maryland must fund service providers

Last year, at least 58 Marylanders lost their lives to intimate partner violence — the highest number of IPV homicides since 2007. Early in the pandemic there was significant media coverage regarding victims of domestic violence being confined at home with their abusers and more likely to face assault, but as the public health crisis continued, coverage of this aspect dwindled. Meanwhile, the uptick in domestic violence continued. As a statewide coalition, the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence has heard repeatedly from local service providers that the cases of domestic violence today are more severe and that programs are experiencing an unprecedented number of victims seeking help.