Kentucky is coping with increased numbers of domestic violence.

Last year, law enforcement responded to more than 33,700 incidents.

That's nearly 1000 more calls than the year before.

It comes as services are already being stretched then.

Laura Rogers has more on that from Bowling Green.

People reach out to our crisis line because they're reaching out and hope.

Tory Henninger is CEO of barren River area safe space or Brass?

One of currently 14 regional domestic violence shelter programs in Kentucky.

The time a person decides to flee is usually the most dangerous time in the cycle of violence.

It's incredibly scary to have to call and ask for assistance and to shine a light on the internal atrocities that are occurring inside a person's home.

Brass provides emergency shelter and services for their ten county region, but sometimes they simply don't have enough space to accommodate.

We've actually been at or above our capacity about 99% of the year for the last six years in a row.

It comes as brass is temporarily serving an additional three counties, since the providers serving the Lincoln Trail Area Development District closed over the summer.

That's meant an additional 7 to 10 families to support.

Since July 1st, there's an increase in numbers because there's an increase in requests for services.

The unfortunate reality is that it also means that there is an increase in the lack of available services.

And injuries, as brass says, 15 to 17 families in shelter every night.

Up to 37 people, and they sometimes have to resort to hotel rooms when they run out of beds.

While it is not ideal for us to put survivors in a hotel, it is certainly better than the alternative.

Which would be to turn people away.

We know that we need more shelter beds, and we know that we need more private space that allows a person to heal with dignity and grace.

While brass is considering a capital campaign to grow.

They are also more frequently asking the community for help through fundraisers and events.

Traditional funding sources through federal and state grants are becoming more and more limited and more and more restricted.

She cites federal funding programs like Voca, the Victims of Crime Act, and VAWa, the Violence Against Women Act.

But those are underfunded at the federal level.

And so, even if we're meeting all of our metrics and we're doing everything that we can, we're still receiving less money year after year because there's not enough in the federal pot.

Henninger says much of the strain on resources boils down to a lack of affordable housing, which means survivors must stay longer in temporary shelter.

Our average length of stay in shelter has jumped from about 21 days to over 60 days for an individual, and over 75 for someone who has one child at least.

She points out the devastation left behind by the 2021 tornado that hit Bowling Green as it wiped out hundreds of homes, exacerbating the affordable housing shortage.

A lot of those locations, when people are rebuilding the rebuilding at a higher price point.

And so our affordable housing crisis is even greater now.

And housing is just one piece of the puzzle to help a survivor become self-sufficient.

Once they have fled that abusive relationship, whether they're coming into shelter or they're going to a friend or family member's home.

The next steps have to come in where we start providing case management services.

Our end goal is always for a survivor to not just survive, but instead thrive.

Helping them meet basic needs while preparing for a healthier, happier future.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Laura Rogers.

Zero is the statewide coalition that set standards and regulations for domestic violence.

Shelter program services are free and confidential.

In all, 120 counties.