The holidays can be a more dangerous time than normal for those at risk of domestic abuse.   Help of Door County Executive Director Milly Gonzales says that violence actually tends to swing upward the week before Christmas.  She says national and local history shows that the pattern follows many holidays.

Gonzales states that holiday stress is not the reason for domestic violence but can be a contributing factor.  Data from the National Domestic Violence hotline in recent years indicates reported calls dropped by about 50 percent on Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as 30 percent on New Year’s Day.