MPD reports uptick in domestic violence cases, Milwaukee survivor shares her journey

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58)- The Milwaukee Police Department has released, to CBS 58 News, new data on domestic violence incidents reported in city within the last two years.

An overall uptick when comparing month by month in 2022 and 2023. MPD reports 7,865 calls related to domestic violence incidents and in 2023, that number increased to 7,911. Those numbers only reflect incidents that were reported.

The founder and director of a Milwaukee-area organization known as the Asha Project, Antonia Drew-Norton, told CBS 58 on Wednesday there are a number of reasons why the vast majority of incidents do not get reported.

"We know that different cultures will stay locked within their community, they won’t seek services particularly, for issues around domestic violence, you know there’s shame, guilt.," Drew-Norton said. “Mistrust of the system, they want the violence to stop, they don’t necessarily want to bring police into the community or into their home.”

Drew-Norton said violence against women increased to record levels around the world following lockdowns to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Twenty incidents happen every minute that’s 10 million domestic violence incidents in the U.S. annually,” she said. “It’s hard to find somebody whose family member hasn’t been murdered, it’s hard to find somebody whose family hasn’t been incarcerated, it’s hard to find somebody whose family member has not been impacted by alcohol and drugs.”

Since the pandemic, Drew-Norton said increased explosive anger, anxiety and depression have been contributing factors.

In an exclusive interview with CBS 58, a survivor of domestic violence shares her heartbreaking but empowering journey.

"My kid's father was extremely violent towards me," she said. "He's threatened to kill me plenty of times...It was more so, like a, 'OK I want you to leave me alone, what you want?' type deal; so, I can give you what you want just leave me alone."

A 35-year-old Milwaukee woman shared her brave story--one she hopes can help others.

"I ended up pregnant because he forced himself on me, I tried to get an abortion but by that time they banned them, so I was forced to keep and don't get me wrong I love my son," she said.

The woman--whose identity we will not reveal for safety reasons-said her ex would harass her and follow her everywhere.

"He came up with this whole thing, like, 'OK, that's fine' and I'm not going to bother you, I'm not going to do this' and maybe like a week later, he's kicking in the door, he's calling and blowing up my phone," she added.

According to the survivor, he's had a pattern of violent behavior with every past relationship.

Every woman that he has children with he's fought with them, he's done this to and I didn't know that," she said.

The survivor told CBS 58 she's been punched and strangled, to the point where Child Protective Services got involved.

"CPS came and took my kids, later found out that I was pregnant with our youngest son at the time...they pretty much said that I could not protect them because I could not protect myself," the survivor said.

The Asha Project gave her a second chance at life when nobody else responded to her call for help.

"I kept calling my landlord telling him 'I need you to move me to a different unit, like I fear for my safety,' he would not move me, he would not change the locks, he would not allow cameras outside of my home," she explained.

The survivor said the police would be at her house at least twice a week.

"They pretty much told me that until he commits a crime and catches him for it that they can't charge him with anything he'd done to me," she told CBS 58 News.

The Asha Project has relocated her to another home and helped get her kids back. The perpetrator is still out on the streets, but she has not heard from him in the past two years.

"You have to make a choice, you know, like it's either you or them and I know it may be like super scary to be on your own at times, to just have to completely start over, especially with children, but it's a necessity, it's something that you have to do," she said.

If you are a victim of domestic violence or you know someone who is hurting, there are resources available.

You can contact the Asha Project at 414-252-0075. Check out some of their resources, here.