NORWICH – October is the 21st commemoration of National Domestic Violence Awareness month and area agencies are stepping up their efforts to bring attention to crimes that often go unreported.

According to Catholic Charities Rape Crisis Coordinator and Community Educator Beth Neuland, police responded to 3,600 domestic violence calls in the county last year.

“Only one in seven domestic violence crimes even get reported; that’s the national statistic,” she said.

Four million cases are reported annually nationwide, indicating the actual number of crimes taking place is closer to 28 million.

“It’s often a crime that unless people’s attentions are being drawn to it, then it’s forgotten. It’s grossly under represented in society,” said Catholic Charities Director Daniel Auwarter.

“Eliminating domestic violence requires collaborative prevention and response efforts from criminal justice professionals, victims’ service providers, prosecutors, health care providers, educators and elected officials,” said the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office.

Auwarter said another indication that these crimes are on the rise was an increased use of the agency’s Safe Dwelling Program. The program operates an apartment-styled facility at a confidential location in the county where victims of domestic crimes can live temporarily when they have nowhere else to go.