ROCHESTER, Minn- October is domestic violence awareness month.1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. That's according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Last year, Victim Service in Rochester served close to 400 victims of domestic violence. Laura Sutherland, with Victim Services, says these were victims of domestic violence at a felony level, and this numbers could be higher, but a lot of cases go unreported. In other cases, funding can be the problem. Artyce Thomas, with the Women's Shelter and Support Center says their numbers are a lot higher.

"I know that we are serving 4,000 people in a calendar year,” said Thomas. “That is a true testament to the need for services and sometimes we have to turn folks away. "

Thomas further explains that she says Rochester is a community that cares. There are multiple services such as housing, legal clinics, 24-hour crisis hotlines, and support groups. Both ladies say it can be hard for victims to get help. For some, it can be dangerous to leave or mentally exhausting.

“Typically, it takes a woman seven times before she is finally able to leave her abuser,” said Sutherland. “It can be hard for people to understand why does the person goes back. Each woman has a variety of reasons of why she stays, ranging from not being sure how she will be able to provide for herself and her children if she leaves. “

"or they may not have been permitted to work outside of the home for a number of years,” said Thomas. “Domestic violence is emotional, it's verbal, it's psychological it's financial and you just don't hear a lot about those other aspects."

if you’re a victim of domestic violence and need support 507 285-1010