“I ended up getting help from Womanspace as a result of an incident that hospitalized me for five days with a traumatic brain injury that nearly killed me,” says a Mercer County resident who is a survivor of domestic violence and asked to remain anonymous.
She continues, “Domestic violence is such a far-reaching trauma and very difficult to grasp, both for survivors as well as for those trying to understand it.”
She recalled the fear she faced before seeking help, saying, “I didn’t get the help I needed until it was almost too late, and it took years of counseling at Womanspace to understand this.”
Her story reflects a larger reality: many survivors endure life-threatening abuse before seeking help. Domestic violence remains one of Trenton’s most persistent crises, affecting individuals and families across Mercer County.
Tracking the full scope of domestic violence in New Jersey remains difficult. The most recent statewide data from the New Jersey Uniform Crime Report was published in 2020, leaving a significant gap in understanding current trends. Even then, the numbers were bleak. According to NJ Spotlight, police reported 63,058 domestic violence offenses that year, a 6% increase over 2019. However, law enforcement officials say underreporting means the real number is likely much higher.
According to a Trenton police officer who asked to remain anonymous so he could speak openly about his work, domestic violence calls are among the most frequent and dangerous that Trenton police respond to. He says officers receive “between zero to five calls daily.” However, he notes that the actual number of incidents is far higher due to underreporting.
“Every domestic violence call requires backup,” the officer explained. He continued, “We have to assess the situation carefully before stepping in.”
Once on the scene, officers work to de-escalate conflicts, separate those involved, and determine the next steps. While law enforcement officers address immediate safety concerns, survivors often need long-term support to rebuild their lives. That is where organizations like Younity step in, offering resources beyond the initial police intervention.
Younity, previously named Womanspace, was founded in Mercer County almost 50 years ago and provides emergency resources, counseling, and life skills training for victims of domestic violence.
According to Erin Hartshorn, vice president of development and communications, the organization recently changed its name to be more inclusive and open to everyone in the community.
She says, “So we don’t only serve women, you know, we serve men as well, and it’s not only women who are the victims of sexual assault. There are male victims as well.”
Hartshorn also explained that the organization serves everyone in need in the community, including LGBTQ people, which influenced their choice of a more inclusive name.
According to Janet Morales, crisis sexual assault response specialist, there are several ways a victim of domestic violence can get help from Younity. She says, “So they call for the police department, the police dispatcher will then ask if they would like to be connected to a confidential advocate, then that’s when we’ll be called.”
Younity is also affiliated with several hotlines that operate around the clock for victims of domestic violence. Among these are the Mercer County Domestic Violence Hotline, the Mercer County Sexual Assault Hotline, and the New Jersey Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline. Victims can also go to the counseling center at Younity headquarters on Brunswick Avenue in Lawrence to get assistance.
According to Hartshorn, the leading cause of homelessness for women is domestic violence. She says, “It’s women who have had to leave their homes because they’ve become unsafe because of abuse.” She continues, “As an advocate, we report 24/7. So it could be any time of day, it doesn’t matter if it’s a holiday or inclement weather, it doesn’t matter. We report at the time of crisis.”
One of Younity’s main purposes is to provide victims with emotional support and information about available services. However, some victims return to their abusers. In those cases, victims are always given a card with a QR code to access information and resources when they are ready to seek help.
While Younity has expanded its reach in the community, survivors still face significant barriers to seeking help. One growing concern is fear among immigrant and LGBTQ+ survivors, many of whom hesitate to report abuse due to concerns about their legal status or discrimination.
According to the vice president of development and communications, they have noticed a decline in calls, especially from the Hispanic community, and she believes the current political climate is the reason why people are scared to reach out for help.
Morales explained that abusers often exploit immigration concerns to maintain control over their victims. She said, “Unfortunately, abusers take advantage of the political climate. They use that against their victims and tell them they will report them to ICE if they call the police. So we fear that we’re going to have victims and survivors, you know, more reluctant to reach out.”
In response, Younity has partnered with legal consultants, distributed “Red Cards” that inform immigrants of their rights, and expanded outreach efforts in Spanish and other languages to reassure survivors that their information is confidential and protected by law.
Younity also offers ways for community members to get involved through volunteer programs. The organization provides a 64-hour intensive training program twice a year that educates volunteers on available resources and how to offer compassionate listening and care for victims.
For survivors like the Mercer County resident who nearly lost her life, seeking help is often a complicated and difficult process. While resources exist, barriers such as fear, underreporting, and legal concerns continue to make domestic violence a persistent crisis.
This article was produced as part of MCCC’s Community Reporting “J Lab” certificate program made possible by grant funding from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities and The New School: Journalism + Design.
