(Jay Westcott/Examiner)
Sondra Jones is a clinical coordinator for victims at the Family Crisis Center of Prince George's County in Brentwood, Md. The Family Crisis Center has four full-time andtwo part-time counselors, and just received a grant that will allow them to hire a fifth full-time counselor.

Joe Rogalsky, The Examiner
2006-12-16 08:00:00.0
Current rank: # 4,943 of 2,316

The holiday season brings cheer and joy to most people but also brings together factors that cause domestic violence, experts believe.

“There is more stress during the holidays over money, and people consume more alcohol at parties,” said Rena Pina, who works with the District of Columbia Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “It’s a combination of a lot of things.”

Denise McCain, the director of the Family Crisis Center in Prince George’s County, said her organization sees more victims seeking assistance in January, after the holidays pass.

“The incidents occur during the holiday period, but there is a strong desire to want to put up a front during the holidays and to be with your family during the holidays,” McCain said. “They know they need help, they just wait until January.”

McCain’s organization will have an extra counselor to help the violence victims because of a $66,500 grant the center received Wednesday from Verizon Wireless. The money will give the center five full-time and two part-time counselors.

The crisis center’s grant was part of the $300,000 award Verizon distributed Wednesday among 11 nonprofit organizations throughout Maryland in honor of outgoing Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran.

In Montgomery County, the Family Support Center Inc. received a $10,000 grant from Verizon to assist the Keeping Sisters Strong Program, which teaches women how to protect themselves against becoming domestic violence victims.

“Few social issues touch individuals and families as profoundly as domestic violence and its devastating aftermath,” said Paul Wood, Verizon Maryland vice president.

MichaeleKSTCLAIR spelliing is correct Cohen, of the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, said some crime statistics show that more domestic violence cases are reported to police during the summer months than other times of the year, including the holiday season.

“No one’s ever done a good study of why that happens, but there is plenty of speculation,” she said. “Maybe it is because the kids are out of school so women are more likely to report it. Or the windows are open more often so the neighbors hear it and call the police.”

jrogalsky@dcexaminer.com