Peace House executive director Kendra Wyckoff said she attributes the dramatic increase in the organization's number of Wasatch County clients in part to the county’s rapid growth.
“Wasatch County in particular has really grown considerably over the last three, four years,” she said. “And unfortunately, as your community grows, sometimes some of the challenges that your community faces also grow, and domestic violence can be one of those challenges.”
In fact, a report by the Utah Women & Leadership Project from 2023 shows the number of domestic violence incidents that involved law enforcement in Wasatch County more than tripled in 2020 and 2021.
Wyckoff said Peace House provided over 700 nights of safety to Wasatch County families in its emergency shelter last year.
“With emergency shelter, individuals are not just receiving that safe housing – they’re receiving all of those wraparound services that we also have on our campus,” she said. “Those things include legal advocacy, case management services – which is a specialized advocate who walks that family through understanding what their safety needs are, what resources they might need: housing, healthcare, mental health counseling, financial assistance.”
There’s also a children’s services program to help parents with childcare and give kids activities and community to be part of while they’re staying in emergency shelter.
There’s no shelter within Wasatch County for domestic violence survivors. Wyckoff said survivors can find help at Peace House in neighboring Summit County or at The Refuge in Utah County.
“We are both in adjacent counties,” she said. “We recognize the importance of collaborating in that community to ensure that any individual has an opportunity to receive the support that they need at whichever agency works best for them.”
Advocates from The Refuge are also available to support survivors of sexual assault at the Heber Valley Hospital.
And Wyckoff said Peace House is working to spread awareness of its services in Wasatch County – including advocates at the library, flyers posted in local businesses, and phone number tear-off sheets in public restrooms – so it’s easier to access support.
This month, the organization held its annual Be the Light event in Heber’s City Park for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. On Saturday [Oct. 26], Peace House is hosting an open house from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Rates of domestic violence and sexual assault are notoriously difficult to measure, but research from the Utah Department of Health has shown almost 1 in 5 women and about 1 in 10 men in Utah experience intimate partner violence.
“The most important thing that we can do as an individual is to believe a survivor and listen to them and then get them connected to services in our community,” Wyckoff said.
If you’ve experienced domestic violence or sexual assault, help is available. Peace House’s 24-hour hotline can be reached at 800-647-9161. The Refuge’s domestic violence hotline is 801-377-5500.
