UNC crime report shows increase in dating and domestic violence in residence halls

Reports of dating and domestic violence in residence halls reached a five-year high of 20 incidents in 2022, according to UNC's annual security and fire safety report.

The report, released in accordance with the Clery Act, was published in September 2023. It includes the latest available information concerning crime statistics and security efforts at the University. Since the 2013 Violence Against Women Act amendments to the Clery Act, the reports have included incidents of dating violence, domestic violence and stalking on campus.

Over the past 10 years, the number of such incidents has been sporadic.  However, 2022 saw the largest ever one-year increase in reports of dating and domestic violence in residence halls — jumping from two reports in 2021 to 20 reports in 2022. There were four incidents of dating and domestic violence in other on-campus areas.

In 2022, reported incidents were more concentrated in residence halls, as opposed to other areas on campus. 2022 had four reports of on-campus dating and domestic violence that did not occur in residence halls. In past years, the number of reports in residence halls had been comparable to the number in other campus locations. The Clery Act reports do not provide any other information about where on campus these reported incidents occurred. 

Holly Lovern, a UNC gender violence services coordinator, said the shift from 2021 to 2022 was likely due to many reasons — like students moving back on campus after the COVID-19 pandemic — though the causes of data shifts like it cannot be fully determined.

“It's really hard to get a true data capture of what experiences are happening on campus, what are folks navigating,” Lovern said. “And that's not just at UNC — that's at national levels too, because of how reporting systems are structured."

Skye David, a staff attorney for the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault, also acknowledged the impact COVID-19 had on dating and domestic violence rates. She said during the pandemic, the coalition saw increased rates of reporting both because people were quarantined in their homes with potential abusers and because they received federal funding to advertise their services and crisis centers.

David said oftentimes when there is an increase in awareness and support services for survivors, the reporting rates increase as well.

“A great example of that is with the #MeToo movement. When that became more mainstream across the United States, there was quite a spike in reporting,” David said. “That does not mean that there were more cases, it just meant people were more aware, or maybe more comfortable, to go ahead and report or identify themselves as victims.”

Lovern said GVSCs like herself aim to provide this type of support to survivors on campus by helping them process emotions and understanding what their reporting options may be.

“Our role is to try and figure out how do we help them connect to those spaces and help them navigate that,” she said.

During the pandemic, Lovern said the GVSCs were able to continue reaching populations in need by shifting their services online, which increased long-term access. Some appointments continue to be held virtually, which Lovern also said has made it easier for survivors to access the resources they need.

UNC Media Relations said in an email statement that GVSCs operate through Violence Prevention and Advocacy Services,which combines prevention and advocacy work at UNC. The University also offers individual and group therapy for survivors of domestic and sexual violence through Counseling and Psychological Services.

The coalition is working for colleges across the state to have a more cohesive response to domestic violence and sexual assault, David said.Still, Lovern and David said they believe there is more work to be done in supporting survivors.

Lovern said GVSCs are currently trying to increase the scope of the experiences it is educating about to make it easier for people to identify all the different ways dangerous or abusive situations could look. David said she believes all support services should be available throughout survivors’ lifespans.

“You may not feel ready to participate in group therapy a month after an assault,” she said. “But you may be ready six, eight months down the line.”

She also emphasized the importance of giving survivors necessary days off from work for court appearances and mental health days.

“Those sorts of supports really lift a person up when they're down,” David said. “Those are the things that I think that we could do really easily as a society to help our most vulnerable.”

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