US: Economic stress drives rise in child abuse and domestic violence

"This is a very stressful time," Baltimore Health Commissioner Dr. Joshua Sharfstein told the Washington Afro American. "Everyone's waiting for the next shoe to drop."

As the recession deepens, social workers and medical professionals expect the situation to worsen. And while more women and children—the primary targets of this violence—become victims, funding for programs to assist them is being cut back. The impact is being felt in states across the country.

Domestic violence shelters in Texas are experiencing an unprecedented jump in families seeking emergency assistance. Of the 29 shelters surveyed by the Allstate Foundation this year, 83 percent reported a dramatic increase in hotline calls, walk-ins, and/or families staying at their shelters.

Walk-ins at one Texas shelter were up by 240 percent over one year ago, and the number of women and children staying in shelters has increased by as much as 71 percent in some cases. Calls to many emergency shelter hotlines have doubled.