This is an excerpt from a larger article that will appear in Tuesday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.When COVID-19 emerged in Pennsylvania in March, Gov. Tom Wolf issued stay-at-home orders across the state's 67 counties.Those orders are, at the moment, effective through Friday. They were instituted to keep Pennsylvanians safe from coronavirus.But home isn't the safest place for everyone. Some officials are concerned the pandemic is skewing domestic violence numbers — and maybe causing more.“We expect that this is increasing (cases),” said Julie Bancroft, chief public affairs officer for the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “The nature of social distancing … will likely cause instances to be on the rise.”The first thing coalition and the Butler County Victim Outreach Intervention Center (VOICe) want people to know is help is still available. Social distancing regulations may affect how intervention agencies can be accessed. But they remain accessible.“We had to really quickly pivot how we supply services,” said Linda Strachan, executive director of VOICe. “We remain open to all domestic violence victims.”VOICe has locations in Butler city and Cranberry Township. Some work is still being conducted in-person, like court appearances for Protection from Abuse orders. Other services are being offered over the phone or online.Strachan said when the state first began implementing pandemic procedures, VOICe saw a decline in the number of people seeking services. The demand for emergency shelter in particular is down, according to Strachan.“I think people were afraid of the virus,” Strachan said. “I get it. I totally understand it.”Concrete numbers aren't yet available and likely won't be until after the pandemic runs its course. But Bancroft said the state has been able to recognize the number of domestic violence calls to law enforcement are up, although hot line usage is not.State Trooper Jim Long, a public information and community services officer for Troop D, said the numbers locally share a different story.

This is an excerpt from a larger article that will appear in Tuesday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.