NORWICH – October is nationally dedicated to raising awareness of a type of crime which 25 percent of American women fall victim to in their lifetime: domestic violence.

This October is the 22nd commemoration of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and area agencies are stepping up their efforts to bring attention to crimes that often go unreported.

According to Catholic Charities Rape Crisis Coordinator and Community Educator Beth Neuland, there has been a rising demand for their crime victim advocate services in recent months.

Six local advocates are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Neuland reported that it was not uncommon to have the advisors called out to Chenango Memorial Hospital in the middle of the night at least twice a week.

Advocates have been making several more trips to CMH than they were since the start of summer, when she said the frequency of calls had increased from about eight to 12 per week. The hospital only contacts the group when a victim has been the target of a sexual or physical assault that requires medical attention, often in the emergency room.