By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
There has been an increase in the number of individuals who received services this year, according to the recent statistics provided by the Williams County Victim Assistance.
From January 1, 2025, through September 19, 2025, the total number of Williams County individuals who had received services during this reporting time totaled 374 people.
Also, in this same reporting period, the total number of services provided to individuals was 1,682.
These services include information and referrals, Personal Advocacy and Accompaniment, Criminal/Civil Justice System Assistance, and Emotional Support of Safety Services.
“We have seen an increase in the number of people that we help,” said Susan Tennant, who serves as the Williams County Domestic Violence Task Force Director and is also a Victim Advocate.
“And we provide services for each individual person where we might do four, five, or six different services for one person during the pendency of their cases.”
Tennant pointed out that the Williams County Victim Assistance has seen an increase in dealing with domestic violence and other offenses of violence, including strangulation, felonious assault, abduction, and attempted murder.
She noted that approximately 41 percent of the caseload of Williams County Victim Assistance involved household members and intimate partners, which makes up the latest statistics.
“We are seeing increases in strangulation, which is a part of domestic violence,” said Tennant. “Usually, it starts with an argument, and then it gets physical, and then strangulation occurs in some of these domestic violence cases.”
The report also lists the demographics of individuals who received services since January 1, 2025.
In the demographic race category, 61 percent who had received services are white, three percent are either Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish Origin, and two percent were either Black or African American, while 36 percent were not reported.
In the demographic gender category, 47 percent of victims receiving services were female, 37 percent were male, and 17 percent were not reported.
“We’re seeing an increase in that (gender) category with women being the charged offenders,” noted Tennant.
“Some of that can result from the women being maybe mentally or emotionally abused, and then they kind of lash out. But we are just seeing a lot more women who are offenders.”
And in the demographic age report, 40 percent of those victims who received services are in the 25-29 age category. Eight percent of those people were in the 18-24 age category.
Five percent of those persons were in both the 0-12 and 13–17-year-old categories, and seven percent in the 60 and over age category. There were 36 percent who had received services, but the age was not reported.
“It’s a high percent by quite a bit,” said Tennant in referring to the 25-29 age category of the report. “We do see children and young adults (18-24), but we do also see some elder abuse as well.”