North Dakota Domestic Violence Advocacy Centers Serve Record Number in 2024

Seth O’Neill. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(BY: MICHAEL ACHTERLING. North Dakota Monitor) – A record number of people sought services from North Dakota domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy centers in 2024, a statewide coalition reported this week.

The statistics include more than 6,300 victims of domestic violence and nearly 1,400 victims of sexual assault, according to the North Dakota Domestic and Sexual Violence Coalition.

That represents a 3.3% increase in reports of domestic violence over 2023 and a 5.8% increase in reports of sexual assault. Seth O’Neill, executive director for the coalition, added he believes cases of domestic violence and sexual assault continue to be underreported. About one in four women and one in nine men will experience domestic violence in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“More people are being served, so that is a good thing,” said O’Neill, who oversees the coalition that includes 18 advocacy centers across the state.

The coalition received an increase in state funding in the legislative session that ended last month. The advocacy center will receive $11.7 million from the Department of Health and Human Services for the 2025-27 biennium, an increase of about $4.1 million over the previous biennium. The organization had requested $19.1 million from the Legislature.