BALTIMORE — For victims of domestic abuse and violence, the pandemic has made difficult and dangerous situations even harder to leave.
The House of Ruth Maryland helps more than 7,000 people a year - mostly women and children.
Next week, the 2021 'Fill the House' event gives you an opportunity to help too, by bringing donations.
The House of Ruth is looking for diapers, wipes, formula, new underwear, comforters, pillows and blankets.
And the shelter needs the help now more than ever.
"We are now on two full years of our events not being held in a regular way," says Andrew Primrose - the Director of Development at the House of Ruth.
The shelter has also been able to collect data on how the pandemic has impacted domestic violence.
"The police data is in for Baltimore City," says Primrose. "We can say that there's been a 31% increase in violent domestic assaults.
The shelter says there's also been a 70 percent increase in Google searches for information on domestic violence, since March 2020.
And the donations go to helping survivors go about their day-to-day life.
"It's something we need to bring out of the shadows," Primrose tells WMAR-2 News.