SAN ANTONIO — Late Thanksgiving night, San Antonio police say a man was stabbed by his brother on Vera Cruz near South Trinity Street.
The injured man was taken to the hospital in stable condition, but Erica Haller-Stevenson with Metro Health says we see domestic violence cases like this increase by about 20% from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.
“There’s financial stress, there is emotional stress going on,” said Haller-Stevenson.
And she says it can all be made worse by family members with rough histories all together.
“What really comes into play often is the use of alcohol,” said Haller-Stevenson.
Annually, we see around 58,000 calls for domestic violence between the San Antonio Police Department and Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. And according to a 2024 study, we have been seeing around the same amount of reports over the years — but this year the county saw a significant increase. Haller says the increase may be in part from callers becoming more comfortable with reporting domestic violence.
“Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and Bexar County Health have been working hard at building their support for domestic violence in the past few years,” said Haller-Steven.
Experts suggest avoiding topics like politics and religion during family gatherings or any long-standing family differences.
Haller says another way to prevent domestic violence is if you see tension rising between family members separate them.
One of the best resources someone in need can reach out to is 211, a United Way help line. But if the situation gets out of hand, you should call 911.