More than one industry pro says repossessing property in the middle of the night is not a good idea. People tend to come out shooting when they hear strange noises at 2 AM in the morning and see somebody driving off with their truck, car or boat. Many are so angry at not being able to pay the bill, that when they see a repo man or a disconnect technician repossessing their property or disconnecting their service, they lose all reason.
Rent to own companies, cable TV operators and other industries are reporting nasty situations generated by repossessions, shut offs and disconnections. A former cable TV employee said,
When I was working at our local cable company, I had a shotgun pulled on me as I was disconnecting his service. What our company policy was was to leave the area then contact the supervisor, audit supervisor that in turn would contact law enforcement. Then the disconnect would be performed under the watchful eye of the local police force. (Ibid)
The Wall Street crash has generated a major surge in domestic violence, and drug and alcohol abuse among middle class professionals. As middle class families face economic catastrophe, job loss, foreclosure, and financial instability, the incidence of drug and alcohol abuse rises. The economy is raising problems nation wide.
Robert Curry, president and founder of Turning Point For Leaders LLC, a"- coaching and consulting firm that provides substance abuse treatment to senior executives and professionals said
"It's raised the stress level. The hedge fund world is being turned upside down. There are more people using more substances to cope with the economy. White-collar people tend to go to anti-depressants and alcohol. If they're doing illegal drugs, its usually cocaine," he said, adding that domestic violence, too, is often a product of substance abuse. "In southwestern Connecticut, there's more money to obtain what they want." (http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/ci_11793634)
Workplace violence and domestic violence continue to rise as families struggle with the challenges of a slowing economy. A Kentucky domestic violence agency is a recent recipient of a $100,000 award from Allstate Foundation. Michele Coleman Mayes, Allstate Senior Vice President and General Counsel, told reporters, "Our goal is to work with advocates through statewide and local initiatives, helping them to work with survivors to build financial skills, which are critical during these financially turbulent times.
As far as religion is concerned, many church pastors counsel families, and thousands of churches around the country provide struggling families with assistance, but there is a twisted phenomena in some parts of the "Bible Belt,"- as noted by Judith Lee Nelson, a Missouri crisis center administrator below.
"We find in the Bible Belt lots of times, an abuser will use the Bible actually as a beating weapon," she says. "We've had women almost beat to death with a Bible." (http://ozarksfirst.com/content/fulltext/?cid=121522)
Nelson says that many of the women who seek haven in domestic violence shelters come as the result of family arguments over money and bills and "[fights] about not being able to pay bills, buy medicine, car payments, house payments."
The resulting downturn in the economy has generated a need for police officers, which are trained in how to handle domestic violence cases. Police departments around the nation are gearing up for an increase in domestic violence across the nation, with an increased effort on domestic violence response training.
According to San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis,
More than 5,000 peace officers will see a new training video on domestic violence amid concerns that the worsening economy is causing an increase in such cases"-.(http://www.delmartimes.net/news/254249-news-briefs)
Speaking of the uptick in domestic violence, Dumanis said
"We have seen a slight, but steady statistical increase in domestic violence prosecutions the past few years. As the economy worsens, it's likely that trend will get even worse. This new training video will help law enforcement identify and prevent domestic violence." (Ibid)
Far from being a "blue collar"- problem, risk factors for drug use and abuse run the whole gamut of the economy.
