She decided to stay with him. Soon after Beth and John began dating again. John's temper grew intense. He would punch in walls, break down doors and throw glass, not caring if anybody was in his way, she said. In the past 12 months, there have been 99 crisis calls regarding female battering at ISU and 447 crisis calls from the Ames area, according to the Access Assault Care Center.
Access assists anyone affiliated with the university.
Every year there are at least 4 million incidents of domestic violence reported. It is the leading cause of injury to women 15 to 44 years old, according to the Legal Aid for Abused Women. Hildenbrand said she doesn't know if the increase is because people are becoming more aware of the services available for victims, or if abuse is getting more frequent. With recent reports of a serial rapist loose on Midwest college campuses in four states, including Iowa, rape and sexual assault awareness issues have been thrust into the spotlight. One night Beth told John she was studying at the library, but instead she went out with her friends.