Texas congresswoman highlights increase in domestic abuse since lockdown began

Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) is calling America's attention to the impact that the coronavirus has had on mental health, particular for victims of domestic violence, as residents are being ordered to stay at home to slow the pandemic.

Escobar said Thursday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program that the past few weeks have been "a dangerous time for people who are victims of abuse."

Sufferers may currently be sheltering in place with their abusers, unsure of what resources are still available to them during the pandemic.

In El Paso, Texas, there has been a decline in protective orders issued since March due to the forced shuttering of the country courthouse, noted the congresswoman. Escobar advises that the vast majority of domestic abuse service providers are still operational and utilizing tele-health technology.

Since stay-at-home orders went into effect across the nation, there has been a 35% increase in 911 calls made by victims of domestic abuse.

The Democratic congresswoman also discussed the small business bailout effort.

She reported that some small businesses in her community were experiencing delays in their receipt of the Payroll Protection Program loans that are designed to ensure they are able to continue paying their staff during the pandemic. 

Escobar also made the claim that some small business owners had told her they were considering filing for bankruptcy instead of waiting for the government's bailout dollars to arrive. 

Despite the bill being a bi-partisan effort that unanimously passed both chambers of Congress, she directed her criticism exclusively toward the Republican-led Senate and White House.

Right now, it is Democratic leaders in Congress who are holding up a Republican proposal to inject an additional $250 billion into the small business bailout fund.