ST. GEORGE — Borough President James Oddo and District Attorney Dan Donovan donated more than 80 cell phones Wednesday to victims of domestic violence in Staten Island.
After a yearlong drive in Borough Hall, Oddo gave the cell phones to Safe Horizon, which will give them to people for use during emergencies.
"These phones will provide a lifeline to victims, giving them a safe way to connect with the police in case of emergency," Oddo said in a statement.
Safe Horizon operates nine shelters across the city and provides residences for victims and families of domestic violence, Oddo said.
Domestic violence has been rising on Staten Island, with an all-time high of 2,500 arrests in 2012, Donovan has previously said. He said he expected the number to climb in 2013.
"After the drug cases, the No. 1 crime we have in Staten Island is domestic violence," Donovan previously said. "And those are just the reported ones."
Reports of incidents on Staten Island have also grown nearly three times more than the rest of the city, the Staten Island Advance reported.
