For years the Super Bowl has been associated with an uptick in domestic violence. A 2011 study from the National Health Institute found a roughly 10% increase in incident when NFL games are played. 

However, Jennifer Gray, social services and development officer at Compass said those claims don't tell the full story. 

"That's kind of been something that we've been asked historically. And it's not really accurate. It's not the Super Bowl. It's not sporting events. What it is is the combination of alcohol and those events or parties or gatherings where there's a lot of emotional investment and a lot of drinking over time," Gray explained. 

Gray, who also works with the Sojourner House, said their organization typically does not see an increase in shelter admissions during major sporting events. 

"We really don't see an increase during these events for like shelter admissions or anything like that. But I can tell you that overall, alcohol definitely has something to do with domestic violence, because more often than not, somebody will be under the influence of something, and it makes it a lot worse," Gray said. 

Advocates believe simple actions can make a difference. Checking in on friends or family, monitoring alcohol consumption, and knowing local support resources are all steps that can help prevent domestic violence during any event or situation.