McLeod: Help Domestic Violence Victims

Last year, Doorways provided support through the Domestic Violence Hotline to 1,157 calls—impacting 1,532 adults and children.

Our Safehouse is more than just a place to find shelter from domestic violence. It provides a spectrum of life-saving, supportive and educational services to help women and children leave behind a life of domestic violence and begin a new life of stability, dignity and self-sufficiency. The Safehouse is a nurturing, confidential and secure 11-bed home in which all residents—women and children—receive comprehensive services to help them heal and recover from trauma and move their lives forward. The Safehouse Program annually gives 80-100 women and children the safe haven they need. 

All adults receive individual weekly support from a Masters-level social worker.  Every resident participates in a Family Service Assessment, which creates a foundation for goal planning and services, including employment assistance, parenting education, financial planning, education enhancement, credit repair, the creation of a plan to transition clients to self-sufficient housing as well as emotional support. The children who live at the Doorways’ Safehouse also receive their own specialized services that support them and their parents with school enrollment, wellness checkups, emotional health, developmental assessments, tutoring assistance and access to recreational activities. All Safehouse residents engage in a weekly in-house support group that focuses on the healing process and recovery from unhealthy relationships.

In 2005, Safehouse clients returning to abusive partners was 15%. Today, it is only 1%! In order to keep our programs such a success we need people like you to help!

Links:

• Doorways Blog