Help Rescue 500 Battered Women And Their Children

Thank you for your generous support and donations. Between January 1 and March 10, 2010, the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center received a total of 494 crisis calls, emails, and live chats. • January- 181 crisis calls, emails, and live chats, • February- 188 crisis calls, emails, and live chats, • March- 125 crisis calls, emails, and live chats between March 1 and March 10. The following quote was sent to Caitlin McGuan, AODVC Crisis Services Coordinator, from a survivor in Morocco. “Thank you again for all of your help and support. If it weren’t for the information you sent me, I never would have been able to locate an international family law attorney to represent me. And, now that I have, it’s like a weight’s been lifted off my shoulders. Thank you.” Thank you again for supporting the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center.

Thank you for your generous support and donations! In 2009, the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center received 1,424 crisis calls and emails serving 273 families from 64 different countries.

In addition to providing support to all of our clients, AODVC provided legal assistance for 10 families, assisted 11 families with danger to safety relocations, 5 families with basic needs assistance and provided 4 families with counseling.

Throughout the past year, I have been keeping you updated on the statistics of the population that we serve and the services that we offer. To further illustrate the continuum of services American overseas domestic violence survivors need we have decided to share the story of one of our clients. Names and other details of her situation have been changed.

“Leigh first contacted AODVC a couple years ago while experiencing horrific abuse in an foreign country. She wanted to get her and her children out of the country and back to the US, but her abuser had hidden their passports. AODVC worked with her in creating a specialized safety plan, contacting the US Embassy, and connecting her with local domestic violence resources.

After Leigh was granted new passports, AODVC worked with her during the repatriation process, assisting her with finding flights and hotels along the way.

Once Leigh and her children arrived back in the US, AODVC connected her with a local shelter as many shelters were denying her services because the abuse happened overseas. It was vital that Leigh find shelter as Leigh was certain that her abuser had hired a private investigator to locate her and the children.

Leigh's family contacted her to tell her that her abuser was filing for custody of the children. AODVC connected Leigh with legal representation and offered modest financial assistance.

After years of abuse, and immense amounts of stress, Leigh expressed interest in counseling. AODVC connected her with a counselor.

After a long and tedious legal battle, Leigh was granted custody of her children. Leigh decided that she wanted to move out of shelter and into an apartment. AODVC supported Leigh as she looked for an apartment, a job, and childcare.”

While each case is extremely unique, this story is representative of many cases. Some clients are not able to leave the foreign country due to certain laws within the foreign country, some clients do not contact us until after they've arrived back in the US, some clients have protracted legal cases that last for years, while others use our services for just a few months.

No matter the length or specific services a client receives, AODVC could not offer these services without the generous support, enthusiasm, and donations from you.

On behalf of the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center, Leigh, and the 272 other families served in 2009, thank you.

Thank you for your support during the Give More, Get More challenge. This project received 38 donations with a cumulative value of $6,058. Global Giving matched the donations with $1,955, resulting in $8,013 towards assisting American domestic violence survivors in foreign countries.

Thanks to all of your support this year, between January and October, the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center was able to assist 302 families, 109 of these families had children.

We received 1,153 crisis calls and emails from 57 different countries. We provided 10 families with legal assistance, 5 families with counseling, and 3 families with basic needs assistance.

Noelle Donahue, our International Crisis Line Advocate, received the following message from one of our clients,

“I was so fortunate to "escape", and I thank you all so much for equipping me with the knowledge and resources that helped me along the way. My first step was calling your crisis line… My children and I are trying to heal, but we have our bad days, and I wonder if it will ever be behind us...Thank you again.” -A survivor in Brazil

Thank you again for your donations, support, and encouragement.

Thank you for your support and donations! We are very grateful for your assistance in serving American domestic violence survivors abroad. From January, 2009 to July, 2009 the American Domestic Violence Crisis Line received 600 crisis calls and emails, assisted 149 families and 121 children from 46 countries.

In addition to direct services and ongoing case management, the American Domestic Violence Crisis Line provided relocation assistance for 3 families, legal consultations for 2 families, counseling for 1 family, and basic needs services for 3 families.

A client recently emailed Crisis Line Coordinator, Caitlin McGuan, stating: “Thank you so much for listening and guiding me through a very foggy and distressing time. Your emails were the catalyst for my rebirth and I am so grateful to have all the opportunities that are coming my way today. Your work is valuable and appreciated.”

We would not be able to provide these services without your kindness and generosity. We sincerely thank you for your ongoing support!

Thanks to your generous support and donations, the American Domestic Violence Crisis Line was able to provide advocacy and services to 31 survivors through 118 crisis calls and emails. ADVCL was able to serve 17 new callers and 12 new families, from 14 different countries during the month of May.

In June, ADVCL was able to provide advocacy and services to 33 survivors through 83 crisis calls and emails. ADVCL served 25 new callers and was able to assist 21 new families from 21 different countries.

In addition to our ongoing case management and safety planning, ADVCL was able to provide relocation assistance and a pro-bono legal consultation. Furthermore, ADVCL received great news from two existing clients and their children. Each of them won their ongoing legal battles and both are now able to live their lives safely and legally, free from abuse.

Finally, a client who has received ongoing case management and support from ADVCL wrote the following message to our crisis line advocate, Caitlin McGuan,

“I truly can`t thank you enough for being there for me. Just having someone to talk to has been very `focusing` for me.”

We would not be able to provide these services without your kindness and generosity. We sincerely thank you for your ongoing support.