Domestic Violence Research Paper

The interview that I conducted was with the 1736 Family Crisis Center located in Los Angeles, California since 1972. They own three locations and leases 10 other building spaces. Their services include providing shelter for domestic violence victims, youth programs, individual and family counseling, job development/placement, legal services, case management, hotlines for those in crisis, to name a few. 1736 Family Crisis Center’s mission is to help those in need by offering the necessary tools to develop safe, self-sufficient lives, focusing on domestic violence victims, runaway and homeless youth, and community

This agency that you describe appears to provide services that reflect their chosen name.  Homelessness in women with children, as you have mentioned make up one of the most vulnerable populations in this country; additionally, they are predisposed to many unfavorable events, such as inadequate health, injuries, drug addiction, and mental issues (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2016).  Agencies like the one you describe, help lessen the effects of homelessness; additionally, providing a sense hope, unity, and pathway to

For this purpose, the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has collaborated with many faith based organizations to provide secure shelters, indispensable necessities and trauma recovery (mental health treatment and counseling) to domestic victims of human trafficking (National Human Trafficking Resource Center,

They are seeing more victims with other mental health issues, AODA issues, and other obstacles that cause a delay in the transition process from the shelter to the community. Therefore, Advocates works with other agencies in the county to assure that needs are met for victims so that they can move forward in the transition process. Advocates works with the Department of Social Services as well as other therapists and psychiatrists to provide mental health services. For victims in need of parental support, Advocates is connected to programs like WIC, FoodShare, and W-2. Advocates is also involved with law enforcement and the court system to promote social justice for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

These two institutions are the only women's prison and re-entry center in the State of Maine. Family Crisis Services is the local domestic violence resource center that services Cumberland County. Due to the physical location - Family Crisis Services has the unique opportunity to partner with MCC and SMWRC to provide programming and direct service to women who are incarcerated. Though many of the women are coming from other parts of the state, FCS is able to provide advocacy and support to all women who wish to utilize our services. FCS also is able to connect women with other domestic violence and sexual assault resource centers across the state when being released to help support women when they re-enter their communities. The STOP Grant funding has allowed us to house a full-time FCS advocate at the newly-opened reentry center; having this advocate centrally located at SMWRC has and will continue to increase our engagement with an entirely new group of incarcerated women who we were not able to meet with prior to the relocation and STOP Grant

The Abused Adult Resource Center has been servicing the Bismarck area and seven surrounding counties for over 20 years It was started by concerned citizens that started a task force. They were called the Abused Women’s Resource Closet and opened in March of 1977. Their name has since changed but their mission has stayed consistent proclaiming, “The mission of the Abused Adult Resource Center is to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault by establishing and maintaining a program which will provide temporary shelter, crisis intervention, prevention, education, support and hope as a vision to eliminate violence.”

Homelessness is a problem in many communities across the United States. It is particularly sad when one sees women and children that are homeless. The Cornerstone Rescue Mission Women and Children Home in Rapid City, South Dakota addresses this need in this particular community. They serve pregnant women, single women, Veteran women, girls under the age of 18 with their mother, and boys under the age of 16 with their mother. A community assessment was completed on this population to identify strengths and their particular needs; interventions were then done based on these needs.

As I was speaking with one of their staff, I disclosed myself to be doing a paper on my visit. The lady gave me a history and the mission of their program. She talked about the fact that their counseling is open to almost everyone; but, mostly women come to their facility. The misconception that their services are only for women is common and since their clients are mostly women, they have facilitated their workshops towards satisfying the needs of their clients. At first, they provided care primarily to women and now they have expanded their service towards men.

Monica’s House and Maggie’s House are a non-profit organization in conducting interviews with children who have been physically or sexually abused. Cameron County Children’s Advocate Center mission, “is to serve and advocate for child victims of abuse through prevention, intervention, and treatment.” As well as, to educate children to speak out if they are being abused or have witnessed abuse. As well as, assisting children in need of clothing, school supplies and giving out food. Furthermore, the center is a great opportunity for our community to be aware of child abuse, along with feeling free to speak about theses mattered issues.

Collaboration between programs and advocates can help ensure that victims are aware of all of the options that are available to them. For example, in the area around Fresno State, Marjaree Mason Center, a shelter for abused women, refers women to the Living Room, a center where community members can get tested for HIV/AIDS, and vise versa. With these two programs working together, victims can get the help that they need. Inclusion policy can also provide a way for organizations to work together for the interest of others as they work together with a set of shared understanding (Muscat, 2015). Many victims are not aware of the vast resources available to them. It is essential that programs, organizations, and other institutions exist to inform victims of the rights that they have so that they can overcome their struggles. In another example, the Coalition of Victim Attorneys and Consultants helps victims that want to pursue civil lawsuits (Muscat, 2015). This nationwide service can help victims find quality attorneys so that they can get the best settlement offer possible. Compensation can lift a large burden off of victim’s financial struggle to

St. Mary's Bridge Home is a 45 day “Emergency Shelter” for children new born to twelve years old. The emergency Bridge Home wrestles with everyday is abuse. Bridge Home works as a ‘downstream’ organization in and of itself. Bridge Home diligently waits ‘downstream to assess and heal wounds that are already in place. Located in Dorchester and operating under St. Mary's Center for Women and Children, Bridge Home shelters and evaluates victims of ‘severe abuse or neglect’ http://www.guidestar.org/profile/04-3201844 but is only one part of the complex structure St Mary’s Center has implemented to put an end to cyclical abuse in Boston and walk ‘upstream’. In navigating this complex atmosphere, St. Mary's Bridge Home has seen its share of triumph

Family Services of the Piedmont is about “restoring hope; achieving stability; providing quality services; to advocate as well as to educate” (A. Perez, personal communication, April 11, 2014). For over 70 years, that has been the mission of this agency. It is one of the largest non-profit agencies in Guilford County. [Paraphrase]Although their vision is to build and maintain safety and create healthy families; creating possibilities is the core of this foundation (A. Perez…2014). This organization seeks to ensure the needs of the community are heard, acted on and opportunities are created for growth. Families Services of the Piedmont gives a voice to the voiceless as well as turn the hopeless into hopeful.

This summer I spent my summer in St. Louis, Missouri, where I interned at Epworth Children and Family Services. Specifically it was at the Drop In Center, working with their Older Youth Services department. Epworth is a well known facility that services a thousand different types of clients for many different things. The slogan on all of the promotional material is “To Help Children, Youth, and Families Move Toward Self- Sufficiency, by focusing on health, housing, education, and employment”. For 150 years this company has provided underprivileged youth, families in need and any other clients that who can benefit from their services. Understanding the needs of their clients and helping them surpass the odds to a better future is one of Epworth’s many goals they teach their staff. Epworth has created a system that advocates for the youth and families in need that have a safe place to transform their life.

Domestic violence is more common than most people would like to believe. About one in every four women will be victimized by a significant other at some point in their lives (Clevenger & Roe-Sepowitz 2009). Many women are not able to get out of their situation on their own and need help from others. Women in abusive relationships should consider going to a shelter for help to get out of their unsafe situation. Shelters can assist not only with a safe place to live but it can also be a stepping stone to rebuilding their lives. A shelter is there to provide a safe living environment and multiple resources that someone would need to get themselves back on their feet. Some of the resources are safety planning, legal assistance, mental health care and counseling,

In order to gain more information on our project we are doing observational research and have viewed multiple surveys on what is needed in the Sex Trafficking community. We have noticed that the Sex Trafficking victims need a sense of freedom in their lives. Currently the treatment they are receiving is all physical, they are being treated for STDs and pregnancies but not receiving the comfort that they need. We plan on contacting Restore Innocence, a program based in Colorado Springs. Lindey Havens who is the executive director runs a program that reaches out to survivors and provides restoration bags that include blankets, clothing, toiletry items, and other items that can help the victims gain independence and the freedom mentioned on