DC Safe

SAFE By The Numbers: April 2011

eolds@dcsafe.org — Wed, 04 May 2011 19:37:34 +0000

In the month of April, SAFE Advocates served 585 victims of domestic violence, 378 through the Courts and 207 through SAFE’s Response Line immediately following a violent incident. During April 2011, SAFE Advocates:

Wrote 256 petitions for Civil Protection Orders for victims representing themselves;
Attended Court with 230 victims to explain the legal process and provide support;
Created 585 safety plans and conducted 585 lethality assessments to help victims keep themselves safe from future abuse;
Housed 43 families immediately following a violent incident in order to keep them safe;
Provided 15 lock changes after regular business hours to secure vicitms’ homes;
Spent 20 hours riding along with police to provide services at the scene of a domestic violence crime.

Give a SAFE Gift for Valentine’s Day!

eolds@dcsafe.org — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 23:11:18 +0000

This Valentine’s Day, give a truly meaningful gift.

At this time of year, our thoughts turn to love, and how to find beautiful ways to show the people in our lives how we feel. As you search for the perfect way to honor your loved ones, consider helping those in our community who have experienced the darker side of relationships– survivors of domestic violence.

Make a sensitive and thoughtful gesture to the one you love. Contribute to SAFE between now and February 12th, and SAFE will send a Valentine’s card to the recipient of your choice. The card features a beautiful painting by Brooklyn-based artist Maureen Cavanaugh, and a note on the back letting your loved one know that you have made a generous contribution in his or her honor.

Proceeds help SAFE assist clients and their children — over 6,900 domestic violence victims per year– escape from abusive situations and rebuild lives of safety, security, and freedom. Even the smallest contribution can make an enormous difference in the lives of our clients.

· $350 supports provision of an Emergency Temporary Protection Order and a lock change to provide immediate safety when the court is closed.

· $300 funds Court advocacy and accompaniment, including transportation to and from Court, for one client.

· $200 allows us to provide immediate, in-person emergency response for one family outside of normal business hours.

· $100 provides one night of emergency shelter.

· $50 purchases food for the weekend for a client and two children.

· $20 provides transportation to a client who cannot afford Metro fare.

Click on the Donate Now button on our website between today and February 12th and designate “Valentine’s Day” to have a card sent in honor of the person you designate. You can also contact SAFE at info@dcsafe.org or 202-408-1476 to make a donation and send this beautiful Valentine’s Day card to the one you love. Limited supply is available, so contact us soon to place your order!

Building a Community of Survivors

admin — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 23:10:16 +0000

On October 18th, SAFE’s Co-Executive Director, Natalia Otero, participated in a community workshop for survivors hosted by The Family Place, a community drop-in center that provides hospitality, resources, and support services to expectant parents and families with young children, and Dr. Claudia Campos, advocate and radio host on El Zol 99.1FM. Attended by more than fifty Latina survivors of domestic violence, many of whom were former SAFE clients, the workshop focused on integrating this work into our daily lives as women in the community. She challenged each person there to take personal responsibility for this issue in our communities, in our families and among our friends. One survivors, a young woman from El Salvador, spoke about her experience after she left her abusive relationship. The father of her child attempted to have her deported after she reported the abuse, then tried to have her evicted from her home, and attempted to get her family in trouble with the authorities for helping her. Once they got to Court, he also both threatened to take the child away from her forever and denied paternity at the same time. Service providers explained the services available to victims including SAFE’s ACCION Line (1-866-962-5048) which provides immediate crisis intervention in Spanish 24-hours a day, 7 days a week to victims. Representatives from Mil Mujeres and Women Empowered Against Violence (WEAVE) were also on hand to talk about legal representation and counseling services available. Dr. Campos also encouraged men to join the movement to encourage male victims to come forward and to hold each other accountable for those among them who perpetrate violence against their partners.

If You See Something, Say Something!

admin — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:56:10 +0000

The holiday season is upon us, and that means spending time with family and friends and finding out what’s new in their lives. Sometimes catching up can mean we have cause for concern. If you see something that leads you to believe that a friend or family member is not safe in their relationship, don’t let embarrassment or fear that you’re going to offend them get in the way. You may be the support that loved one is looking for.

Once you’re over the anxiety of saying something, you may run into the roadblock of not knowing what to say. The following link has some great advice about how to approach someone you’re concerned about: http://domesticviolenceworkplace.blogspot.com/2009/12/domestic-violence-and-holidays-what-do.html. If you need help with resources for your loved one, you can always contact SAFE, Inc. at info@dcsafe.org for more information. Even if you’re wrong, they’ll appreciate your concern just the same.