Though it may be the most wonderful time of the year, the Holiday season can be dangerous for individuals and families impacted by domestic violence. Those who work in this field explains that the increase of incidences during the holidays is exacerbated by the build up of anger and stress, which accompanies the season. The holiday season also marks the time of year when children experience domestic violence at the highest rates seen. It may be a joyous celebration for many of us; however, we cannot forget or fail to protect and assist those who are enduring brutal, and sadly, potential life-ending, abuse.
A few weeks ago, I came across an article spotlighting a new tool to assist in finding shelter and support for individuals and families experiencing domestic violence. Being that I wrote an article on this subject in October discussing the prevalence of disabled women and domestic violence, I knew that I had to take a more detailed look at this tool.
DomesticShelters.org – A New Website Seeking to Close the Information Gap
In late August, the National Coalition of Domestic Violence (NCADV) and the Theresa’s Fund partnered and developed a comprehensive tool that identified 3,001 domestic violence provider organizations throughout the United States, and gathered 156 data points on each entity. Their collaborative efforts created the largest database of its kind ever established, and its existence allows visitors to Domestic Shelters to input their location, language, and service preferences with just the click of a mouse. The search results yield proximate, relevant opportunities for users to receive the most appropriate assistance pertaining to their specific need(s) and situation(s).
My Test Drive of DomesticShelters.org
Being that I only share and spotlight online tools that I have personally reviewed, I thought that I would definitely do this for Domestic Shelters. I went on the website, and was impressed with how colorful and eye-catching the graphic design layout was. The bright colors created an inviting presence for users who are seeking this pertinent information. (Click image to enlarge for better viewing.)
The website’s usage ability is very simple: enter your zip code, and if needed, select a language and service preferences. When I entered the Columbia, SC zip code, 29201, the following organizations came up: Sistercare and Women’s Shelter. Since I am more familiar with Sistercare due to the active advocacy presence the organization has within the Midlands area, I decided to select Sistercare as the organization I wanted to learn about.
The information provided for Sistercare is crucial for those seeking its services. Key points for me were the hotline number; TTY/TDD number for those who are hearing impaired; toll free number; and languages spoken, which is important to note for our ethnically diverse community.
The only information that was not included in Sistercare’s profile was whether the facility was wheelchair accessible, which is important for disabled South Carolinian women and families to know if they required such access. (The lack of accessibility within domestic violence shelters and disability training for staff are incredible barriers that negatively impacts one’s ability to fully utilize these facilities.)
Overall, I was very pleased with how user-friendly Domestic Shelters was. The “Leave SIte” button (which connected to the Weather Channel’s website when I selected it) allowed users to promptly leave the webpage for safety reasons. I have seen a few domestic violence focused organizations with this feature, so it is considered a standard safety measure to ensure that those seeking or inquiring about assistance can do so without fear of their abusers knowing.
Final Thoughts
The Domestic Shelters website is an empowering game-changer for survivors, helping professionals, and community members who want to arm themselves with knowledge about the organizations that focus on serving and advocating for this particular population. Domestic Shelters has an undeniable potential to close the information gap for those desiring to leave abusive situations and find their strength and voice with the aid of these organizations.
(Featured headlining image: Courtesy of NCADV. Screenshot is my own.)
