Crisis Intervention Services Welcomes October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Oskaloosa Mayor Dave Krutzfeldt signs a proclamation marking October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Crisis Intervention Services today welcomed October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. One in four women will be the victim of domestic violence at some point in her lifetime, and, on average, three women are killed every day at the hands of a current or former intimate partner. These are people who know-coworkers, neighbors, and family members.

Since 1997, Crisis Intervention Services has worked to end all forms of domestic violence and sexual abuse through prevention and life skills education, intervention, and outreach services to empower victims, families, and the community. We provide a multitude of services, including twenty-four crisis response, shelter, transitional housing, financial assistance and economic advocacy, short-term counseling, legal and medical advocacy, and transportation.

The economic downturn has had a devastating effect on local programs working to serve survivors of abuse. While a bad economy does not cause domestic violence, it can make it worse. At the same time, there are fewer options for survivors to escape. According to the 2012 Mary Kay Truth About Abuse Survey, nearly 8 out of ten domestic violence shelters nationwide reported an increase in women seeking help, while the vast majority experienced decreases in funding.

Unfortunately that has been true for Crisis Intervention Services, we saw an increase of twenty-nine percent in the number of clients served in fiscal year 2012, providing advocacy to 944 unduplicated clients. Even more shocking is that the number of bed nights Crisis Intervention Services provided during fiscal year 2012. Our bed nights increased by seventy-two percent from 3,169 bed nights to 5,461 nights for fiscal year 2012. The need is greater than ever, but unfortunately all Iowa domestic violence programs saw a ten percent cut in their funding for fiscal year 2013.

Now more than ever our communities need to raise awareness about the prevalence of domestic violence. It affects not only the victim and her children, but her classmates, c0-workers, friends, family and community. Now more than ever, we need community support to end it. For more information on how you can help, we can be reached at 641-673-0336 or help@stopdvsa.org.

If you or someone you know needs assistance we are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week on our crisis line 641-673-5499 or 1-800-270-1620. Non-emergency services are available at our office in the United Way building at 500 High Avenue West, Oskaloosa, Monday thru Friday, from 8:30am to 5:00pm.