Take a stand against domestic abuse
Some of the biggest victims of domestic violence are the smallest.
As we mark October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we support the women and men who have taken that brave step toward a violence-free life while remembering those who sadly lost their lives. I want to focus on hope. And that hope lies with the children who are often in their parent’s arms or holding their hand as they walk through the doors at Women In Distress of Broward County’s Jim and Jan Moran Family Center campus in Deerfield Beach and at five outreach locations around Broward County.
The statistics are heartbreaking. One in 15 children is exposed to violence at home each year. Today, nearly two-thirds of those needing emergency shelter will be children.
Our advocates often hear, “my husband and I fight when the kids are in another room sleeping so they don’t know what’s going on.” But they do. The fact is, 90 percent of children in homes where there is domestic violence know it is going on, and the consequences often follow them into adulthood.
Children who are exposed to violence in the home may have difficulty learning and show limited social skills, exhibit violent, risky or delinquent behavior, or suffer from depression or severe anxiety. They also are more likely to be affected by violence as adults, either as victims of abuse or perpetrators.
That’s why we are so proud of the innovative work being done in our child therapy program at Women In Distress, a specialized program not offered at other domestic violence centers in Florida. Our child therapists provide family therapy and clinical one-on-one therapy services for children based on their development, from infants to age 17. This includes things such as art therapy, relaxation and stress management skills, play therapy and other specialized services, all offered free of charge.
Babies are often overlooked in domestic violence because they can’t speak. But that crucial bond between parent and child is impacted when there’s chaos in the home. With a grant from The Salah Foundation this past year, our agency was able to provide early childhood therapy in new and innovative ways.
We’ve been able to more than double children’s counseling hours in our shelter, providing 6,300 hours of counseling. We also increased the hours of individual and group counseling in our advocacy/outreach program by 21 percent.
Children’s services are among a number of programs provided by Women In Distress, thanks to community support from both public and private funders and individual donors. These strides give us hope that we can truly break the cycle of violence.
I ask you to take a stand this Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Join our partners in law enforcement, the courts and nonprofit partners throughout our community as we advocate for those without a voice. Share our hotline number with someone you know who needs help. Listen to them. Believe them. And take action. Visit our website at womenindistress.org for a calendar of events to see how you can get involved. Let’s change lives, together.