February 5, 2007 |
2007-R-0167 | |
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE | ||
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By: Sandra Norman-Eady, Chief Attorney | ||
You asked for information on domestic violence shelters, including the support services they provide and staffing levels.
SUMMARY
Connecticut's 18 domestic violence programs provided services to almost 55,000 victims from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006. The services ranged from emergency shelter to community education, according to Linda Blozie, director of public affairs for Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV). CCADV is a statewide network of community based programs providing shelter, support, and advocacy to battered women and their children. It provides statewide public policy advocacy, advocates for legislative reform, and educates the public on the issue of domestic violence.
Blozie, who provided most of the information in this report, states that while staff is available at domestic violence shelters during hours that are considered normal for most businesses; no staff is on-site during hours that are critical to domestic violence victims (i. e. , evenings and weekends) because of inadequate funding. The state partially funds domestic violence programs.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAMS
During the past fiscal year, Connecticut's 18 domestic violence programs served 54,641 victims of domestic violence, including shelter for 2,031 victims and their children. The programs received 24,288 crisis calls and answered 26,840 requests for information and referrals. 13,700 adult victims and 928 child victims who did not need emergency shelter received support services from programs, including counseling, support groups, advocacy, and safety planning.
Victims can access services by calling the state domestic violence hotline at (888) 774-2900 or their local shelter. The hotline functions as a telephone routing system by using callers' telephone numbers to automatically connect them to their nearest domestic violence program.
All, but two, of the state's domestic violence programs (Ansonia and Greenwich) provide emergency shelter for victims. Table 1 provides the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of each program, listed in alphabetical order by town.
Table 1: Domestic Violence Programs
Program Names |
Program Addresses |
Program Phone Numbers |
The Umbrella Program |
435 East Main Street Ansonia 06401 |
Business: 203-736-2601 Hotline/Crisis: 203-736-9944 |
YWCA of Eastern Fairfield County, Inc. |
753 Fairfield Ave. Bridgeport 06604 |
Business: 203-334-6154 Hotline/Crisis: 203-333-7555 |
Women's Center of Greater Danbury, Inc. |
2 West Street Danbury 06810 |
Business: 203-731-5200 Hotline/Crisis: 203-731-5206 |
United Services Domestic Violence Program |
P. O. Box 251 Dayville 06241 |
Business: 203-774-2020 Hotline/Crisis: 203-774-8648 |
Network Against Domestic Abuse of North Central Ct |
P. O. Box 531 Enfield 06083 |
Business: 860-763-4430 Hotline/Crisis: 860-763-4542 |
Women's Emergency Services, Inc. |
P. O. Box 86 Falls Village 06031 |
Business: 203-824-1491 Hotline/Crisis: 203-824-1080 |
Greenwich YWCA Domestic Abuse Services |
159 East Putnam Avenue Greenwich CT 06830 |
Business: 203-869-6501 Hotline/Crisis: 203-622-0003 |
Hartford Interval House, Inc. |
P. O. Box 260207 Hartford 06126 |
Business: 860-246-9149 Hotline/Crisis: 860-527-0550 |
Meriden-Wallingford Chrysalis Domestic Violence Services |
P. O. Box 663 Meriden 06450 |
Business: 860-237-3713 Hotline/Crisis: 860-238-1501 |
New Horizons |
P. O. Box 1036 Middletown 06457 |
Business: 860-347-6971 Hotline/Crisis: 860-347-6971 |
Prudence Crandall Center for Women, Inc. |
P. O. Box 895 New Britain 06050 |
Business: 860-225-5187 Hotline/Crisis: 860-225-6357 |
Domestic Violence Services of Greater New Haven |
P. O. Box 1329 New Haven 06505 |
Business: 203-865-1957 Hotline/Crisis: 203-789-8104 |
Women's Center of Southeastern Connecticut |
16 Jay Street New London 06320 |
Business: 860-447-0366 Hotline/Crisis: 860-447-0366 |
Women's Crisis Center |
5 Eversley Avenue Norwalk 06880 |
Business: 203-853-0418 Hotline/Crisis: 203-852-1980 |
Domestic Violence Services, Inc. |
65 High Ridge Rd. , Ste. 378 Stamford 06905 |
Business: 203-965-0049 Hotline/Crisis: 203-357-8162 |
Susan B. Anthony Project, Inc. |
434 Prospect Street Torrington 06790 |
Business: 860-489-3798 Hotline/Crisis: 860-482-7133 |
Women's Emergency Shelter, Inc. |
P. O. Box 1503 Waterbury 06721 |
Business: 203-575-0036 Hotline/Crisis: 203-575-0036 |
United Services Domestic Violence Program |
132 Mansfield Ave. Willimantic 06226 |
Business: 860-456-2261 Hotline/Crisis: 860-456-9476 |
Domestic Violence Services
Domestic violence programs offer a variety of services in addition to emergency shelter. Specifically, they provide:
• 24 hour hotlines
• Safety planning
• Support and education groups
• Domestic violence counseling
• Children's services and advocacy
• Legal system advocacy
• Social service advocacy
• Emergency transportation
• Information and referrals
• Community education
Staffing
All domestic violence programs have on site staff from 9: 00 am to 5: 00 pm, Monday through Friday. Most programs have limited evening and weekend hours. During the time no staff is on site, at least one person is “on call” in each program to respond to the 24 hour hotline and any extraordinary emergencies that may arise at the shelter. According to Blozie, during the 1980's and early 1990's staff were present at domestic violence shelters 24 hours a day, each day. Blozie cites inadequate funding as the sole reason programs have had to reduce staff hours at shelters. As a result, she reports that Connecticut is one of few states without 24-hour onsite staffing at domestic violence shelters.
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