Front Door Entry Way>>
Some families arrive at our front door with nothing but the clothing they’re wearing. Entering the front door of the RDVCC is, for many clients, a new beginning. We are able to provide food, clothing, shoes, toiletries, cosmetics, and even toys for the children due to our wonderful donors who help provide survivors with goods.
Why does a woman choose to enter a shelter?
How does a woman get to a shelter?
The primary reason women seek shelter is to secure the safety of themselves and their children. In many instances the threat of injury or death is so great that no other alternative but shelter exists. Despite the risks involved in staying in a violent home, the decision to leave is a difficult one, as women and children may be forced to sever relationships with families and friends and in many cases “start over”. Although many women are able to maintain contact with family members, the batterer may know their addresses, posing a risk to the woman and family if she has contact with them. Our goal at the Rape and Domestic Violence Crisis Center is to create a safe place for women to stay by providing confidential shelter and a supportive living environment that allows them to make informed choices about their future.
At the RDVCC, women and children receive help in a number of ways. They will often contact the agency through our hotline at 1-866-841-6229. When a woman calls the hotline, the answering service answers the phone and takes the caller's name, and number, the information is passed to us. We respond to all calls within 10 minutes. If it is not safe to call back, or if a person is calling from a pay phone the answering service operator can patch the call to us for 10 minute increments. If the counselor and the woman agree that shelter placement is necessary and if a room is available the woman and advocate will coordinate arrangements.
