The Cycle of Abuse and Homelessness

by Emily Ostrowski

One of the most important factors in helping survivors of domestic violence escape their abusers is their ability to find safe, affordable housing. Unfortunately, this often proves a difficult task. Not only do abusers frequently exert control of their partner’s finances, but available low-income housing is at historic lows both locally and nationally. Many individuals who seek to escape abuse often find themselves without a place to call home.

Domestic abuse is, in fact, the leading cause of homelessness among women and children. According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty (NLCHP), more than 90 percent of homeless women are victims of severe physical or sexual abuse. Often times, it is in their attempts to leave their abuser, and having nowhere else to turn, that is the cause of their homelessness.

The decision between staying with an abusive partner or being homeless is a choice that no one should ever have to make, but it is an unfortunate reality for too many victims of abuse. In a 2012 study, 74 percent of survivors cited economic reasons as to why they stayed with their abuser. In 2016 a full 87% of survivors escaping domestic violence could not find safe, affordable housing, greatly diminishing their options for permanently leaving their abusers.

While domestic violence acts as a catalyst to homelessness, many who end up homeless are also still very vulnerable to additional violence. According to a report by the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence 32% of women, 27% of men, and 38% of transgender individuals reported experiencing physical or sexual violence within 12 months of homelessness. Homeless youth may be especially vulnerable to violence. The same report references a study indicating that 70% of homeless youth experience violence, with 1 in 3 youth specifically reporting sexual assault.

It is at the core of YWCA Clark County’s mission to empower and advocate for survivors of domestic violence, and help them gain the emotional and financial stability needed to live a life free from violence. To do this work we rely on the vital support of our generous community.

Sarah came to Vancouver pregnant and escaping stalking by her ex-partner.
Funding from YWCA helped Sarah find affordable housing,
 and provide a safe home for herself and her child. 

In 2016, our SafeChoice Domestic Violence Program spent 8,193 hours advocating on behalf of 964 individuals offering support, information and referrals, safety planning, support groups, legal advocacy, and a secure place to stay at our gender inclusive emergency domestic violence shelter, which is the only domestic violence shelter currently in Clark County. In total, 43 adults and 66 children were able to escape violence and find temporary housing at our shelter in 2016.


We not only want to provide survivors with one-on-one support and advocacy while they are staying with us, we want them to feel at home. This is why our shelter is gender inclusive, and even allows pets because we don’t want families to choose between staying at a shelter or staying with their loved ones. We also provide private rooms, so that no one has to share space with a stranger.
 Additionally, there are no set meal times or plans, and those residing at our shelter can choose when to eat and what to prepare based on what feels comfortable to them.

We also want survivors staying at our shelter to feel they are on their own timetable. We have a midnight curfew so residents may come and go during the day as they please. Residents can also choose when to access one-on-one advocacy sessions, legal resources, and our Children's Advocacy Program (CAP), which assists families in dealing with the effects of domestic violence.

Finally residents of our shelter can stay up to 60 days, to allow them the time and flexibility to get the emotional, legal, and financial assistance needed to feel empowered to permanently move on from their abusive partner.

While we are deeply proud of the work we have done, we want to do even more to advocate on behalf of our community, and that is why we need your support. Your donations not only help to offer tangible services to the individuals and families that come to YWCA Clark County looking for assistance, but they also send a message that Clark County is united in our mission to end domestic violence.

Please consider donating today, and continue checking our blog to learn more about the challenges domestic abuse survivors face, and how with your support, YWCA can help.

The Power of Prevention

By Emily Ostrowski

YWCA Clark County is dedicated to empowering and supporting survivors of sexual assault and domestic abuse, but our aim is to also change the pervasive culture of violence that contributes to these issues in the first place. We do this in part by actively engaging our community in prevention programs that seek to stop violence before it starts.

Currently we have four prevention programs. Two of which, Where We Grow and Where We Thrive are aimed at middle school and high school youth because we know that getting young people involved can be a powerful and galvanizing force for change.

Where We Grow is a 10-12 session program designed for middles school students ages 11-14, while Where We Thrive is 8-10 sessions, and geared towards high school students ages 15-18. Participants in each group build knowledge and skills to help support healthy relationships, as well as learn about boundaries, and how to become advocates for themselves as well as others.

In discussing healthy relationships and boundaries with middle and high school aged students, the topic of consent is frequently addressed.

Michelle Polek, prevention specialist for our SafeChoice Domestic Violence Program, facilitates Where We Grow, and notes the importance of discussing consent with her students. “Even if they aren’t sexually active, and I never assume they aren’t, middle school-aged youth absolutely experience or witness sexual abuse and harassment,” said Polek. “I think it’s also important to recognize that consent applies to a wide range of romantic and platonic actions, and everyone has different comfort levels.”

Ariella Frishberg (left) and Michelle Polek at the
Postcards with Purpose event for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Ariella Frishberg, a prevention specialist for our Sexual Assault Program who runs Where We Thrive, echoed that sentiment, “Consent is just asking for permission or asking for someone to define their boundaries, which is something we should all be thinking about and doing all the time – not just in sexual situations.” As part of those discussions about consent, Frishberg has her students do self-reflections about their own emotional, physical, and sexual boundaries.

Another topic that frequently comes up in both prevention groups is the influence of media on culture and relationship norms. “Now more than ever, media is an intrinsic part of our lives, and the lives of the young people we are working with.” said Polek.

Frishberg explained that when she discusses media and pop culture with her students they often examine how unhealthy or abusive behaviors are portrayed as if they are romantic. “We focus on how popular culture normalizes and romanticizes jealousy, control, stalking, and abusive behavior,” said Frishberg, and noted popular examples like “Twilight”, “Fifty Shades of Grey", and the Eminem and Rhianna song,  “Love the Way You Lie.”

Youth who participate in either Where We Grow or Where We Thrive have an opportunity to be part of the YWCA Clark County Prevention Advisory Board (PAB). The PAB is currently comprised of 6-8 students who get together once or twice a month, and are integral in helping plan for Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Awareness Month events. They’re also very active on social media, finding content to share on YWCA Clark County Prevention’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

When asked what the benefit to having these important and sometimes difficult conversations with students, Frishberg did not mince words,

“There’s no short answer to this. Young adults are not given many opportunities to develop skills around relationship building, communication, setting boundaries, and asking for consent. When we make spaces for these conversations, they are able to develop skills they will end up using throughout the rest of their life. The shorter question is, why wouldn’t we have these kinds of conversations?”

To learn more about these prevention programs, as well as our programs Where We Live and Where We Build you can visit our website, call us at 360-696-0167, or email prevention@ywcaclarkcounty.org with the program you are interested in listed in the subject line. To donate to YWCA and support great programs like these, visit ywcaclarkcounty.org/donate.

Diversity in Police Force Can Aid Domestic Abuse Survivors

Interview with YWCA Bilingual Advocacy Specialist Beatriz Velasquez

We are nearing the end of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but our advocacy and support for survivors of domestic abuse is a year-round endeavor. At YWCA we recognize that each survivor’s story and experiences are unique, and we strive to highlight how issues like racism, heterosexism, and language barriers complicate the experience of domestic violence survivors seeking help.

 One issue that can factor into a survivor’s decision to reach out for help is whether or not they feel safe going to the police. The higher incidences of police brutality towards people of color has been at the forefront of our national discourse in particular this year, and it is one of the contributing factors towards the general mistrust of police officers by minority communities.

 One woman working with the Vancouver Police Department to improve diversity training in our own community is YWCA Clark County Bilingual Advocacy Specialist, Beatriz Velasquez. Beatriz has worked for YWCA for almost five years. In order to highlight the particular struggles faced by domestic abuse survivors in the Latino/Hispanic community, she advocates for them as a member of the Vancouver Police Department Chief’s Diversity Advisory Team (CDAT). The CDAT holds a monthly meeting where community members representing various local minority groups can share their thoughts and concerns with selected police officers, members of the Vancouver Fire Department, and representatives from the City of Vancouver’s human resources department.

Beatriz Velasquez

 Beatriz has personal experience in dealing with domestic abuse, and knows firsthand how hesitant many members of the Latino/Hispanic community are to reach out to the police. In some instances the distrust is encouraged by the abuser, telling their victims that if they call the police they will end up deported or in jail. In an interview with The Columbian earlier this year, Beatriz noted that “In my community, I can say 70 percent are afraid to make a (911) call. They worry about what will happen when an officer shows up.”

 Beatriz notes that in addition to the fear many in the Latino/Hispanic community feel towards the police, language barriers can also act as a significant roadblock in seeking help. This is an issue Beatriz has raised in her CDAT meetings, and feels positively that the Vancouver Police Department is taking her concerns seriously.

 “They are very aware of how important diversity is in the department,” she says, “ They are very open to listening to the concerns of the community, and listen very carefully when I voice my concerns. It has been a pleasure to work with them, and to see them as people who love their job, and their community.”

 This sort of unity, at the end of the day, is precisely why Beatriz continues to do the work she does, and why she is positive about the impact of the CDAT and other similar efforts in the future. “I believe that we can all be part of the solution through communication, understanding, and love for one another. We all may look different, but our intentions are the same: To make this world a better place for our loved ones.”

 Click here to read The Columbian’s full profile of the CDAT, and here for more information on domestic violence and YWCA’s SafeChoice Program.

You're Invited to "In Her Shoes"

Join us Tuesday, October 20th to experience this free event which showcases the challenges and obstacles women in violent relationships often face. 

In addition to our ongoing efforts to raise funds for Purple Purse Challenge this October, YWCA Clark County is hosting the event “In Her Shoes” Tuesday, October 20th from 4-7pm.

 Described by our SafeChoice Program Director Stephanie Barr, "In Her Shoes" exists “to help people who have not experienced domestic violence better understand the experience of trying to survive and possibly leave an abusive relationship. It’s an interactive workshop where participants are given a true scenario and have to make choices about how to move forward with their lives.”

 Four different versions will be held with each staggered so that a different version begins every 15 or 20 minutes. YWCA offers each version, original, immigrant (offered in English and Spanish), teen and economic justice, in part to address the nuances and specific obstacles faced by domestic abuse survivors.

 “Each survivor has a unique story to tell,” notes Barr. “We think that even people who are familiar with the dynamics of domestic violence can learn something by stepping into the shoes of someone who may have faced barriers because of their age, country of origin, native language, sexual orientation, or economic status. There is so much to understand about the ways that other forms of oppression, such as racism and heterosexism, complicate the experience of domestic violence survivors who are trying to get help that truly meets their needs.”

 One of YWCA Clark County’s main goals in addressing domestic violence is to encourage our community to feel engaged and informed on how they can support survivors. The exercises and scenarios presented at "In Her Shoes" aim to do just that.

 Please consider joining us for this free and enlightening event this coming Tuesday, October 20th, and spread the word to family and friends on social media. Hope to see you all there!

Click here to open an "In Her Shoes" flyer containing all important information about the workshop.

Join the Purple Purse Challenge!

Help us Fundraise for Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence through the Month of October. 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and part of YWCA Clark County’s mission during this time is to bring attention to and get involved with powerful and worthwhile campaigns and events that need support. One such campaign is The Allstate Foundation’s Purple Purse.

Aimed at “creating long-term safety and security for survivors through financial empowerment”, last year’s campaign drew over 140 community partners together in support of Purple Purse through fundraising from CrowdRise. In total, $2,500,000 was raised to help give survivors of domestic violence the financial knowledge, skills, and resources they need to escape the cycle of abuse.

One of the most common questions poised to survivors of domestic violence is “Why stay?” While the answers are complicated and different for each survivor, one of the top reasons women stay in abusive relationships is that they simply do not have the financial means to break free. According to The Allstate Foundation’s website, 98% of all domestic violence cases involve some sort of financial abuse.

Financial abuse can take on several different forms, but the main goal for the abuser is to isolate their spouse or partner from accessing financial independence, whether that involves preventing them from accessing banks or credit cards, monitoring their partner’s spending habits, restricting transportation, or impeding the ability of their partner to find employment.

This is exactly why one of the main goals of The Allstate Foundation’s Purple Purse is to help domestic abuse survivors better understand and have access to their own financial resources.

This year, YWCA Clark County is proud to be one of over 160 nonprofits joining in the challenge. All the funds we raise will be used to provide survivors with advocates who help with safety planning, housing, employment, childcare and other critical services to ensure a safer future for the entire family.

Click here to donate through YWCA’s Crowdrise page. The person who raises the most money for our SafeChoice program will win an actual purple purse designed by award winning actress and Purple Purse spokeswoman Kerry Washington!

Court Communication

By Stephanie Barr, Interim Director of SafeChoice Program

At our October meeting, the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Task Force had the honor of hosting a panel discussion on domestic violence and the court system with panelists Judge Sonya Langsdorf, DVPC Unit Coordinator Jennifer Nugent, and Vancouver Public Defenders Attorney Christie Emrich.  We began the discussion by asking each member to give a brief introduction of her role in addressing domestic violence in Clark County. Judge Langsdorf emphasized the importance of a judge’s impartiality, while Jennifer Nugent and Christie Emrich expressed the unique perspectives and priorities of prosecuting and defense attorneys. The conversation explored ways to improve collaboration and communication among victim/survivor services, batterer’s intervention programs, and the criminal justice system, while acknowledging the differences in each position’s objectives.

Having joined the Task Force this Spring, I found this opportunity to hear directly from the panelists incredibly valuable. Although every case is different, Judge Langsdorf explained her approach to sentencing and what factors she considers relevant to ordering treatment or incarceration. The attorneys described how they approach negotiations, including what influences their recommendations to the judge. We explored gaps in communication and looked for ways to enhance our collaboration without comprising the boundaries of each person’s role. Though we come at it from different perspectives, each of us has a part to play in fostering a safe, healthy community. I am grateful that we could take time to come together and examine how our shared commitment to a domestic violence free community can be strengthened.

DVSA Task Force: Past, Present, and Future

By Sharon Svec

The Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Task Force was started in 1992 as a way to spread awareness and engage the community in preventing and addressing domestic violence and sexual assault in Clark County.  The group meets four times a year to discuss the needs of domestic violence and sexual assault survivors.  The goal of the task force is to provide a more effective and coordinated community response for survivors through regular communication and joint discussion. Topics and the style of meeting vary.  Topics range from sex offender treatment to human trafficking, and the meeting style may be in the form of a panel discussion, presentation, or workshop.

The most recent meeting held on July 24th was on the impact of family violence on children and youth. Twenty people were in attendance including guests from Children’s Center, Children’s Home Society, Healthy Decisions, and the NorthWest Justice Project. While task force meetings seem to be often attended exclusively by service providers, I found this discussion to be relevant to most anyone.

Panelists included Helen Sullivan from the Children’s Center, Bev Collins from the Independent Living Skills Program of YWCA, and Heather Redman of YWCA’s Clark County CASA Program. Each panelist had valuable insight to share, and there were a few themes that kept recurring throughout the discussion:  how children and youth exposed to violence in the home view themselves, the effects of an ever-changing environment, and how we can support children, youth and families in consideration of these perspectives.

One point that I found especially relevant is that people recognize the lifestyle in which they were raised as being “the norm.” When raised in a violent household, it may seem normal for moms and dads to fight. It may seem appropriate to respond to conflict with aggression or to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. When children are removed from their home because of abuse, neglect or violence, separated from their family and jettisoned into a life of courts, counselors, advocates, foster care and more, life can become very confusing.

Once separated from their family, the child is challenged to accept a new idea of “normal” behavior. They may feel obligated to blend into a new way of living. Plus, they are often asked to share their experiences with a slew of strangers. Coping mechanisms are learned in the home, so when a child, youth, or even parent is facing these challenges, the internal conflict they may feel might actualize in ways that are unhealthy.

Service providers, foster parents, and all community members can better support each other by recognizing and respecting the past experiences of an individual, reminding themselves and those they work with that everyone has different life experiences, and by giving children permission to bear the feelings they have.

Overall, I found the meeting to be very informative. I saw service providers ask questions and instigate valuable discussions. Personally, I was reminded about the varied histories we share, and how to better respect those experiences as we interact with each other. Whether providing direct service or simply interacting with another person in our community, we can all benefit from actively recognizing that context influences our perspectives.

Please join us at the next DV/SA task force meeting on Tuesday, September 23rd from noon to 1:30pm, focused on the court’s response to domestic violence. Guest panelists include Judge Sonya Langsdorf who is the incoming domestic violence judge, a representative from Vancouver’s Office of Public Defense, and a guest from the Domestic Violence Prosecution Center. Panelists will answer questions submitted prior to the meeting. Please submit your questions early to lschacht@ywcaclarkcounty.org and note if you would like your name to remain private.

Breaking Free from a Cycle of Violence

By Sharon Svec

Abuse is never straight-forward. Tools like the power and control wheel show that abusers will often use multiple ways to gain power and control in a relationship. Breaking free from an abuser is a huge step, but at YWCA advocates do all they can to ensure that violence is not tolerated or perpetuated in the future. By providing education and solution-oriented support for survivors of domestic violence, YWCA helps break the cycle of violence.

The Strengthening Families, Ending Violence Project is one such support service offered by the SafeChoice Domestic Violence Program of YWCA Clark County. Through this project, advocates and shelter residents work together using an empowerment-driven model that supports the parent/child bond and ends the cycle of violence. The project is multi-faceted and has been funded through multiple sources including United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, the Looking Out Foundation, and Bank of America.

Three main aspects of the project include the children advocacy program, support groups and housing and transportation assistance. The support groups contain three additional components: DV 101 to help participants better understand the dynamics of domestic violence, a personal enhancement section to provide self-care practice, and a financial empowerment section to help residents transition out of the shelter into a financially stable environment.

Support group facilitators Ashmeeta Kumar, David Chapparo and Katheryn Manning will offer weekly sessions. The support groups will follow a cyclical curriculum based on the 60 day stay offered to shelter residents. Ashmeeta will facilitate DV 101, David will lead personal enhancement and Katheryn will address fiscal empowerment. The team leading the groups will consistently be evaluating the success of their efforts, and will make subtle adjustments to the curriculum to ensure residents are getting the most out of participation.

I recently talked with Katheryn to learn more about the fiscal empowerment section of the support groups, “I’m excited. I think that along with financial empowerment comes a lot of freedom. If you have that component, then it opens all kinds of doors for you. Being able to give financial tools that really work is very valuable.”

Utilizing a curriculum prepared by The Allstate Foundation and the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Katheryn will lead the group through the following five modules: Understanding Financial Abuse, Learning Financial Fundamentals, Mastering Credit Basics, Building Financial Foundations and Creating Budgeting Strategies. Participants will have an opportunity to implement concepts and practice new techniques with supporting activities and worksheets. Because every person’s situation is different, Katheryn believes it’s important to provide individualized support whenever possible.

Katheryn notes that at a time of transition, when everything seems up in the air, education and training like this can feel grounding and empowering. “The financial part is huge. Someone may have lost their job because of the DV. They may have had to leave their home; having to start over. It can be very overwhelming. So here you are in the shelter. You need to find shelter and take care of a lot of other things, and you need to do that in 60 days. So the empowerment part of that is to offer the encouragement that it can be done, to instill that sense of the ripple, and to be there to separate all that all out and make it manageable.”

Empowerment has always been a key part of YWCA’s mission, and by offering something more than temporary housing – by offering an entire program which empowers survivors in a variety of ways, SafeChoice embodies the mission of YWCA and models it for survivors. With funding from Bank of America, SafeChoice is able to extend that empowerment outside the doors of the shelter. Not only will survivors gain financial assistance because of grants from United Way, but they will know how to make the best use of that assistance and how to leverage it into financial independence.

Stalking is a Crime

By: Emily Ostrowski

Roughly 6.6 million Americans are stalked every year with an estimation of 1 in 6 women and 1 in 19 men being victimized by stalking at some point in their lives. The vast majority of stalking victims are stalked by someone they know, frequently a current or past romantic partner, with 66% of female victims and 41% of male victims indicating their stalker was someone they had a past or present intimate relationship with.

January is National Stalking Awareness Month (NSAM). Started by the National Center for Victims of Crime in 2004, NSAM was created “to increase the public’s understanding of the crime of stalking.”

It began in 2003 in response to murdered stalking victim, Peggy Klinke. Klinke’s sister, Debbie Riddle, was motivated by the tragedy to improve the way law enforcement handled and responded to stalking. She contacted the Stalking Resource Center to see what she can do, and from there was able to get her sister’s story out to everyone she could. That July, having been moved by Klinke’s story, Representative Heather Wilson (R-NM) introduced a Congressional resolution to support National Stalking Awareness Month. The following January, the first observance of National Stalking Awareness Month was held, with the National Center for Victims of Crime helping to plan events to raise awareness throughout the country.

Currently, there are laws against stalking in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, however not all states and jurisdictions define “stalking” in the same manner, nor is the crime prosecuted the same. The National Center for Victims of Crime suggest that a good working definition of stalking is “a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.” This conduct can include but is not limited to, following a person, frequently emailing, texting or calling, sending unwanted gifts, and stealing personal possessions.

To some, stalking might seem like a less serious offense when compared to any sort of physical assault, but not only do victims of stalking experience intense fear and uncertainty that lead to increased levels of anxiety and depression, but stalking can often times be a precursor to physical violence. According to the Stalking Resource Center, weapons are used to harm or threaten victims in 1 out of every 5 cases of stalking. Even scarier, 76% of all women killed by an intimate partner were stalked by that partner before their murder, and 54% had reported the stalking to the police before they were killed.

Young people may be at a particularly high risk. A report by the US Department of Justice in 2009 indicated that people aged 18-24 experience the highest rate of stalking. Teens are especially susceptible to cyber-stalking (harassment via computers, cellphones etc.) often because of their heavy presence on social media, which makes it easier for stalkers to obtain personal information about their victim, as well as give them more options for making contact.

One of the most important things we can do to help stalking victims and prevent stalking from continuing is to be informed. To find out what you can do to protect yourselves and the ones you love, check out this important list of tips and resources from the Stalking Resource Center.

A Solid Foundation for Survivors

By: Emily Ostrowski

 Often at people’s darkest hours is when YWCA provides the help they seek. When those people come into our office, we want them to feel at ease and empowered. One of the first and most fundamental ways to do this is to create an environment that feels comfortable and have available up-to-date resources to assist them and their families.

Earlier this year, YWCA completed a facilities upgrade for a Survivors of Violence project thanks to a generous grant from United Way, an organization with a long history of commitment to healthy families and communities.

The grant of $13,120 focused on two important facilities upgrades. First, the grant allowed us to replace 15-year-old carpet in the wing of the building which houses the SafeChoice Domestic Violence Program and Sexual Assault Program. Nancy Prager, Office and Facilities Manager, worked side-by-side with volunteers to help remove and replace the carpet in January. She was excited to learn that some of the volunteers were from United Way; the same individuals who approved the grant in the first place. They were able to see firsthand just how much their contribution improved our facilities.

 The second part of the upgrade provided new equipment to the adult resource room, the teen resource room, and the interview room used by advocates during their sessions. Among these items were two new, high-speed computers, new printers, a flat screen television, and a new DVD player. 

The benefits of these upgrades go far beyond just improving our facilities' aesthetic. It’s about making people feel empowered. The new computers make it easier for people to access resources, look for jobs or housing, stay in contact with loved ones, or just unwind and browse the internet. Children can watch a movie, or play with some of the new toys purchased for SafeChoice while their parents work with an advocate. It’s about making people feel empowered.

 When talking about the impact these upgrades have on the people we serve, Nancy puts it simply, “Without the facility you can’t provide advocacy and services.” Thanks to the generosity and wonderful support YWCA received from United Way we now have a facility which is vastly better equipped to advocate for and empower survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, and help build healthier, safer lives for themselves and their families.

Meet Irma Magana

By Emily Ostrowski

Irma Magana has served YWCA Clark County as a bilingual advocate for the Sexual Assault Program for the past seven years, and has an undeniable enthusiasm for the work she does. “Everything I do I enjoy, even if sometimes it’s a little scary,” she says.

As a bilingual advocate, Irma works with Spanish speaking victims and survivors of sexual and

Irma Magana

domestic abuse. She’s there at every stage of the process, from helping them seek medical attention and offering emotional support to navigating the legal system throughout a case if they go to trial. Irma also works to help women obtain a U Visa, which gives victims of certain crimes, like sexual assault, temporary legal status and work eligibility for up to four years. Recently, Irma spoke at the 10th Annual Western Regional International Health Conference, hosted by the OHSU Global Health Center Student Interest Group, about how the medical community can better serve victims and survivors of sexual assault.

Another of Irma’s responsibilities is co-facilitator of the Latina Support Group with Beatriz Velasquez, bilingual advocate in the SafeChoice Program. The group, which started over 10 years ago, meets every Thursday from 12 to 2pm, is free and provides childcare. Initially, there were just one or two people meeting in an office, but the group has since grown and now Irma estimates that roughly 15-20 women attend each week. Irma notes that Latina women are often more hesitant to report abuse, and can isolate themselves from seeking out help, which is part of the reason she sees this support group as so important.

“The more we talk about these issues, the more we let them know that this is a safe place, where they can talk in their own language, and see that we are very competent in understanding their struggles, the less isolated they become.” She continues, “Families get broken by domestic and sexual abuse. Victims lose their family, their friends, their income. Everything falls apart, and they need someone to talk to, someone who is going to be supportive, to help them come back into their normal lives.”

Irma is incredibly proud of the work she’s done in the group and the lives she’s affected. One story in particular stays with her as a reminder of all the good the group can provide. Three years ago a mother and daughter from Guatemala came to YWCA for help dealing with both sexual and domestic abuse within their family. The family was torn apart, but they kept coming to meetings. The case eventually went to trial and the assailant was put in jail for 16 years. The daughter continued her education, and is now studying to become a nurse. The mother continues to attend group, and has now gained her work permit and is on the path to citizenship. Both still keep in regular contact with Irma, even though the case has closed, and she sees these relationships as her job’s greatest reward.

“That for me is the pay. I love seeing those families who know and appreciate everything that we’re doing for them. It makes me feel really good about the work I do.”

The Children's Advocacy Program of YWCA

By Megan Dixon and Claire Morgan

Clark County has the feel of a small-town, suburban city, yet the prevalence of domestic violence mirrors that of larger metropolitan areas. Last year in Clark County, over 1,500 cases of domestic violence were reported to the police, and there were 8 domestic violence related homicides; the same number as King County. Additionally in 2011, YWCA’ SafeChoice Domestic Violence Program provided 8,389 bed nights at its local shelter to women, children, and men escaping violence. Half of domestic violence cases involve children in the home; the effects of which are detrimental.

Some believe that children who have never experienced physical pain from an abuser are immune to the effects of violence in the home; this simply isn’t the case. Studies show that children who are exposed to violence have an increased rate of anxiety, fear, and anger as well as poor sleeping patterns, withdrawal from social interactions, and decreased verbal ability. Domestic violence has damaging effects on the parent-child relationship such as a decrease in the children’s trust in parents, undermining of parental authority, and an eroding view of positive family interactions. These effects, if not addressed properly, can impact a child’s future and make the child more prone to tolerate further abuse and/or perpetuate abuse as an adult.

Fortunately for our community, the SafeChoice Children’s Advocacy Program is working to end the cycle of violence by empowering families and elevating the parent/child bond. A family support specialist works with parents and children to create a strength-based plan unique to their situation. After school, the program offers free play and structured activities for children in a safe and enriching environment. With staff and volunteer support, families participating in the Children’s Advocacy Program enrich relationships, receive resources and advocacy, and become empowered to pursue a strong and secure future.

This spring, the SafeChoice Domestic Violence Program of YWCA Clark County is raising $15,000 to strengthen the Children’s Advocacy Program and help ensure children healing from a violent past can have a successful future. Through the generosity of loyal supporters, every dollar that you give through June 30th will be matched, dollar for dollar up to $5,000.  Will you donate today and support future generations through this preventative program?

Meet Cecily Griffus

By Sharon Svec

Sherri Bennett, Executive Director at YWCA signs her e-mails with the phrase, “Strong Alone. Fearless Together.” In each newsletter we’ve introduced you to one strong volunteer from our fearless team. In 2013, we will introduce you to our strong staff, but you can still meet our great volunteers in the volunteer venue. With more than 600 people actively involved in YWCA Clark County, we cannot feature every staff, or volunteer. Our hope is that by meeting a handful of us each year, you will feel the passion and hope that runs through all of our veins and makes us “Fearless Together.”

This month, meet Cecily Griffus, LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, and queer) Advocacy and Dating Violence Prevention Specialist. Cecily has been with YWCA for 4 years. She started as an intern with the SafeChoice Domestic Violence Program in 2008. Since that time, she has grown to be an expert in violence prevention. Cecily serves on a number of YWCA committees. I’ve recently had the pleasure of working with her on our upcoming Dynamics of Oppression Training, and found her endless passion for humanity to be remarkable. Cecily specializes in culture-specific advocacy and prevention for dating youth and the LGBTQ community.

Cecily Griffus

Teen dating violence is common in Clark County, with most abuse taking the form of manipulation, isolation, verbal abuse and threats. Stalking is another form of violence, and is also common in Clark County. Cecily emphasized that “Stalking is NOT romantic.” She continues with the stark fact that one in 12 women is stalked in her lifetime and over 75% of attempted femicides were preceded by stalking behavior by the perpetrator towards the victim.

Cecily believes an upstream approach to ending violence is integral to ending violence in our communities. With increased violence and mixed messages in the media, Cecily feels it’s difficult for youth to understand the elements of a healthy relationship. As a prevention educator, she can serve as a guiding voice among the confusing messages, but she emphasizes that anyone can help, “If they are in the position of a teacher, parent, or otherwise in direct contact with youth, they can talk to kids about the reality of abuse and try to be a role model as a healthy, safe person that those kids can look up to.  If they have money to donate, they might donate to research efforts on effective violence prevention programs.  If they have time to donate, they might become a volunteer for SafeChoice or a similar program to further the work that is being done to prevent violence.” Teens and youth today have their own culture, and because Cecily is able to relate to this group it makes her prevention-related messages easy for this group to understand.

Just as teens have a culture, so does the LGBTQ community. As an LGBTQ advocate, Cecily uses her personal experiences and cultural-specific resources to relate to survivors from this minority group. She stated that, “A survivor who identifies as LBTGQ may not feel comfortable working with someone who is not from the LBTGQ community.” Like services provided to Latina or senior populations, the existence of a culturally specific advocate can be a huge deciding factor in whether or not the person will even approach an agency for services.

The work that Cecily does for this community aligns well with her personal goals of helping to advance effective prevention education, integrating information and solutions to relationship violence in to mainstream culture, and eliminating a need for domestic and sexual violence services. If you too are interested in violence prevention, or want to learn more about dating violence and LGBTQ-related services you can contact Cecily at 360 696 0167 or cgriffus@ywcaclarkcounty.org.

Violence Prevention and Awareness

Contributors: Heather Tom, Cecily Griffus & Sharon Svec

Have you ever been stalked? Did you, or someone you know experience emotional or physical violence as a teen? Stalking and teen violence are both difficult to recognize because they don’t always leave physical scars. But both are very damaging. which is why awareness of these topics is so important. A 2008 survey from the National Violence Against Women Prevention Research Center found that “1 out of every 12 women, and 1 out of 45 men have been stalked at some time during their lives.” According to a 2008 study by Liz Claiborne and loveisrespect.org, “One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner.”

January is National Stalking Awareness Month, and February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Now is the perfect time to talk with those you love and care for about stalking and dating violence. Together, a community can support victims and survivors by educating and empowering one another. Anyone can help, no matter who they are or what position they are in. If you are a teacher, parent or otherwise in direct contact with youth, talk to your kids about the reality of abuse. Try to be a healthy and safe role model.  Do some reading or studying about the complexities of abuse and trauma. Share that information with others.

Stalking is a crime in all 50 states, the U.S. Territories and the District of Columbia that affects 6.6 million victims a year. Yet, many victims and criminal justice professionals underestimate its seriousness and impact.  In one of five cases, stalkers use weapons to harm or threaten victims and stalking is one of the significant risk factors for femicide (homicide of women) in abusive relationships. Victims suffer anxiety, social dysfunction, and severe depression at much higher rates than the general population, and many lose time from work or have to move as a result of their victimization.

Stalking is difficult to recognize, investigate, and prosecute. Unlike other crimes, stalking is not a single, easily identifiable crime but a series of acts, a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause that person fear.  Stalking may take many forms, such as assaults, threats, vandalism, burglary, or animal abuse, as well as unwanted cards, calls, gifts, or visits. Stalkers fit no standard psychological profile, and many stalkers follow their victims from one jurisdiction to another, making it difficult for authorities to investigate and prosecute their crimes.

Teen dating violence also affects millions. Nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year. Teen dating violence can happen in opposite- or same-sex relationships and can be physical, emotional or sexual. It’s very common in Clark County, with most violence taking the form of manipulation, isolation, verbal abuse and threats. Victims are at higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior, suicide and adult re-victimization. A teen’s confusion about law, and the desire for confidentiality are two of the most significant barriers to young victims of violence seeking help.

Technology is commonly used in stalking and in teen dating violence. According to the National Center for Victims of Crime and the Stalking research center, “1 in 4 victims report being stalked through the use of some form of technology (such as e-mail or instant messaging).” A 2007 Liz Claiborne survey noted that 25% of teens in relationships have received harassing or degrading text messages from their partner.

You can help stalking victims and dating abuse victims in your community. Take action, and share information about stalking and dating abuse. Educate the teens in your life about the subtleties and nuances of violent behavior. Tell them where to get support and be available for questions. Stalking is considered a crime by the State of Washington and is punishable by law. For teens experiencing dating violence, a report may be filed with Child Protection Services (CPS). YWCA’s abuse hotline (360 695 0501) is anonymous and available to anyone seeking help.

A 2008 resolution presented by the National Association of Attorneys General encourages schools to develop teen dating violence awareness curriculum. YWCA Clark County has resources to support these efforts. If you are a parent or a student and you would like a visit from a violence prevention specialist to your class or school, talk to your teacher, school counselor, or administrator who can make arrangements with Cecily Griffus by calling 360-696-0167 or email her at cgriffus@ywcaclarkcounty.org.

Sometimes a teen will need services if they are already in the midst of a violent relationship.  Advocates at YWCA Clark County can help create a safety plan, offer support, and help with filing a protection order if needed.  It is important for youth to identify safe adults they can talk to.  Youth can call the 24-hour hotline (360 695 0501) anonymously with questions.  Finally, YWCA will offer a training this February called In Their Shoes, an activity designed for adults who work with youth that puts them in the “shoes” of the youth survivor.  The training is free to adults in Clark County.  To sign up, call 360 696 0167.

DVAM Provides Uplifting Support

By Sharon Svec and Megan Dixon

October at YWCA Clark County came dressed in purple. In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), the entrance of the community office was dotted with purple pumpkins, and picture frames in the halls were draped in purple and trimmed with messages of hope. Just as pink is the color of breast cancer awareness, purple is recognized in many countries as symbolic of domestic violence awareness.

Lundy Bancroft

Awareness also came in the form of events, activities, and displays throughout the community. You
may have seen a silent witnesses or a purple light in the window of a neighbor or business. These displays raise awareness and urge the community to be involved in violence prevention. A few people shared their voice on YWCA’s website. Their messages demonstrate how deeply domestic violence effects individuals and families, and emphasizes why it must be stopped. The SafeChoice Domestic Violence Program began the month with a lighting ceremony on October 4th, and ended with two workshops by renowned presenter Lundy Bancroft October 30th.

SafeChoice and YWCA are supported through government and non-government grants as well as from dedicated volunteers, and donors like you. In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, SafeChoice was presented with three generous grants:

• Verizon Wireless Hopeline (sponsor of this year’s DVAM activities) awarded SafeChoice an additional grant to upgrade accommodations at our local shelter.
• The Mary Kay Foundation generously awarded SafeChoice a grant for $20,000 to support one family-style bedroom at the shelter which will serve as a safe haven for at least six families over the course of one year.
• The Boeing Employee Community Fund verbally awarded SafeChoice a grant to replace the shelter’s outdated security system with a new, modernized fingerprint scanning system. This will increase safety for all residents of the shelter.

YWCA expresses thanks to these grantors, and to everyone who helped during the month of October, including the many volunteers who collaborated to raise awareness. You have helped spread the message that violence has no place in our community.

The Mary Kay FoundationSM Awards YWCA Clark County $20,000 Grant for Domestic Violence Prevention and Awareness

Vancouver, WA (Oct 15, 2012)— YWCA Clark County’s SafeChoice Domestic Violence Shelter serving Clark County, received a $20,000 grant from The Mary Kay FoundationSM. In observation of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, The Mary Kay FoundationSM awards $20,000 grants to more than 150 domestic violence shelters across the country for a total of $3 million.

The SafeChoice Shelter will use the grant to support one family-style bedroom for an entire year, ensuring that the room remains open for families escaping domestic violence. Providing this room, and the services associated with it, will help change the lives of at least six adults and 6-12 children throughout the twelve months. These individuals will have access to parenting support, peer support, and legal support during their stay in shelter, and for many of them, the support they receive will be the stepping stone needed to rebuild their lives.

“The Mary Kay FoundationSM is committed to breaking the cycle of domestic violence.” said Anne Crews, Mary Kay Inc. Vice President of Government Relations and board member for The Mary Kay FoundationSM. “Through our grants, we honor and support shelters across the country that are having a profound impact for women and children in their communities. Since 2000, we have granted $31 million to help domestic violence shelters meet their critical needs and support their ongoing community efforts.”

About The Mary Kay FoundationSM

The Mary Kay FoundationSM was created in 1996, and its mission is two-fold: to fund research of cancers affecting women and to help prevent domestic violence while raising awareness of the issue. Since the Foundation’s inception, it has awarded nearly $31 million to shelters and programs addressing domestic violence prevention and more than $18 million to cancer researchers and related causes throughout the United States. To learn more about The Mary Kay FoundationSM, visit marykayfoundation.org or call 1-877-MKCARES (652-2737).

Domestic Violence Has No Place in Our Community

The statistics are startling: 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. In the past ten years, 359 people were killed by their abuser in Washington State alone.

YWCA Clark County’s SafeChoice Program is actively working in our community to bring awareness and support to victims of domestic violence. All year long we share the strong message that “Domestic Violence Has No Place in Our Community.”

The economic downturn has had a devastating effect on local programs working to serve survivors of abuse. Reports of domestic violence are increasing, while funding to support survivors are decreasing. 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.

Despite tremendous challenges, domestic violence shelters served nearly 70,000 victims in one day alone, according to the latest National Network to End Domestic Violence Domestic Violence Counts. In 2011, YWCA’s SafeChoice shelter provided 8,389 bed-nights to individuals fleeing domestic violence. More than three out of four domestic violence survivors who sought support groups, counseling, supportive services and legal advocacy found these services to be “very helpful,” the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and the University of Connecticut School of Social Work reported.

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Communities across the country will mourn for those whose lives were taken by domestic violence, celebrate the tremendous progress victim advocates have made over the years, and connect with one another with a true sense of unity to end domestic violence.

YWCA Clark County will host a number of activities for the public throughout the month of October to raise awareness about domestic violence in our community.  Please join us to show that you also believe that domestic violence has NO place in our community.

What is VAWA and Why Does it Matter?

By Sharon Svec

The Violence Against Women Act (or VAWA) was initially first signed into law on September 13, 1994 by President Clinton.  This milestone marked the increased acknowledgement of domestic violence as a public health and human rights concern both in the U.S. and internationally, and at last, a federal response to national grassroots efforts urging legislation to specifically address domestic violence and sexual assault.  The good news is that VAWA has been reauthorized twice since ’94: once in 2000 and again in 2005.

The 1994 law accomplished many things – it established the U.S. Office on Violence Against Women;  established mechanisms for a coordinated community response to domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking crimes; strengthened federal penalties for repeat sex offenders, and included a federal law to prevent offenders from using a victim’s past sexual conduct against them during a rape trial. The law also required states and territories to enforce protection orders issued by other states, tribes and territories; created legal relief for battered immigrants and allowed victims to seek civil rights remedies for gender-related crimes. Finally, VAWA provided grants for law enforcement training, battered women shelters and assistance for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault amounting to $1.6 billion.

The 2000 reauthorization emphasized assistance to victims identified as immigrant, elderly, disabled and those affected through dating violence. It also expanded interstate stalking laws to include cyber stalking. President Bush signed the 2005 reauthorization, which instituted at least six new government programs, and included an increased emphasis on abetting violence against Native Americans.

After all of this progress, now, in 2012, we find that VAWA reauthorization has been held up in Congress since April of this year when the Senate and House passed different versions of the bill.  While each version contains many similarities, the one proposed by the U.S. Senate makes additional efforts to ensure services to same-sex couples, American Indians and immigrants.

Groups like the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) and representatives like U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) believe that Congress must work together, as they have previously on VAWA, to agree on a funding bill to be signed by the President this year. On August 15, Senator Patty Murray held a roundtable discussion with local agencies and domestic violence survivors at YWCA Clark County Vancouver, Washington.  Senator Murray has been traveling the country collecting input from survivors, and advocacy agencies like the YWCA – those at the front lines who will be impacted the most by a continued delay in reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

Looking back, much has improved since the passing of the first VAWA in 1994. All states now have laws making stalking a crime and have strengthened rape laws. The number of people killed by an intimate partner has decreased 34% for women and 57% for men. Also research from the National Task Force to End Sexual Violence Against Women shows that VAWA saved $12.6 billion in net averted social costs over a six-year period.

The reauthorization of VAWA would build upon successes like these, and continue to break the cycle of violence within our culture. Senator Murray, along with other Democrats, is focused on improving protection for immigrants, the LGBTQ community and tribal community members. Other components that have been proposed are:  streamlining programs, increasing accountability, supporting community-based response and direct service, enhancing criminal justice responses to sexual assault, strengthening housing protection for victims and providing services and prevention programs for young people.

While VAWA has significantly improved protection and service for victims/survivors, agencies like YWCA Clark County are experiencing considerable gaps in funding. This is particularly challenging because domestic violence has been reported by 51% more people since prior to the Act. Funding has not kept up with this increase in reporting by courageous victims and survivors. In 2010, an NNEDV survey found that while more than 70,000 victims are served daily by domestic violence programs, there are over 9,500 daily unmet requests for services nationwide. In addition, a 2009 survey by the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence shows that 25% of rape crisis centers have a waiting list for crisis services, 61% have 3 or fewer staff, and 56% have had to reduce staff due to funding cuts.

YWCA Clark County’s Sexual Assault and SafeChoice Programs rely on funding from VAWA. As VAWA awaits agreement in Congress, an average of 6,300 people are raped and/or physically assaulted daily by a current or former partner, and an average of more than 42,000 children per day  are exposed to domestic violence.

ywca SafeChoice Program restructures to ensure vital services

Director of SafeChoice, Debra Adams proposed a restructure plan for the SafeChoice Domestic Violence Program which included her departure after 11 years of employment with ywca clark county. The plan eliminates Adams’ position and applies core tasks to Shelter Manager, Debbi Cawthon and Assistant Director of SafeChoice, Lee Watts. Cawthon and Watts’ titles will change respectively as SafeChoice Director of Shelter Services and SafeChoice Director of Community Services.


With ywca facing State budget cuts, and having already lost about $50,000 a year in funding from Clark County, Debra felt that a restructure of the program she’s nurtured for so long was the most efficient way to ensure quality services remain intact. Sherri Bennett, Executive Director accepted the proposal, and Debra’s last day will be February 1, 2012.

While addressing staff on the topic Debra stated, “This was a plan proposed by me, because I recognized the need for reductions, because I am dedicated to the success of the program, because I love the program and the agency, and because I have such strong faith in Debbi and Lee as leaders and (in) all of you as advocates.”

Debra is the ultimate advocate for change. A survivor of domestic violence, she began volunteering with ywca in 1994, and was first employed at the shelter in 1999. Debra held four positions in the SafeChoice Program before being promoted to director in 2005. While serving as director, Debra initiated a myriad of changes which lead to the growth of the program including implementing policies to make the shelter a comfortable place for all participants and welcoming survivors of domestic violence regardless of their gender or sexual identity.

“Debra’s service to ywca clark county has been immeasurable. The restructure plan that she presented is a testament to her dedication to the organization and the community,” said Sherri Bennett, Executive Director.

ywca clark county will host a celebration of Debra’s service to the community. Please contact April at 360 906 4303 or awestfall@ywcaclarkcounty.org if you would like to join us in celebrating this amazing and talented woman.

Kaiser permanente supports healthy families

With ywca clark county’s SafeChoice Program, survivors of domestic violence have opportunities to change their lives through involvement in peer support groups. Attending these support groups, however, can be challenging for parents who have little or no access to child care. For these families, the lack of safe, affordable care can be their biggest barrier to success. Thanks to Kaiser Permanent this is no longer the case.

On August 23, 2011 ywca clark county received nearly $10,000 from Kaiser Permanente Gives – Volunteer Grant Program to provide childcare for parents attending the SafeChoice Domestic Violence Program support groups. Having access to free child care allows parents to attend weekly support groups which help them work through the damaging effects of verbal, emotional, sexual, or physical abuse; it is a major step towards healing.

Kaiser Permanente is committed to civic engagement and thus supports its employees who donate time and talent to charitable organizations like ywca clark county. The Volunteer Grant Program focuses on funding basic needs, such as child care, which provide a short-term bridge to addressing an immediate crisis. Without affordable, quality child care, parents are unable to heal and rebuild in order to help their families thrive.

ywca is thrilled to partner with Kaiser Permanente as both organizations work to improve the health of Clark County.