Women Aware Inc

WOMEN AWARE ENVISIONS A SOCIETY WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN LIVE FREE FROM VIOLENCE AND INJUSTICE. OUR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE THE SAFETY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY. WE OPERATE THE SOLE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER IN NEW JERSEY'S SECOND-LARGEST COUNTY, AND OUR FULL SERVICES INCLUDE A 24-HOUR CRISIS HOTLINE, LEGAL ADVOCACY, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, CHILDREN'S TRAUMA THERAPY, SUPPORT GROUPS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND COMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT.

LEGAL ADVOCACY, CHILDREN'S TRAUMA THERAPY, SUPPORT GROUP, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LIAISONS IN CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HOUSING NAVIGATION AND SAFETY PLANNING.DURING JANUARY THROUGH JUNE 2022, WOMEN AWARE' PROVIDED 24/7 SUPPORT TO VICTIMS AND THEIR CHILDREN. 4,149 CALLS WERE RECEIVED AND ANSWERED VIA OUR MULTILINGUAL HOTLINE DURING THE SIX-MONTH TIMEFRAME. OF THOSE, 1,158 WERE CRISIS CALL FROM PEOPLE EXPRESSING SAFETY CONCERNS. OUR ADVOCATES PROVIDED SUPPORT TO VICTIMS IN NINE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES INCLUDING: SPANISH, ARABIC, PORTUGUESE, PUNJABI, BENGALI, URDU, HINDI, CHINESE, AND POLISH.WE EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE OF 26% IN OUR RESIDENTIAL SERVICES AND 36% IN NON-RESIDENTIAL SERVICES. OUR EMERGENCY SHELTER WAS ABLE TO OFFER 6,294 NIGHTS OF SAFE PLACEMENT AND SHELTER 142 INDIVIDUALS. OUR ADVOCATES PROVIDED COUNSELING AND LEGAL ADVOCACY TO 1,386 INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. MORE THAN $38,000 WERE GIVEN TO FAMILIES IN NEED OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND RELOCATION SUPPORT.

WOMEN AWARE AIMS TO STABILIZE THE LIVES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS, INCREASE VICTIM SAFETY, AND REDUCE BARRIERS TO SERVICES BY PROVIDING CLIENTS WITH THE PROTECTION AND SERVICES THEY NEED TO PURSUE SAFE AND HEALTHY LIVES. OUR SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO ANY VICTIM REGARDLESS OF RACE, ETHNICITY, AGE, GENDER, RELIGION, DISABILITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER EXPRESSION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, MARITAL STATUS, AND MILITARY STATUS. EACH YEAR, OVER WOMEN AWARE SHELTERS OVER 300 WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN IMMINENT DANGER; SERVES AN ADDITIONAL 2,500 MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN IN SAFETY NET PROGRAMSINCLUDING LEGAL ADVOCACY, COUNSELING, SUPPORT GROUPS, AND CHILDREN'S TRAUMA REDUCTION WOMEN AWARE'S 24-HOUR CRISIS HOTLINE IS THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE MAJORITY OF VICTIMS SEEKING SERVICES IN OUR COUNTY. WE ARE THE COUNTY-DESIGNATED PROVIDER TO COMPLETE SAFETY AND HOUSING SCREENINGS FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING. WOMEN AWARE'S CRISIS HOTLINE BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN VICTIMS AND SERVICES BY CONNECTING VICTIMS TO SAFETY PLANNING, EMERGENCY SHELTER, LEGAL ADVOCACY, CHILDREN'S TRAUMA THERAPY, AND APPROPRIATE COMMUNITY REFERRALS. OUR EMERGENCY SHELTER IS THE CORNERSTONE FOR SAFETY, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND HOUSING ADVOCACY FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY, AND AIMS TO MITIGATE THE TRAUMA AND DISTRESS OF VICTIMS BY PROVIDING SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND BASIC NECESSITIES TO ADDRESS THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY OF VICTIMS AND THEIR CHILDREN. DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD, WE OFFERED OVER 22,000 BED NIGHTS TO SURVIVORS FLEEING ABUSE.

THE MIDDLESEX COUNTY FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER (FJC) IS LOCATED IN ADA-COMPLAINT SPACE IN DOWNTOWN NEW BRUNSWICK WITHIN EASY WALKING DISTANCE OF FAMILY AND SUPERIOR COURTS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. VICTIM-SURVIVORS CAN WALK IN MONDAY-FRIDAY AND MEET WITH AN ADVOCATE. THE FJC ANSWERS A NEED FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING BY ESTABLISHING A ONE-STOP CENTER WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN ACCESS JUSTICE, SERVICES, AND HEALING, AND MEET WITH MULTIPLE SERVICE PROVIDERS THERAPY; AND RESPONDS OVER 9,000 CALLS THROUGH OUR 24-HOUR TOLL-FREE MULTILINGUAL HOTLINE.

WOMEN AWARE IS THE STATE-DESIGNATED LEAD DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGENCY FOR MIDDLESEX COUNTY. WE OFFER COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES TO THOSE AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS. OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:EMERGENCY SHELTER: OUR CRISIS SHELTER FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN FLEEING ABUSE IS AT A CONFIDENTIAL LOCATION WITH 24-HOUR STAFFING. WE FOCUS ON TRAUMA-INFORMED CRISIS CARE WHILE OFFERING INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING SAFETY PLANNING, COUNSELING, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, ADVOCACY, HEALTH EDUCATION AND SCREENING, AND TRANSLATION SERVICE. OUR HOTLINE IS AVAILABLE 24-HOURS A DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR FOR CRISIS INTERVENTION AND RESOURCE AND REFERRAL INFORMATION FOR VICTIM-SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WE HAVE MULTILINGUAL STAFF AND UTILIZE THE LANGUAGE LINE TO RESPOND TO LANGUAGE BARRIERS.

WOMEN AWARE'S NON-RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS CALLED PEACE: A LEARNED SOLUTION (PALS). PALS IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED TRAUMA TREATMENT AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PROGRAM FOR CHILD VICTIMS AGES 3 TO 12. LAST YEAR, 51 CHILDREN ACCESSED SERVICES.

WOMEN AWARE ALSO EXECUTES OTHER ANCILLARY PROGRAMS THAT ARE INTEGRAL FOR THE PROVISION OF GLOBAL COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

LEGAL ADVOCATES HELP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS-SURVIVORS RECEIVE JUSTICE BY INCREASING THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF, AND ACCESS TO, THE PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO THEM BY THE LAW. ADVOCATES CONNECT CLIENTS TO A NETWORK OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ACCESS LEGAL COUNSEL, IMMIGRATION ASSISTANCE, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND CULTURALLY-SPECIFIC SERVICES. THIS YEAR, WE HAVE SEEN A 73% INCREASE IN COURT REQUESTED INTERVENTION BY ADVOCATES, WHICH IS A TESTAMENT OF THE GROWING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FJC AND FAMILY COURT.