A Womans Place

FOR MORE THAN 45 YEARS, A WOMAN'S PLACE, THE ONLY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ORGANIZATION SERVING BUCKS COUNTY, PA, HAS BUILT A COMMUNITY WHERE ALL INDIVIDUALS ARE SAFE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS AND CAN FLOURISH THROUGH EMPOWERMENT, PREVENTION AND SAFE OPTIONS. IN FY20-21, THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED TO BE IMPACTED BY THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC WITH AN INCREASE IN NEED FOR AWP'S LIFE-SAVING SERVICES. CALLS TO THE HOTLINE ROSE ALMOST 40%, IN REFLECTION OF A NATIONAL 10% INCREASE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. DURING THIS TIME, AWP CONTINUED TO PROVIDE MANY OF ITS PREVENTION EDUCATION CURRICULUM, COUNSELING AND THERAPY ON-LINE DUE TO COVID, BUT OTHER SERVICES SUCH AS COURT ACCOMPANIMENT, LEGAL COUNSEL AND SAFE HOUSE WERE PERFORMED IN PERSON. THE SAFE HOUSE OPERATED AT LESS THAN HALF CAPACITY, PROVIDING 2 TO 3 ROOMS IN SHELTER AND 4 TO 6 SURVIVORS WITH HOTEL ROOMS SIMULTANEOUSLY.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH-AWP'S EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TEAM OFFERS COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE ONGOING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION EDUCATION WHILE ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY IN EFFORTS TO END THIS ISSUE. FROM 7/1/2020 -6/30/2021 THE AWP PROFESSIONALS HAD TO HOST MOST COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH A VIRTUAL PLATFORM. THEY HOSTED 27 COMMUNITY-BASED EDUCATION PROGRAMS, DELIVERED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EDUCATION IN MOST BUCKS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND REACHED 6210 STUDENTS. IN ADDITION, THE EDUCATION TEAM PERFORMED 22 WEB-BASED PROGRAMS FOR DV EDUCATION, PROVIDED 29 ADULTS WITH DV "DIRECT SERVICE" TRAINING, MANAGED 119 ADULT VOLUNTEERS AND 53 TEEN VOLUNTEERS AND CONDUCTED 15 TRAININGS FOR AWP STAFF AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

SHELTER SERVICES-A WOMAN'S PLACE (AWP) HAS A FULL SERVICE 24/7 SHELTER IN A CONFIDENTIAL AND SECURE LOCATION THAT PROVIDES A SAFE AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT PLUS FOOD AND CLOTHING PROVISIONS. SHELTER RESIDENTS CAN RECEIVE COUNSELING, SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY SERVICES AND FINANCE, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND LEGAL ASSISTANCES. FROM 7/1/2020-6/30/2021 20 HOUSEHOLDS RESIDED IN THE SHELTER INCLUDING 20 ADULTS AND 3 CHILDREN. THE RESIDENTS SPENT A TOTAL OF 5,957 NIGHTS IN EMERGENCY HOUSING - BOTH SHELTER AND HOTEL. WITH THE CONCERN OVER THE PANDEMIC LARGELY IN PLAY IN FY20-21, AWP PROVIDED MORE EMERGENCY HOUSING THROUGH HOTEL SERVICES INCLUDING 44 HOUSEHOLDS INCLUDING 47 ADULTS AND 57 CHILDREN.

CLIENT OUTREACH-A WOMAN'S PLACE (AWP) OFFERS SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THEIR CHILDREN THAT PROVIDE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE CHOICES AND CHANGES THAT WILL LEAD TO SAFER AND HEALTHIER LIVING. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE CRISIS INTERVENTION, SAFETY PLANNING, LEGAL REPRESENTATION, LEGAL ADVOCACY AND COUNSELING SERVICES. FROM 7/1/2020 - 6/30/2021 THE AWP PROFESSIONAL TEAM RESPONDED TO 1,910 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS OR CLIENTS, ANSWERED 5,977 HOTLINE CALLS, PROVIDED 2,030 CLIENTS WITH CRISIS INTERVENTION AND SAFETY PLANNING AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT, DELIVERED 11,334 HOURS OF INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP COUNSELING AND THERAPY SERVICES. AWP AFFORDED LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO 444 CLIENTS, CONSISTING OF 180 CASES FOR DIVORCE, CUSTODY OR SUPPORT, SUPPLIED ADVOCACY OR EMERGENCY JUSTICE ASSISTANCE FOR 2,608 CASES, ACCOMPANIED 307 TO CRIMINAL COURT PROCEEDINGS, 144 VICTIMS TO CIVIL AND LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, AND ASSISTED 292 VICTIMS WITH PROTECTION FROM ABUSE ORDERS. DURING THE YEAR, COVID STILL HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON COURT PROCEEDINGS WITH THE COURTS CONTINUING MOST CASES UNTIL FY21-22. THIS DECREASED THE NUMBER OF IN-PERSON CASES AWP COULD SUPPORT, BUT ADVOCATES PROVIDED PHONE AND VIRTUAL SUPPORT TO VICTIMS.