Turning Point Advocacy Services

TO PROVIDE SHELTER AND SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT.

HOTLINE CALLS: 735. COMMUNITY NEED: NATIONALLY, NEARLY 2.2 MILLION PEOPLE CALL A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE IN ONE YEAR TO ESCAPE, SEEK ADVICE, OR ASSIST SOMEONE ELSE DEALING WITH A VIOLENT SITUATION (NNEDV,2009). HOTLINE ADVOCATES PROVIDE POTENTIALLY LIFE-SAVING SUPPORT, INFORMATION, AND REFERRALS, ESPECIALLY WHEN RESPONDING TO SUCH CALLS. TARGET POPULATION: THE TARGET POPULATION IS VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ABUSE, STALKING, TRAFFICKING, AND RELATED HOMELESSNESS, AS WELL AS SERVICE PROVIDERS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ASSISTING VICTIMS. ACTIVITIES: THE HOTLINE IS ANSWERED 24/7/365 BY STAFF WHO HAVE COMPLETED THE BASIC 48-HOUR TRAINING AS REQUIRED BY THE MISSOURI COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE. ADDITIONALLY, THE RESIDENTIAL COORDINATORS, WHO ARE THE FIRST TO ANSWER THE HOTLINE, HAVE COMPLETED AN ADDITIONAL SIX HOURS OF HOTLINE- SPECIFIC TRAINING. ALL CLIENT INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL AND CALLERS CAN REMAIN ANONYMOUS. STAFF RESPONDING TO HOTLINE CALLS MAY PROVIDE SAFETY PLANNING AND INFORMATION AND REFERRAL TO CRITICAL RESOURCES AND OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICES. . SHELTER CLIENTS: 112; BEDNIGHTS: 2,918. COMMUNITY NEED: ACCESS TO A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER LEADS TO A 60 TO 70% REDUCTION IN INCIDENCE AND SEVERITY OF CONTINUING ASSAULTS IN THE 3 TO 12-MONTH FOLLOW-UP PERIOD COMPARED TO BATTERED WOMEN WHO DID NOT ACCESS A SHELTER. IN FACT, SHELTER IS MORE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING RE-ASSAULT THAN IS COURT OR LAW ENFORCEMENT. (2005. CAMPBELL, WOLF. JOHNS HOPKINS RAVE STUDY). TARGET POPULATION:ADULT SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ABUSE, STALKING, TRAFFICKING, RELATED HOME- LESSNESS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS. ACTIVITIES: TURNING POINT HAS A 30-BED SHELTER. THE SHELTER AND SURROUNDING PROPERTY IS EQUIPPED WITH HIGH RESOLUTION DIGITAL SECURITY CAMERAS AND AN ALARM SYSTEM TO HELP PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL MEASURE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR CLIENTS AND STAFF. CONFIDENTIALITY IS STRICTLY MAINTAINED. CLIENTS STAYING IN SHELTER HAVE ACCESS TO A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES INCLUDING: SAFETY PLANNING, GOAL SETTING, REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES, SUPPORT TO MEET BASIC NEEDS, 24/7/365 ACCESS TO TRAINED STAFF FOR SUPPORT, AND AN ASSIGNED ADVOCATE TO ASSIST WITH TRANSITION PLANNING. . COURT ADVOCACY CLIENTS: 118. COMMUNITY NEED: IN 2011, MORE THAN 40,000 INCIDENTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WERE REPORTED TO MISSOURI LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND, OF THOSE, AT LEAST 37 VICTIMS WERE MURDERED BY THEIR INTIMATE PARTNERS. (2011, MSHP UCRA). TARGET POPULATION: SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ABUSE, STALKING, AND TRAFFICKING WHO ARE SEEKING JUSTICE OR LEGAL REMEDIES IN THE CIVIL OR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS. THIS INCLUDES BOTH SHELTER-BASED AND COMMUNITY-BASED CLIENTS. ACTIVITIES: TURNING POINT STAFF DO NOT PROVIDE LEGAL REPRESENTATION OR ADVICE, BUT DO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT, EDUCATION, AND GUIDANCE RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING: CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURT PROCESSES, WHICH MAY INCLUDE HEARINGS, FILINGS, AND RELATED APPOINTMENTS; FILINGS AND HEARINGS FOR ORDERS OF PROTECTION; SECURING ATTORNEYS THROUGH AREA LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS; COMPLETING AND FILING CRIME VICTIM COMPENSATION CLAIMS; COMPLETING AND FILING VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENTS; AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICE TRAINING ON THE DYNAMICS OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE. . GENERAL ADVOCACY CLIENTS: 80. COMMUNITY NEED: RESEARCH SHOWS THAT ABUSERS OFTEN PROHIBIT THEIR VICTIMS FROM ACCESSING FINANCIAL RESOURCES. THIS CAN INCLUDE PROHIBITING THE VICTIM FROM WORKING OUTSIDE THE HOME, SABOTAGING THE VICTIMS'S EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN THEIR OWN FINANCIAL RESOURCES, AND PURPOSEFULLY LIMITING FINANCIAL LITERACY. THEREFORE, MANY VICTIMS FIND IT CHALLENGING TO REGAIN FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE AS THEY TRANSITION AWAY FROM AN ABUSIVE PARTNER. TARGET POPULATION: SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ABUSE, STALKING AND TRAFFICKING. THIS MAY INCLUDE BOTH SHELTER-BASED AND COMMUNITY-BASED CLIENTS. ACTIVITIES: ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT INCREASES SAFETY BY ASSISTING CLIENTS LEARN HOW TO BE SELF-SUPPORTING THROUGH EDUCATION, INCREASED FINANCIAL SELF-EFFICACY AND LITERACY, AS WELL AS DIRECT MONETARY ASSISTANCE TO MOVE THEM ON THE PATH OF INDEPENDENCE AND EMPOWERMENT. . WELLBEING PROGRAM: COUNSELING CLIENTS: 66. COMMUNITY NEED: ISOLATION IS A COMMON TACTIC USED BY ABUSERS TO MAINTAIN AND CONTROL AND TO HIDE THE ABUSE. SILENCE AND SECRECY ALSO SURROUND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND RAPE, BOTH AS CONTROL TACTICS AND AS PART OF THE SELF-SHAMING THAT SURVIVORS EXHIBIT (2011, MCADSV). SURVIVORS REPORT THAT THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT NOT BEING BELIEVED OR UNDERSTOOD AS CRITICAL BARRIERS TO REACHING OUT FOR HELP. FOR MANY SURVIVORS, BREAKING THE ISOLATION AND SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THEIR ABUSE ARE SOME OF THE MOST POWERFUL STEPS TOWARD SELF-EMPOWERMENT (2011,MCADSV). THEY REPORT FINDING GREAT COMFORT WHEN TALKING AMONG PEERS WHO HAVE SHARED A SIMILAR EXERIENCE, AND THAT BEING ABLE TO TALK IT OUT HELPS GAIN THE CONFIDENCE NECESSARY TO CONTINUE THEIR PATH TOWARD INDEPENDENCE FROM THEIR ABUSERS OR THEIR PASTS (IBID). WHEN GROUP MEMBERS ARE PEERS AND WHEN FACILITATORS ARE TRAINED IN THE DYNAMICS OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE, SUPPORT GROUPS CAN PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE FORUM FOR RELIEF FROM THE ISOLATION AND AN ACCESSIBLE FORUM FOR SPEAKING OUT ABOUT PERSONAL TRAUMA. TARGET POPULATION: THE TARGET POPULATION ARE SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ABUSE, STALKING, TRAFFICKING, AND RELATED HOMELESSNESS, INCLUDING BOTH SHELTER- BASED AND COMMUNITY-BASED CLIENTS. ACTIVITIES: SUPPORT GROUPS AND INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL TURNING POINT CLIENTS. SUPPORT GROUPS ARE PROVIDED ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS AND ARE ALWAYS FACILITATED BY A TRAINED STAFF MEMBER OR DIRECT SERVICE VOLUNTEER. SUPPORT GROUP OFFERINGS VARY WEEK BY WEEK AND ARE ALIGNED TO MATCH THE NEEDS OF THE CLIENTS. INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING IS PROVIDED BY A LICENSED COUNSELOR. THE FREQUENCY OF INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING SESSIONS IS DETERMINED BY CLIENT NEED AND IS ARRANGED BY THE COUNSELOR AND CLIENT. . SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION CLIENTS: 14: COMMUNITY NEED: SUBSTANCE ABUSE IS AN ABUSIVE PATTERN THAT MAY OFTEN BE COUPLED WITH IMPULSIVE BEHAVIORS CHARACTERIZED BY THE EFFECTS OF ADDICTION. SURVIVORS NEED TO FIND A WAY TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE THROUGH RECOVERY AND PREVENTION. TARGET POPULATION: THE TARGET POPULATION ARE SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ABUSE, STALKING, TRAFFICKING, AND RELATED HOMELESSNESS, INCLUDING SHELTER-BASED AND COMMUNITY-BASED CLIENTS. ACTIVITIES: INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP SESSIONS USING THE SMART RECOVERY PROGRAM. CLIENTS MEET IN WEEKLY GROUP ACTIVITIES, INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS, AND COMPLETE ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN THEM AND PROVIDE ALTERNATIVES TO BREAK FREE FROM THE CYCLE OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE.