Communities Overcoming Violent Encounters Inc

THE MISSION OF COVE IS TO PROVIDE SHELTER, PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY FOR ALL VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AS WELL AS TO EDUCATE COMMUNITIES ON THE ROOT CAUSE OF VIOLENCE.

COMMUNITIES OVERCOMING VIOLENT ENCOUNTERS (COVE) HAS PROUDLY ASSISTED VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOR OVER 40 YEARS PROVIDING EMERGENCY, CRISIS INTERVENTION, ADVOCACY AND SAFETY SERVICES INCLUDING EMERGENCY SHELTER 24-HOUR, 365 DAYS A YEAR. LAST YEAR COVE PROVIDED 5,241 NIGHTS OF SHELTER TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS/SURVIVORS. ALTHOUGH COVE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGHOUT COVID-19 AS AN ESSENTIAL LIFE-SAVING SERVICE PROVIDER, OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SAFE, SOCIALLY DISTANCED SHELTER NIGHTS WAS SEVERELY IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC. OUR SHELTER IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN MICHIGAN COMBINING ITS OFFICES AND SHELTER SET UP TO RESEMBLE TRANSITIONAL INDIVIDUAL HOUSING UNITS. RESIDENTS HAVE SEMI PRIVATE BUT STILL SHARED LIVING QUARTERS AS OPPOSED TO TRADITIONAL SHELTER COMMUNAL LIVING. OUR GOAL IS TO MEET THE UNIQUE SELF-DETERMINED NEEDS OF ALL SURVIVORS/VICTIMS ASSISTING THEM IN MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS IN AN ENCOURAGING, SUPPORTIVE, NONJUDGMENTAL, EMPOWERING MANNER FOR RESIDENTS AND NON- RESIDENTS. COVE IS COMMITTED TO TREATING SURVIVORS WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT AND TO ASSIST SURVIVORS/VICTIMS IN STABILIZING THEIR LIVES AFTER EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. LAST YEAR 222 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS USED COVE'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES AND WE ANSWERED 723 CRISIS CALLS, ALMOST DOUBLE THE AMOUNT IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

COVE BEGAN IN 1978 IN RESPONSE TO THE LACK OF SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. OVER FORTY YEARS LATER, WE HAVE GONE BACK TO OUR ROOTS TO STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND OUR SEXUAL ASSAULT SERVICES IN MANISTEE, MASON, LAKE AND OCEANA COUNTIES. TODAY, WE PROVIDE SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS/SURVIVORS FREE, CONFIDENTIAL, SUPPORTIVE AND HEALING SERVICES 24 HOURS A DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR. SERVICES INCLUDE EMERGENCY CRISIS INTERVENTION, COUNSELING AND ADVOCACY. OUR GOAL IS TO; EMPOWER SURVIVORS TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS; INCREASE SURVIVORS KNOWLEDGE AND COPING SKILLS TO ASSIST THEM IN MANAGING THEIR EMOTIONS; AND ENCOURAGE AND PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE HEALING. COVE IS COMMITTED TO WALKING ALONGSIDE SURVIVORS, MEETING THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND CARING FOR THEM WITH DIGNITY, AND RESPECT IN AN EMPOWERING, HEALING MANNER. LAST YEAR, COVE SUPPORTED 71 ADULTS AND CHILDREN WHO WERE SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS IN THEIR HEALING JOURNEY. TO FURTHER ASSIST SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS, COVE PROVIDES SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINER (SANE) FORENSIC MEDICAL EXAMS IN OUR ONSITE SANE UNIT. DNA EVIDENCE CAN INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF HOLDING A PERPETRATOR ACCOUNTABLE AND FACTS SHOW THAT SANE UNITS INCREASE REPORTING, CHARGES FILED AND CONVICTION RATES. FORENSICALLY TRAINED NURSES ACCOMPANIED BY ADVOCATES PROVIDED 19 MEDICAL FORENSIC EXAMS FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS LAST YEAR. ALTHOUGH COVE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS THROUGHOUT COVID-19 AS AN ESSENTIAL LIFE-SAVING SERVICE PROVIDER, OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SAFE, SOCIALLY DISTANCED FORENSIC MEDICAL EXAMS WAS SEVERALY IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC AND SURVIVORS DESIRE TO REQUEST EXAMS.