South Brevard Womens Center Inc

TO ASSIST IN CREATING SAFE, HEALTHY, SELF-SUFFICIENT LIVES BY PROVIDING SUPPORT, EDUCATION, COUNSELING, INFORMATION AND SERVICES TO SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC, DATING, AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE, AND THOSE SUFFERING THE ILL EFFECTS OF POVERTY, HOMELESSNESS, AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.

VICTIM ADVOCACY:THE WOMEN'S CENTER PROVIDES SUPPORTIVE INTERVENTION TO THOSE IMPACTED BY INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE. INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE INCLUDES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BATTERY, SEXUAL ASSAULT, STALKING, AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING. ADVOCATES EMPLOY VARIOUS SUPPORTING SERVICES, GUIDING SURVIVORS THROUGH THE COMPLEX LEARNING PROCESS TO COPE WITH THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMA. THESE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES INCLUDE SAFETY PLANNING, ASSISTANCE OBTAINING EMERGENCY SHELTER, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DURING SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMS, LEGAL ADVOCACY, CASE MANAGEMENT, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, INFORMATION AND REFERRAL TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES, AND CRISIS INTERVENTION. ADVOCACY EMPOWERS SURVIVORS AS THEY CREATE A PLAN FOR MOVING FORWARD SAFELY AFTER VICTIMIZATION, ENSURING THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD, AND RIGHTS ARE RESPECTED. IN 2021, VICTIM ADVOCATES ASSISTED 2,360 CLIENTS, PROVIDING 41,870 INDIVIDUAL SERVICES.EMERGENCY SAFE & TRANSITIONAL HOUSING:THE WOMEN'S CENTER PROVIDES EMERGENCY SAFE HOUSING FOR WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN. IN 2021, 23 ADULTS AND 23 CHILDREN WERE PROVIDED WITH EMERGENCY SHELTER THROUGH TWO SAFE HOUSES AND ASSISTED 15 ADULTS AND 11 CHILDREN WITH EMERGENCY HOTEL STAYS.THE WOMEN'S CENTER ALSO PROVIDES LONGER-TERM HOUSING FOR HOMELESS WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN THAT INCLUDES COMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT. IN 2021, THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM ASSISTED 12 WOMEN AND 15 CHILDREN AND PROVIDED 174 SERVICES.SELF-SUFFICIENCY:THE WOMEN'S CENTER PROVIDES BASIC SURVIVAL NEEDS FOR AT-RISK CLIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. SURVIVAL NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED BY OFFERING FOOD, DIAPERS, TOILETRIES, EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, CLOTHING, AND FURNITURE VOUCHERS. IN 2021, THE WOMEN'S CENTER PROVIDED 687 INDIVIDUALS WITH 2,623 SERVICES.SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM SERVICES (SAVS):THE WOMEN'S CENTER HAS BEEN THE CERTIFIED RAPE CRISIS CENTER FOR BREVARD COUNTY SINCE MARCH 2017. THE SAVS RAPE HELPLINE (321) 784-HELP (4357) IS ANSWERED 24 HOURS PER DAY TO OFFER SUPPORT, ADVOCACY, INFORMATION ON REPORTING OPTIONS, REFERRALS FOR COUNSELING, SUPPORT GROUPS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO ASSIST ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY SEXUAL VIOLENCE. SAVS ADVOCATES ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS PER DAY TO PROVIDE IN-PERSON EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND ACCOMPANIMENT TO VICTIMS WHILE THEY GET FORENSIC EVIDENCE COLLECTED.IN 2021, THE SAVS HELPLINE RECEIVED 291 CALLS. 261 OF THOSE CALLS WERE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT WHO RECEIVED 1,503 INDIVIDUAL SERVICES. 30 OF THOSE CALLS WERE FAMILY, FRIENDS AND OTHERS IMPACTED BY THE CRIME WHO WERE ALSO PROVIDED IMMEDIATE SUPPORT, REFERRALS, AND ADVOCACY.THESE SERVICES ALLOW THE WOMEN'S CENTER TO OFFER A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO HEALING. SAVS RELIES HEAVILY ON OUR VOLUNTEERS, WHO TOOK 5,172 HOURS IN ON-CALL SHIFTS.COUNSELING:THE WOMEN'S CENTER PROVIDES INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, AND FAMILY COUNSELING SERVICES ON-SITE OR THROUGH TELEHEALTH TO WOMEN, MEN, AND CHILDREN. FREE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ISSUES. OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES PEOPLE FACE WHEN DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.IN 2021, THE COUNSELING PROGRAM HELPED 235 INDIVIDUALS WITH A TOTAL OF 1,967 COUNSELING SERVICES.PREVENTION & YOUTH PROGRAMS:THE WOMEN'S CENTER, THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH EASTERN FLORIDA STATE COLLEGE, PROVIDES A VIOLENCE PREVENTION STRATEGY PROGRAM THAT EMPOWERS BYSTANDERS TO HELP REDUCE POWER-BASED PERSONAL VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. IN 2021, 699 STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF WERE TRAINED.THE WOMEN'S CENTER'S VIOLENCE PREVENTION EDUCATORS ALSO PRESENTED AT VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONAL OUTREACH EVENTS REGARDING SUCH TOPICS AS CONSENT AND BYSTANDER INTERVENTION. WE BELIEVE POWER-BASED VIOLENCE CAN BE PREVENTED IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS, TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND AWARENESS.