Serving the Arlington community since 1978
24-Hour Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline: 703-237-0881
“October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), an important time to highlight the issue of domestic violence and its effects on victims, survivors, families, and communities. Everyone deserves to have access to a community where people live free of violence and have safe and stable housing. We caught up with Linley Beckbridge, Director of Marketing & Communications and Advocacy at Doorways to discuss the importance of accessibility in your community.” Read more from Recite Me.
One of first females in country to achieve statusBy Shirley Ruhe, Arlington Connection
Avery Park from Arlington is one of the first females in the country to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. She says usually it takes 7 years to achieve Eagle Scout status but she did it in four. She chose to organize the fifth floor storage space for Doorways and develop an online tracking system as her Eagle Scout project. “I knew I wanted to do something to support women and children.”
Continue reading in the Arlington Connection.
“R&B meets pop sensation Darius Martin releases the new single ‘Sparks Don’t Fly’ featuring Latin singer-songwriter Shantal Vella. The single is a powerful profile on the damaging effects of abusive relationships, offering an intimate window inside the emotional toll it takes on two hearts.
Teaming up with the esteemed non-profit, Doorways, and ahead of October Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Darius Martin is thrilled to amplify awareness and generate funds with his new single, ‘Sparks Don’t Fly’. Serving the Arlington, Virginia, community, Doorways extends comprehensive support to survivors, providing housing, counseling, court advocacy, and more. With a 24/7 hotline and a robust community outreach program, Doorways stands firmly with survivors. Darius Martin is proud to drive impactful change with this new release.
‘Sparks Don’t Fly’ blends melodic cascades of percussion with an emotive vocal symphony shared between Darius Martin and Shantal Vella. Over subtle, refined beats, ‘Sparks Don’t Fly’ will immerse you in a lyrically tender narrative, bringing awareness towards domestic violence. Darius Martin admits, ‘I wanted people who have been in abusive relationships to know they’re not alone.'” Continue reading.
“Darius Martin is a Los Angeles based artist who fuses elements of pop and R&B into his sonics while crafting powerful narratives that resonate with day-to-day life. His newly released single, “Sparks Don’t Fly” featuring Shantal Vella, is written about domestic violence in hopes of showing listeners that they are never alone. Martin is partnering with Doorways, an organization based in Arlington, Virginia that provides resources and support for survivors.” Continue reading.
We would like to thank the countless donors who have supported Doorways’ mission as it has grown and evolved over the years. As we leave our current office at the end of 2023 and move into a new space in Ballston Quarter, we unfortunately will no longer have the storage capabilities we once had. To adjust to this change, as of September 8th, Doorways will no longer be accepting item donations outside of our Amazon Wishlist. We will continue accepting gift cards.
To ensure your items reach those in need, we encourage anyone who is interested in donating physical items to check out our amazing peer organizations linked on our website. If you have any questions related to in-kind giving in or around Arlington, please feel free to contact Ashley Stewart at astewart@doorwaysva.org or 703-504-9271.
To continue providing items to Doorways clients, please visit our Amazon Wishlist, which is regularly updated to meet the urgent needs of our families. Thank you for your support!
Doorways, a pet-friendly domestic violence shelter in Arlington, VA, has joined the 25 by 2025 campaign to help more domestic violence shelters in the U.S. become pet friendly.
In May 2009, Doorways became the only shelter in Virginia, and one of nine in the country, to offer safe shelter for people and their pets fleeing violence. Doorways’ all-weather Safe Kennel (pictured below) has heat, air conditioning, and indoor/outdoor areas to safely and comfortably house dogs, cats, and other small animals like hamsters and turtles.
25 by 2025 reports that up to 70% of domestic violence survivors have pets, and nearly half delay or avoid leaving abusers because they don’t want to leave their pets behind. More pet-friendly domestic violence shelters are needed to ensure more survivors and pets find safety from potentially life-threatening situations.
The 25 by 2025 campaign has set a goal to help 25% of domestic violence shelters in the U.S. become pet friendly by 2025! Get involved in the movement today at 25by2025.org and help keep pets and people together. Learn more.
Doorways announced that the agency earned full dual accreditation from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, Division of Programs and Services, Victims Services, becoming one of only 12 dually accredited domestic and sexual violence agencies in Virginia. Doorways is Arlington’s only provider of safehousing (emergency shelter), services, and supportive housing for survivors and earned full accreditation for having met 100 percent of the voluntary Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Program Professional Standards.
Doorways’ programs have become especially critical in recent years as the number of survivors needing shelter and support increased dramatically. Over the last six years, Doorways experienced more than a 120% increase in the number of survivors and their families sheltered in their safehousing to escape imminent danger.
“We are honored to receive this acknowledgement of the quality and consistency of our work, particularly as we are working to expand our programs,” said Diana Ortiz, M.Ed., LPC, President and CEO. In response to increasing need, Doorways is expanding their safehousing and supportive housing programs. Doorways is also expanding their prevention and outreach efforts, which help reduce domestic and sexual violence by engaging youth around topics like safe and respectful relationships and consent. “I am immensely proud of our team for all their hard work and dedication to our clients, especially as the number of people we are serving continues to grow,” Ortiz said.
Doorways’ fully accredited programs further include a 24-hour hotline (703-237-0881) for support, information, and access to Doorways’ safehousing and services. Among those services are hospital accompaniment for survivors seeking forensic exams following sexual assault and/or domestic violence; mobile advocacy, which connects specially trained advocates to survivors needing support out in the community; court advocacy to aid survivors in navigating legal protections such as protective orders; and counseling for individuals of all ages who have been impacted by domestic and sexual violence, as well as support groups. Anyone in need of information or support related to domestic and sexual violence is encouraged to call Doorways’ hotline at 703-237-0881.
As a private nonprofit, Doorways relies on community support from individuals, businesses, and foundations for about half of its funding every year. In order to meet the growing need for survivor safehousing and services, Doorways needs the support of this community to provide safe harbor, healing, and hope to those impacted by domestic and sexual violence in Arlington. Learn more and donate now at www.doorwaysva.org.
“It was a sell out crowd for the 14th annual Doorways Pig and Oyster Roast fundraiser held at Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company on Thursday, May 4,” the Arlington Connection reported. “The event raised $7,500 to support Doorways programs including shelter, housing and services for victims of domestic and sexual violence. Their services include families and individual survivors of all genders as well as youth.” Read more.
Want to help empower a survivor this Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM)? This year, we are hosting a fundraiser designed to do just that! We’re asking donors to select from 3 different empowerment gift bundles designed to aid our clients in healing, self-care, and self-love.
In addition to the specially tailored items, we’re asking donors to provide a gift card, at whichever level works best, to complete their gift bundle. We ask for gift cards as they empower our clients with the opportunity and freedom to show themselves some love!
Below you can find a description of each available bundle along with their estimated value:
For more ways to take action during SAAPM, check out:
Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM): 5 Ways to Take Action
Register today to participate in the ninth annual Embrace Your Voice 2023 poetry share. This survivor-centered event is hosted in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM) by Doorways, Friends of Guest House, and the Alexandria Sexual Assault Center.
This year’s poetry share will be a hybrid in-person and virtual event, with attendees and poets participating from the Lee Center in Alexandria or online via Zoom.
To share your work, please register as a poet (in-person or virtual) by April 18th. We will send you a participant consent form and request a copy of your poem(s) to review in advance. We look forward to hearing from you!