Q: I was just looking at Doorways’ recent press release and I was surprised by how many more survivors Doorways sheltered last year compared to previous years. I was wondering if you could provide any more context on these numbers. The press release notes that the community’s needs are increasing. In what ways are they increasing? What seems to be the cause of this trend in more survivors seeking shelter at Doorways?

A: Domestic violence has increased in both frequency and severity. As the only provider of emergency shelter for survivors in imminent danger – called safehousing – Doorways has been at the front lines responding to the growing need for safehousing (please see chart). We are responding to survivors’ needs by reinventing ourselves. With our community’s support, we are increasing, improving, and transforming the way we serve survivors, including expanding our safehousing capacity.

Doorways’ safehousing provides emergency shelter and services to survivors and their children who are in imminent danger or imminent risk, which means there is a threat and likelihood that serious harm or death could occur within a short time due to intimate partner violence. In 2022, according to the Danger Assessment, 80% of adults who came into Doorways’ safehousing program were at a high level of lethality risk.

We believe these to be among the top contributing factors:

• Crisis: We know that intimate partner violence increases in times of crisis, from worldwide crises like climate change, to individual crises like job loss and eviction. The COVID-19 pandemic led to intensified domestic violence across the globe, including here in Arlington. Survivors were isolated at home with those who harmed them, unable to access supports like friends, family members, and healthcare. The stressors of the pandemic, including economic impacts, also escalated abuse. Once quarantines were lifted and survivors were able to seek services, the increase in need for Doorways’ safehousing grew rapidly.
• Increased Cost of Living: Domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness, especially among women and children. As Arlington becomes increasingly unaffordable, more people are on the brink of crisis – which contributes to stress factors that escalate abusive behaviors – and when crisis occurs, they need somewhere safe to go. Survivors’ number one need is housing, and for families, childcare is also a necessity. Both housing and childcare are extremely expensive in Arlington, and survivors with children need both.
• Increased Awareness: Through outreach and collaboration with our Project PEACE and community partners, Doorways promotes our hotline to make our services as accessible as possible to survivors in crisis. The more people know that help is available, the more likely survivors are to reach out and be connected to Doorways’ programs.

Doorways’ safehousing is accessible via our 24/7 hotline, 703-237-0881, which is also the only hotline in Arlington. Doorways’ 24-Hour Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline provides information, support, safety planning, and referrals to safehousing and services such as hospital accompaniments for forensic exams, Doorways’ Revive mental health counseling, and community-based advocacy. We encourage anyone who is experiencing intimate partner violence, or knows someone who is experiencing abuse, to call Doorways’ hotline for information and support. You are not alone.

by Caroline Jones, MSW, Doorways for Women and Families President and CEO

Historically, approaches to ending homelessness and those for ending IPV have operated, at best, in parallel. Despite evidence that domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness among women, youth, and families and that abuse and its impacts continue long after survivors leave relationships, very few survivor-centered housing options exist. But this is beginning to change. Ending homelessness for families and youth is now a national priority. In response to this shift, several IPV providers have developed promising models for safely and stably housing survivors while ensuring survivors have the support and empowerment necessary to move forward after abuse. Continue reading on How Housing Matters.

Alignment of housing and intimate partner violence services can better serve survivors and better prevent cycles of abuse and instability, says @DoorwaysVA https://t.co/5OXNqMZgdI pic.twitter.com/PLNbrEcnPn

— How Housing Matters (@Housing360) May 16, 2019

Thanks to our partner Deliver Strategies, a Doorways Corporate Ambassador, for producing this beautiful newsletter and report at no cost to Doorways. We appreciate your support!

In this newsletter, you’ll learn about:

• The final stretch of the Campaign for Brighter Futures
• 10 ways your child can get involved in the cause
• Revive, our latest response to violence in our community
• How to help a friend who has experienced sexual assault
• And more, including partner spotlights and our latest annual report

Download Now

C-SPAN / March 8, 2018 / “The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel held a hearing to discuss domestic violence and child abuse in military families. A panel of abuse survivors and an advocate testified about their legal, health care, and treatment experiences with the military, and made recommendations for what could be improved in order to better help survivors and prevent potential abuses. Also, a panel of clinical professionals and a Defense Department official discussed the issues from their perspectives. They also made recommendations as to where and by whom efforts could be made to address existing challenges and prevent future violence, abuse, and neglect.”

Iris Vega, an advocate with Doorways for Women and Families, spoke about the experiences of three survivors and made recommendations for improving our response to their needs. See her remarks just past the one-hour mark:

Originally published in the Sun Gazette
Caroline Jones, President and CEO, Doorways for Women and Families
Joanne Petty, Board President, Doorways for Women and Families

It seems each day brings a new headline about sexual assault and harassment. The revelation that nearly every industry in America is impacted is both shocking and appalling to the public, yet all too familiar to those working to end the cycles of violence and abuse in our community. The bravery of women and men speaking up about their experiences and bringing a renewed sense of empowerment for survivors is laudable. To many, it feels like something is shifting; daresay, progress in combating sexual assault and domestic violence is moving us toward a society where harassment and assault are never acceptable. These past few months have become, to many, a watershed moment. Yet to truly solve these problems, this has to be more than a moment. Moments are temporary; movements lead to real change.

While we continue the conversation on the national stage, we must remember that the real, on-the-ground advocacy must be rooted in our own community. In recent months, Arlington has experienced a 15% increase in calls to Doorways Domestic & Sexual Violence Hotline. Last month alone, Doorways saw a 25% increase in requests for counseling through the new Revive Domestic & Sexual Violence Counseling Program. Now in its second year of operating, the Revive Program is on track to serve far more than the 376 Arlington women, men, youth and children that came forward last year to seek help. While these statistics point to an increased willingness to share experiences and seek help, we know the stories behind the numbers point to an alarming rise in the rate of incidents in Arlington, affecting every demographic.

As headlines fade, we as a community must be purposeful in our work and remain committed to supporting survivors, and whenever possible, preventing sexual assault and domestic violence from occurring in the first place. While systems level change will take time and continued advocacy, there are many ways we can support our neighbors who are experiencing interpersonal violence today and empower them to heal. For almost 40 years, Doorways has provided survivors in our community with immediate safety, comprehensive support and therapeutic services that ultimately lead to brighter futures. But we have not done it alone, nor can we continue to meet the growing need without the support of the Arlington community.

There is a role for all of us in this response. Together, we can educate young people and the community about healthy relationships and the resources available to survivors. If you know someone who is in need of support, please share our 24-hour Domestic & Sexual Violence Hotline at 703-237-0881. Reassure your friend, family member or coworker that they are not alone, and let them know that there is help and support available.

If you are interested in learning about further ways to support survivors in our community, please visit www.DoorwaysVA.org. And let’s all continue to raise awareness about sexual assault and domestic violence so that everyone in our community can feel, and be, safe.

While we continue the conversation on the national stage, we must remember that the real, on-the-ground advocacy must be rooted in our own community. In recent months, @ArlingtonVA has experienced a 15% increase in calls to Doorways’ hotline: https://t.co/fb9oImx4kA pic.twitter.com/08nSwdzXv1

— Doorways (@DoorwaysVA) February 13, 2018

Did you know that one in three teens in the United States experiences dating violence, which includes physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse? Most of us aren’t aware of how common abuse is among youth, and many youth who experiencing dating violence aren’t aware of the resources available to them. These forms of abuse affect everyone: survivors, parents, family members and friends. Help is available for everyone. Read more on the Catalogue for Philanthropy blog.