WAY S T O H E L P L O C A L D O M E S T I C V I O L E N C E S H E LT E R S

J A C K RY G E R :

• One great branch of community service to get involved with is helping out at a local domestic violence shelter.

• According to the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Center for Victims of Crime, 25% of women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime - that’s one out of every four women you pass on the street each day..

• Women are abused in different ways, ranging from financial situations to being abused mentally and physically

• Unfortunately, it’s very hard for these women to flee their homes and get away from their abuser.

• But, domestic violence shelters have been set up across the nation for these women to feel safe, and with your help they can get even more of the resources and care that these shelters provide.

• Here are some ways you can help…

• First, donate gift cards. According to an article published by the Pixel Project, “Women many times leave their homes very quickly without packing. All they take with them are their children and the clothes on their back. A great way to assist would be clothing or superstore gift cards…” (16 Ways to Help Your Local Domestic Violence Shelter).

• With these gift cards, women can buy the right size clothing for themselves and their children, along with getting professional attire to wear to job interviews so they can secure their finances independently.

• Next, volunteer to work at a hotline.

• Local shelters or even rape crisis centers have hotlines that are in need of volunteers since they are generally open 24/7.

• Volunteers usually have to go through certain training courses and commit to work a few days per week answering phones, so being willing to do these things even though they can be time consuming is key.

• Just remember, working for hotlines is extremely rewarding - you can save lives.

• Lastly, think about writing a newsletter.

• Especially if you are a strong writer, using words to assist a local shelter’s quarterly or monthly newsletter can help the shelter out immensely.

• Writing articles about women’s rights and healthy relationships are two great topics to speak about and may even help women reach out about their own struggles.

• Keeping people aware and educated of the problem at hand (in this case, abuse) is the most important step towards eliminating it.

• If you want to know more ways in which you can help your local domestic violence shelter, please read Pixel Project’s article here , where you can further learn about their previous campaign concerning women’s rights and domestic violence.