Press Releases
Domestic Violence Awareness Month October 2010
Posted on October 12, 2010 at 3:15 pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Women Against Abuse Forced to Turn Down Nearly 6,000 Requests from Women and Children Because of Lack of Space in City’s Only Emergency Shelter for Domestic Violence Victims
City-wide call to action for Philadelphians in conjunction with Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Philadelphia, PA – October 2010 Women Against Abuse (WAA), operator of Philadelphia’s only emergency shelter for domestic violence victims, had to deny nearly 6,000 requests for shelter from women and children because its 100-bed facility is consistently at full capacity.
Since the beginning of the recession, WAA has seen a dramatic increase in demand for its services. In the last fiscal year, WAA was forced to deny 5,805 requests for shelter – more than double the number denied in fiscal year 2009. Last year, an astonishing 36 people were killed at the hands of their abusers – up from 21 the year before.
“It’s heart wrenching to tell these families that we’re full. They’re coming from desperate situations, and need the specialized kind of support that we offer,” said Jeannine Lisitski, Executive Director of WAA.
The sharp increase in demand for services comes at a time when budget cuts threaten WAA’s ability to maintain its life-saving services, which include emergency housing, legal services, a 24/7 hotline, and education and prevention services.
WAA is calling on the public to ensure its services continue to be available for victims of domestic violence during such a crucial time of need. This call for action is being made in conjunction with October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
WAA is urging the public to join its iPledge Campaign, a citywide anti-violence movement that calls on ordinary Philadelphians to take a pledge to end violence at home and in the community. The pledge, as well as resources and ways to get involved, is available at www.iPledgeWAA.org.
Despite current economic challenges, WAA continues to lead Philadelphia’s movement to end domestic violence by forging two new community partnerships. The first is a pilot program with the Philadelphia Police Department, which will improve the way police investigate, report, and make referrals in domestic abuse cases. The second is a partnership with the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania’s emergency department, which is distributing iPledge materials to its 60,000 patients this year.
Philadelphians can also get involved in the movement to end domestic violence through events scheduled in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month including Senator LeAnna Washington’s 3rd annual Walk to End Domestic Violence on October 23rd at West River Drive; an October 27th opening of an art exhibit at the Philadelphia Foundation featuring creative pieces from the child artists at the Women Against Abuse emergency shelter; and the Women Against Abuse fundraising event, Dish It Up, on November 4th at Moore College of Art and Design. For more information, visit www.iPledgeWAA.org or call 215 386 1280 x115.
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About Women Against Abuse
Women Against Abuse (WAA), Inc., one of the largest domestic violence programs in the country, serves more than 10,000 individuals each year through emergency housing, legal services, hotline counseling, education and advocacy. WAA operates the only comprehensive program in Philadelphia whose sole purpose is to assist victims of domestic violence and their children. For more information, go to www.womenagainstabuse.org.
Press Contact: Cheryl Brubaker, cbrubaker@womenagainstabuse.org, 215 386 1280 x116.
