Offering shelter to victims of domestic violence and abuse
Safety Planning
We help survivors assess their level of danger and educate them in safety strategies — whether the survivor decides to leave or to stay in the relationship.
We help tailor a safety plan with each survivor and, as approved by the survivor, we help coordinate the safety plan with the employer, children, family, school, friends, the criminal justice system and other relevant persons.
Danger Assessment
Our counselors are certified in the use of the Danger Assessment, which was developed by Jacquelyn Campbell, PhD, of Johns Hopkins University, and which helps to predict an abused woman’s risk of being killed by her intimate partner.
While we cannot predict what will happen to any individual victim, there are risk factors associated with domestic violence homicides; and we help victims identify how many of the risk factors apply to them.
Counseling & Support Groups
We are a safe place where survivors can break the silence about abuse, begin to heal, and learn:
- safety strategies and techniques
- self-advocacy skills
- the difference between a relationship dominated by power and control and one based on equality, respect and trust
Information & Referral
To respond effectively to the needs of survivors, we maintain a directory of community resources and have close working relationships with many service providers and governmental departments in the community with the resources survivors need to secure safety, justice, independence, and healing from the trauma of abuse.
Office of Victim Services Compensation
Certain crime victims are eligible for compensation through the New York State Office of Victim Services (OVS). We help crime victims determine if they are eligible for OVS compensation; and if they are, we help them prepare and submit the application.
Advocacy
We teach self-advocacy skills and assist survivors in securing rights, benefits, or other needed services. This might include emergency housing, financial assistance, intervening with employers, creditors, schools, churches, medical providers, private insurance companies, workers compensation, and public assistance.
Legal Advocacy & Representation
We help survivors empower themselves with the skills to navigate the courts and the criminal justice system. The Hope’s Door Legal Center helps victims seeking orders of protection, pursuing divorces, establishing custody, and fighting for child support, among other civil legal needs. We also have counselors advocate for survivors and accompany them to court.
Multi-cultural Services
Abuse is even more difficult for multi-cultural and immigrant victims due to language and cultural barriers, discrimination, immigration hurdles and legal status.
We offer culturally appropriate services tailored to Latin, Hispanic, Asian and other multi-cultural victims.
Next Step Economic Empowerment Program
The Next Step Program fosters the economic empowerment and self-sufficiency of survivors of domestic violence. We guide survivors in identifying their barriers to safety and independence and implementing strategies to overcome those barriers. A key strategy is the “Next Step Fund.” Survivors may request funds for expenses associated with educational and vocational needs. As one survivor stated: “All that stood between me and a job was $90 for a pair of regulation shoes – Hope’s Door provided that and I’m on my way.”
The Next Step Program is supported by these corporate and foundation funders:
Footer
