Did you know that stalking and human trafficking shared an awareness month (January)? Check out this issue to learn a bit about both!
SHELTER NEEDS
- Pajamas (all sizes/genders – adult sizes are a greater need)
- Bathrobes (all sizes/genders)
- Safe nights
All donations are tax-deductible and can be dropped off at any one of our three locations in Berkeley, Jefferson, or Morgan County!
January is National Stalking Awareness Month (NSAM)! Stalking is a prevalent crime that often co-occurs with — and increases the risks of — sexual assault, domestic violence, and dating violence. Over half of stalkers are (current or former) intimate partners.
Nearly 1 in 3 women who were stalked by an intimate partner were also sexually assaulted by that partner. Many stalking survivors experience additional sexual covictimizations, including sexual threats and nonconsensual distribution of intimate images.
Stalking is a terrifying and psychologically harmful crime in its own right as well as a predictor of lethality. On average, intimate partner stalkers are the most threatening and dangerous type of stalker, and stalking increases the risk of intimate partner homicide by three times.
Stalking is a pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that causes fear. Many abusers stalk their partners both during the relationship and after the relationship has ended as an extension of coercive control. The crime of stalking is often misunderstood, minimized and/or ignored. Though millions of men and women are stalked every year in the United States – with a frequent co-occurrence of domestic violence sexual assault.
We all have a role to play in identifying stalking and supporting victims and survivors. Learn more at www.stalkingawareness.org about stalking & how you can help stop it!
And as always, if you need assistance or would like to learn about how stalking affects survivors on a local level and how you can help, contact us here at EPEC to speak to an advocate!
We’re Working Together to Provide Shelter and You Can Help!
Eastern Panhandle Empowerment Center (EPEC) has joined the Safe Shelter Collaborative. We are working together with other agencies in our area to provide shelter or shelter referral services to survivors of domestic violence or human trafficking.
In the past, when our shelter was full and a survivor urgently needed a place to stay, finding available emergency shelter involved multiple phone calls to other agencies trying to find available beds. Worst of all, survivors were forced to relive their trauma with each retelling of their story. The Safe Shelter Collaborative stops this cycle.
The Safe Shelter Collaborative uses technology to improve access to urgently needed shelter for a greater number of survivors. When our beds are full and we need to locate alternative shelter, we send an online request to the collaborative. Within minutes, we receive replies letting us know who might have space for our client.
Sometimes appropriate shelter space is not available. This is when we turn to our donors for help. When there isn’t available shelter and a hotel placement is appropriate for the survivor, we can send an alert to our individual donors who have downloaded the SafeNight mobile app, asking them to pay for a hotel stay. Users receive an alert on their phone and have an opportunity to make an immediate tax-deductible donation to help fund a hotel stay for someone who otherwise has no place to go to escape an abusive situation.
You can help. Anyone can give a room, providing a safe night for a person in need. Download the SafeNight app and select our agency to support.
See www.safenightapp.org for more information.
SERVICE UPDATES AMID COVID-19
Are outreach offices open?
Yes, all outreach offices are open and operating within social distancing guidelines.
Are you taking donations?
Yes, please call ahead to make an appointment so we are able to stagger donation appointments. We are taking all donations at this time, but cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and paper products are needed the most. Also see the shelter needs list at the top of the page.
What precautions are you taking in outreach offices?
We are adhering to social distancing guidelines of keeping 6 feet apart. Masks are required upon entry into any outreach office. We are also doing our best to schedule appointments as to not have an excess of people in each building at one time.
Are you providing peer support group services?
Yes, we are providing peer support groups, facilitated by two trained advocates, every other week on Thursdays from 5pm – 6:30pm via Zoom. Call one of the offices if you’re interested in the Zoom call information (see attached flyer for additional schedule). We are also providing anonymous support by way of our HelpRoom every Monday at 6pm and Wednesday at 2pm. The HelpRoom is an anonymous chat service that you can log into to talk to trained advocates/facilitators from EPEC and connect with other survivors. You are not required to receive other services or live in the panhandle service area to participate. Follow our Facebook page for any schedule changes.
Are advocates still providing court advocacy?
Yes, however each county’s courthouse is operating under slightly different parameters. Please call the appropriate outreach office and an advocate can assist you.
Are counseling appointments still available?
Yes. We are offering both in-person (socially distanced/masks required) and remote appointments (telehealth). Call the appropriate outreach office to schedule an appointment or intake.
Can you still provide immediate needs (food, water, clothing)?
Yes, call the appropriate outreach office or our Helpline 24 hours a day if you need assistance with immediate needs or safety planning.
Any questions you have that we didn’t address here? Give us a call!
UPCOMING
HelpRoom
Every Monday @ 6 pm and Wednesday @ 2 pm
HelpRoom is a group chat service that allows survivors of interpersonal violence to support one another in a safe online environment. This service is provided by the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN) and EPEC. Completely confidential and free, each session is facilitated by a trained advocate. Join us Mondays at 6:00 PM and Wednesdays at 2:00 PM.
Virtual Peer Support Group
Every other Thursday @ 5 – 6:30 pm
EPEC is offering a virtual support group. They will be facilitated by EPEC’s trained advocates in the same format as Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties’ in-person groups. Virtual support groups will be provided in place of in-person groups until further notice. Call us for the link and password, as well as to answer any questions regarding how to use Zoom.
Human Trafficking Awareness Event
Brought to you by local artists and creators
Have an artistic talent you’d like to share? We’re calling all creators to create a piece of art in any medium – the theme: empowering survivors of trafficking. Submissions will be accepted through January 20th. Community voting will take place from January 21st- 28th.The winner will be announced on January 29th. Prizes will be awarded!
Human Trafficking Awareness Month Trivia Night
January 11, 2021
Join us at 5pm for some human trafficking trivia, prizes will be awarded. Follow us on Facebook for more information.
Keeping it Reel with EPEC: Netflix’s “You” Discussion
January 15 & 29, 2021
Join EPEC in unpacking, You, the popular Netflix drama. Follow us on Facebook for more information related to these talks as well as other information on stalking.
The EPEC Echo: A Bi-Weekly Podcast
The EPEC Echo podcast to be released on a bi-weekly basis. The podcast will aim to unpack topics such as masculinity and oppression. Watch our socials for release information, details to come soon!
EVERYONE DESERVES A VIOLENCE-FREE LIFE
In a single day, over 10,871 requests for help from survivors of domestic violence go unmet nationwide. Of those unmet requests, 56% are for safe housing. These requests for safe shelter go unmet largely due to lack of appropriate shelter and limited funding for hotel rooms. [source: 2014 National Domestic Violence Counts Report]
SafeNight: Unlocking resources to fund safe shelter.
SafeNight is a mobile service that alerts donors to opportunities to securely fund hotel rooms when shelters are full or unavailable. Agencies with a process for placing clients in hotels can use SafeNight to fun safe alternative shelter, ensuring better access to sage shelter for survivors and expanding the opportunities for donors to make a difference.
Join the Community
Caravan Studios is supporting an active group of domestic violence agencies using SafeNight to fund safe, on-demand alternative shelter.
Visit www.SafeNightapp.org to sign up and learn more about how your agency can benefit from this free service. Invite donors to download SafeNight and support your agency in a time of need.
