At the Advocacy Center we help children, teens and adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and child sexual abuse in Tompkins County, NY. Last year we provided supportive services for over 1,400 youth and adult victims of abuse. Our 9 bed confidential Safe House is the only domestic violence shelter in Tompkins County. Help us improve the experience of children who live at our Safe House by making it a more inviting, safe and fun place for kids!
As of July 2015, we have already sheltered 38 adults and 26 children. The majority of victims who stay at the Safe House have children. Most struggle to find safe, affordable housing to transition out of the shelter. Since the economic downturn we have seen our average shelter stay lengthen from 30 days to 52 days. And more families, particularly families with several children, need to stay in our shelter 90-100 days or more before they can find safe, affordable, housing independent of the person who abused them.
Families come to our shelter because they have experienced frightening, traumatic and violent events. Living in shelter can be stressful in and of itself, given the fact that the family has been uprooted in a situation of crisis and danger. Most families come to the shelter with very minimal personal belongings and children almost always had to leave toys and personal belongings behind. Recognizing that on average families are staying in our shelter many more nights our staff have been actively taking steps to improve the experience of children who are living at the shelter."...I just can say that I am free and my kids are free and in peace so far thanks to them because without them I think we would have stayed in the same domestic violence.” --Former Shelter Resident
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