For survivors of domestic violence, the first night after escaping is often the hardest. Even when the door finally closes and locks behind them, the body doesn’t immediately understand it’s safe. Survivors tell us about the shaking. The long, sleepless hours. The way they keep their shoes close by—just in case. They talk about fear not as an emotion, but as a sound: a constant hum in the background of their lives. One woman told our staff, “I didn’t realize how loud fear was

It’s a question that too many survivors of domestic violence hear — from friends, family, and sometimes even from themselves: “Why don’t they just leave?” But for those experiencing abuse, leaving is not that simple. In fact, it can be the most dangerous time in an abusive relationship. The Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois works with survivors every day who face a complex web of barriers that make “just leaving” nearly impossible without safety planning and

Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) reminds us that behind every statistic is a story—and behind every story is a community that can help rewrite the ending. This year’s theme, Every1KnowsSome1 , is a powerful reminder that domestic violence doesn’t only happen to “other people.” It happens in every neighborhood, across every background, age, and income level. Chances are, someone you know  has been affected. What It Really Means When we say “Every1KnowsSome1,” we’re nam

When we think about abuse in relationships, we often picture adults. But unhealthy and abusive patterns can begin much earlier. In fact,...

When people hear the word shelter , they might think of a building or a bed to sleep in for the night. But for survivors of domestic...