Domestic violence and sexual assault are serious problems that a large number of individuals face every year. According to data reported by the West Virginia Health Statistics Center in 2008, one in six adult women and one in 21 adult men will be the victim of either attempted or completed rape in their lifetimes. In 2009, the West Virginia State Police Incident-Based Reporting System shows that more than 1,200 sexual offenses were recorded by law enforcement in the state.
While these statistics are staggering and do not include every offense, there is some good news. Organizations such as the one formerly known as Women’s Resource Center WV exist to provide aid to victims. Recently, the Women’s Resource Center of West Virginia underwent a rebranding.
Erin Stone, assistant executive director said, “We are so excited about this. We have been the Women’s Resource Center for a very long time …. and this rebranding is really just a way for us to encompass everything that we do.” Stone went on to say, “I think a lot of people assume when they hear Women’s Resource Center, I know I did before I really knew a lot about the organization, that they cater to women, and we do, but we also take care of people, we take care of men, we take care of children, we take care of people who maybe are in an older community … anyone who is suffering from domestic violence, abuse, sexual assault, anyone that’s experienced stalking or human trafficking.” She went on saying, “We do all of that and we do it no matter what your age or race or gender or any other stipulations that you can think of that would put you into a group. We’re here to take care of you and that is the big reason for our rebranding.”
The new name for the resource center is AWAY which stands for Advocating A Way for Adults & Youth. Stone said, “We are really proud of that because we feel like it just really encompasses everything that we do and all of the people that we take care of.” She went on to say, “Advocating means a lot of things and we do a lot of advocating in a lot of different ways.” Stone listed some of the ways the center can aid those they serve. This includes legal, medical, protective orders, “We help people every single step of the way and it’s not based on agenda, it’s based on need. That’s why we are here.”
With the rebranding of the center comes, not only a new name but also a new logo. The new logo for AWAY depicts arms hugging a shield and the colors are an ombre of purple and teal. Stone said the colors are one of the things that make the logo special. She noted that much like different cancers are represented by different colors, so too are victims of various crimes. She said, “When it comes to victims of crimes, they also have specific colors and purple is for domestic violence and teal is for sexual assault.” Stone said these are two of the biggest issues they encounter. She also said, “I think it’s just such a really beautiful representation, you know, having people just wrap their arms around you, that’s kind of what we like to do as an organization, we’re helping people get out of some of the worst times of their lives.”
AWAY serves multiple areas in West Virginia. The main office is located in Beckley with outreach centers in Fayette, Nicholas, Summers and Raleigh counties.
The month of October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Because of this, AWAY has candlelight vigils scheduled at their various outreach areas. The Nicholas County vigil is set for Oct. 21, Raleigh County Oct. 26 and Fayette County Oct. 27. Stone said, “We’re going to be honoring and remembering the people that we have lost over the past year and the people who are still fighting.” The events will be in-person, but will also be live-streamed via Facebook for anyone who wants to attend virtually. More information on these events is available on the Women’s Resource Center Facebook page. Also, Causeacon, which is a pop culture convention that supports the center, is still scheduled to take place this coming April.
Domestic violence can take many different forms. While physical abuse is what many people think of when talking about domestic violence, there are many other variations. Stone said one of the reasons they are so passionate about what they do is, “because there are people out there who need help and they may not realize where to turn, they may not even realize they are experiencing domestic violence.” Other forms of domestic violence include emotional, mental and financial. The abuse can come from a partner, a family member or even a friend.
The effects of domestic violence are vast and felt by more than just the victim. Family, friends, witnesses all feel some effect from domestic violence. Because of this, AWAY offers resources for the victims as well as witnesses.
According to data compiled by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), 33.6 percent of West Virginia women and 41.2% of West Virginia men experience violence or stalking from an intimate partner during their lifetime. This same data states that one in three homicides in West Virginia is related to domestic violence. On a typical day, hotlines dedicated to domestic violence receive approximately 21,000 calls, which equals about 15 calls per minute. Stone said, “We’ve seen where these can end up, you know sometimes it starts verbal and mental and it ends very physical; so we’re really passionate about what we do because we don’t want it to get to that point.”
If you or a loved one is experiencing domestic violence and/or sexual assault, do not wait, reach out for help as soon as possible. If you think you or a loved one may be the victim of abuse, talk to someone. The same is true for anyone dealing with stalking or human trafficking. AWAY has a 24-hour crisis hotline available at 304-255-2559. You will be connected to an advocate when you call. Stone said, “If anyone has questions or needs help, call us, call, call, call. We are here.”
AWAY also has a brand new website with resources and information. Visit www.awaywv.org. If you feel unsafe at any time while visiting the site, there is an “escape” button that will close the tab and erase the site from your history.
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