Battered women face uncertainty as domestic violence shelters fill up

October 5, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

On a typical night, an administrator at Sojourner House, a domestic violence shelter at an undisclosed location in Youngstown, plays phone tag with other shelters.

Malinda Gavins said, more often that not, when someone asks to stay at the shelter, its 25 beds already are full. So, Sojourner House will call other shelters, such as Someplace Safe in Trumbull County or even to shelters in Columbiana or Ashtabula.

Bonnie Wilson, a director at Someplace Safe, which can host 30 people at a time in its Mercer Street shelter in Warren, reports the same phenomenon. Oftentimes, Someplace Safe will call every shelter in the Valley only to find they don’t have any room either. If that happens, Wilson says the organization will try to help someone find friends or family to stay with, though that can be difficult since perpetrators of domestic violence often operate by isolating their victims from loved ones.

In 2014, Sojourner House sheltered 97 women and 71 children. Gavins said she didn’t have exact numbers for 2015 so far, but she did note that the shelter housed 44 people last month – a record high, according to institutional memory.

“One positive thing about domestic- violence services in the area is that we communicate very well with each other,” Gavins said. “And we’re all seeing the same increase, and we’re wondering why.

A clear cause eludes Gavins, though she hopes the increased demand comes from more people being aware of resources and asking for help.

“I like to think it’s because people are more educated on these issues, but I really don’t know,” Gavins said.

In 2014, Someplace Safe hosted 108 women and 93 children, and the shelter says it’s also noted rising numbers.

The most dangerous time for a domestic violence victim is after he or she decides to leave, according to a National Crime Survey by the U.S. Department of Justice.

A protection order is helpful but often isn’t enough to put a domestic violence survivor at ease, Gavins noted.

“That’s a piece of paper; that’s not going to stop a bullet,” she said.

People often ask why victims stay with their abuser and fear of violent retaliation is a common factor. Moreover, perpetrators will create dependence by isolating victims, controlling their finances and systematically tearing down self-esteem with physical and verbal assaults.

Though shelters are a temporary solution, they provide support and a safe haven for someone who’s made the difficult decision to leave. Gavins says that even when Sojourner House finds a woman a spot at another shelter, sometimes the woman doesn’t want to move her family to another county. Gavins can understand why.

“It’s a lot for someone to leave someone they believe will change and who they’ve been with for years” Gavins said. “Women will ask, ‘Why does my abuser get a slap on the wrist when I am the victim here, yet I’m the one who has to leave with just the clothes on my back and completely uproot my life?”’

Gavins, who’s worked for Sojourner House since 1993, chose her career path after hearing there were more animal shelters than domestic violence shelters. There are about 1,500 battered women’s shelters in the United States and 3,800 animal shelters.

For Sojourner House’s 24-hour hotline, call 330-747-4040 or 866-436-6269.