Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Programs
The Domestic Violence program and the Sexual Assault program work to reduce the physical, psychological and emotional trauma, recurrence of domestic violence, sexual assault and incest experienced by victims and their families. All VIP services are free and confidential.
24-Hour Hotline: If you or someone you know is involved in a crisis, call (800)-286-4184 or (609)-646-6767, and for the hearing impaired, we offer a text line, (609)-569-5437. Trained counselors and staff are on call 365 days a year to assist you with crisis intervention, emotional support, information about the emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy and other community and social service resources.
Shelter: 24-hour, temporary, emergency and protective housing, in a confidential location, for you and your children to stay until your domestic violence crisis passes or you can relocate.
Counseling: Because domestic abuse and sexual assault are crimes of violence, you may feel overwhelmed with feelings of isolation, distrust, anger, guilt, depression and/or loss. You do not have to face the trauma of violence alone. Individual, family and/or group counseling can help promote healing and positive change in your life.
Father’s Ending Abuse: Counseling for batterers to control anger and eliminate abusive behavior. You will learn how to break the cycle of violence in a supportive group environment facilitated by a trained counselor. For more information contact our Father’s Ending Abuse Program at (609)-601-9925 ext. 1018.
Legal Advocacy: If you are a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault and need legal assistance, AVANZAR can support you through the criminal justice process. AVANZAR will help ensure that your safety and rights are protected however, we cannot offer legal representation or provide you will an attorney. However, our Legal Services Coordinator can give you information, counseling, accompaniment and follow-up support through the confusing, and often overwhelming, legal system.
Sexual Assault Response Team/Forensic Nurse Examiner Program (SART/FNE): If you have been sexually assaulted, you may choose to activate a Sexual Assault Response Team. The team is a group of professionals and volunteers trained to provide compassionate emotional support to sexual assault victims while using state-of-the-art evidence collection tools and techniques for use in prosecuting offenders. Each Sexual Assault Response Team includes a forensic nurse examiner, a rape crisis advocate, a law enforcement officer and an assistant prosecutor.
Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT): AVANZAR trains police department volunteers to become certified crisis counselors who respond to the station immediately following a domestic violence incident to ensure quality support services are provided to the victim. These services include: counseling, assistance with filing a complaint and obtaining a temporary restraining order, locating temporary safe housing, and educating about the issues and implications of domestic violence.
Sexual Assault Volunteer Coordinator: AVANZAR will help train volunteers to become crisis advocates through our 40-hour training session. In this training session, trainees will go out on sexual assault calls at local hospitals and accompany victims to the police stations to make a report on their assault.
Primary Prevention Specialist: AVANZAR offers classes on rape prevention by teaching media literacy and safe dating (Healthy Relationships). Media literacy will help inform you on the affects of how we see others in a negative way. An example of this would be the objectification of women and how it is exploited through the media, thus misleading others into believing that women are objects.
Community Education: Specialized training and community awareness presentations are available for all professional and community-based organizations to further understanding and awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault issues. Trainings and presentations may be tailored to your organization/audience needs. For more information on community education, please email your request to Percy Figueroa at percy.figueroa@avanzarnow.org.
The Clothesline Project: Similar to the AIDS Quilt, the Clothesline Project addresses the issue of violence against women through a visual display of shirts hung from a clothesline, each decorated by a victim or someone who cares about her. For more information on the Clothesline Project or to submit a request, please contact Donna D’Andrea at Donna.Dandrea@avanzarnow.org.
Emergency Cellular Phone Program: Cellular phones re-programmed to automatically dial 911 and/or AVANZAR’s 24-hour hotline are provided at no cost to domestic violence victims who are in imminent physical danger.
