How the Women’s Center SouthCoast Helps Domestic Abuse Survivors

The national statistics are frightening: one in two female murder victims, and one in 13 male murder victims are killed by their intimate partners.

Sixty-five percent of all murder-suicides are perpetuated by intimate partners. In addition, one in 10 women and one in 50 men have experienced stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime.

These are the types of situations being dealt with everyday at the Women's Center, located at 174 Union Street in New Bedford.

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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Women's Center Director Kristin Batstone stopped by Townsquare Sunday this week to spread the word about its programs for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

"For 50 years the Women's Center has been at the forefront of the women's rights movement," Batstone said. "We're serving survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in 13 cities and towns on the SouthCoast."

The Women's Center's services are free, confidential and available 24/7.

The programs are all about safety, hope and empowerment. They include court advocacy, adult counseling, emergency shelters, transitional housing, support groups, and a specialized program for young people who have been traumatized.

"Our services are multi-cultural and multi-lingual because we know domestic violence doesn't distinguish between cultures, economic levels or any other barriers," Batstone said.

"Domestic Violence is a community problem," she said. "It affects survivors ability to work, their mental health, it destabilizes homes and harms children, and creates a physical threat in our neighborhoods."

Batstone said the Women's Center and its community partners are working every day to address those issues.

Batstone said a growing trend nationally is to get more men involved in the process.

"Let's say if 20 to 30 percent of men are perpetuating violence, that means that around 70 percent are not," she said. "We invite those men to join in this work, stand up when they hear something disrespectful, and counsel other men about relating to others in ways that are non-abusive."

The Women's Center Hotline is staffed 24/7. Anyone in immediate need should call (508) 999-6636. To learn more, visit the Women's Center SouthCoast website.

The complete interview with Kristin Batstone can be heard here:

If you would like your organization featured on Townsquare Sunday, please email the host at jim.phillips@townsquaremedia.com.