Needy Cases 2023: Women Aware moves survivors beyond domestic abuse in record numbers

For the 2,638 survivors of domestic violence, including 193 children, served by Women Aware in 2022, the New Brunswick-based nonprofit has been a lifeline.

A banner year, though in a tragic collection of the most recent data, Women Aware served the most domestic abuse survivors in the history of their agency.

The year saw 278 women and children sheltered by the agency, more than 11% over 2021. Women Aware provided 17,983 bed nights, more than 57% over 2021. Speaking with callers in more than 12 different languages, 8,763 hotline calls were answered, more than 20% over 2021.

That was the highest number recorded in the past 12 years, said Susan Dyckman, Woman Aware development director.

For 50 years, the state-designated lead domestic violence agency for Middlesex County, Women Aware moves survivors beyond abuse each year.

Founded in the 1970s, Women Aware started by providing shelter services to women seeking safety from domestic violence. When the organization became incorporated in 1981, the nonprofit began offering additional services. Today, the organization offers shelter along with legal advocacy, counseling, community outreach, supportive housing, liaisons in child protective services, community education and a creative art therapy program for children.

Women Aware continued to expand emergency shelter capacity through a hotel placement program to accommodate victims’ need for refuge and provided trauma reduction therapy to 51 children in the PALS (Peace: A Learned Solution) program.

Legal advocacy was provided for 1,672 clients, more than 47% over 2021. This included services such as court intervention, accompaniment and preparation; case management; legal clinics and workshops.

"Today’s Women Aware stands on the shoulders of pioneers who opened a shelter in Middlesex County in 1979 to hide and help women at risk of being killed at a time when domestic violence was something no one talked about," said Woman Aware CEO Phyllis Yonta. "From these community roots, Women Aware continues to grow, building bridges to like-minded service providers, funders, and donors to raise awareness and move victim-survivors beyond abuse."

Recently, Women Aware became the lead agency for the recently opened Middlesex County Family Justice Center (FJC). The Middlesex County Family Justice Center is the first of its kind in the county and only the fifth in New Jersey. A groundbreaking initiative, FJC acts as a coordinated community response to domestic violence and sexual assault.

Needy Cases Fund 2023: How to help your neighbors in need during the holidays

The goal of the FJC is to reduce domestic violence homicides and increase the safety and confidentiality of domestic violence survivors and their children in collaboration with co-located victim services agencies, Dyckman said. The FJC helps survivors and their families get the resources and support they need at one location.

Women Aware is responsible for its day-to-day operation.

"Working collaboratively, in one space, under the umbrella of the Family Justice Center, our purpose is to radically improve family safety as well as offender accountability," Yonta said.

Woman Aware recently launched the Middlesex County Family Justice Center website. The site offers information on the help and services available, accessing help, safety planning, connecting with resources, and on news and events.

There were many challenges in 2023, Yonta said.

Woman Aware managed more cases where victim-survivors were strangled or sexually assaulted. There also were increased incidents of restraining orders being violated.

In response to the many challenges, Women Aware housed adults and children for longer periods of time. Further, Women Aware instituted facilitated supervisor training through the Alliance for Hope International Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention to better understand the short and long-term impact of strangulation on victims.

All Women Aware Client Services team members became certified in the Jacquelyn Campbell Danger Assessment and in turn, provided that training to Middlesex County FJC partners.

This year, Women Aware also developed a high-risk team composed of senior staff. The high-risk team closely reviews domestic violence cases associated with high lethality factors, providing additional support and follow-up to the victim, Dyckman said.

There were many positive banner year moments as well, she said.

Women Aware published "A Victims’ Rights: Understanding and Accessing the Protections Afforded by Law" and produced a video series project made possible through funding from the IOLTA Fund of the Bar of New Jersey that also was cosponsored by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation.

Woman Aware’s Domestic Violence Response Team program also earned the 2023 New Jersey Governor’s Volunteerism Award for First Responders.

Woman Aware also welcomed three new partners to the FJC – Dress for Success Central New Jersey, REPLENISH and Middlesex County Family Court. Partners already on board are the Middlesex County Office of Human Services, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Middlesex County Center for Empowerment, Central Jersey Legal Services, Jewish Family Services, American Friends Service Committee, Middlesex County Board of Social Services, New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency, Coming Home of Middlesex County, Manavi, Town Clock Community Development Corporation and A Partnership for Change.

The FJC is open for walk-ins from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at 100 Bayard St. (fourth floor) in New Brunswick.

Dyckman said Women Aware relies on community support to fund and fulfill its mission to provide free and confidential services to survivors moving beyond abuse.

"Women Aware is fortunate to receive financial support from an array of government, corporate, and foundation funders as well as individual donors," Dyckman said. "All are committed to saving the lives of victim-survivors of domestic violence and their children. Together, we give survivors hope for a brighter tomorrow. Financial donations are needed to ensure that free and confidential services continue to be available to individuals in our community who seek lives free from violence."

The Woman Aware annual holiday gift program will be comprised of gift cards only. Gift cards give victims of domestic violence some financial independence, helping them purchase what they need for themselves and their children, Dyckman said.

Suggested gift cards include Visa, Uber, Target, Walmart, ShopRite, and movie theaters. Gift cards can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday at 250 Livingston Ave. in New Brunswick. Please call 732-249-4900 ext. 0428 before stopping by or with any questions. Gift cards also can be mailed to Women Aware at 250 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, NJ 08901.

How to support the Needy Cases Fund

From Nov. 26 to Dec. 3, the Courier News, the Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com are focusing on 11 organizations serving Central Jersey as part of the annual Needy Cases Fund program.

The Needy Cases Fund is a Central Jersey holiday tradition, stretching back more than seven decades. The community-service project has been sponsored by the Home News Tribune and its predecessor, the Daily Home News, working with the Lions Club of New Brunswick. The Courier News has joined the Home News Tribune in sponsoring the charity since 2020.

email: cmakin@gannettnj.com

Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Women Aware moves survivors beyond domestic abuse