(2/13/19) Domestic violence can happen to anyone.
But those living at or below the ALICE level are at a greater risk.
Of the 907 adult victims of domestic violence in Northeast Louisiana who The Wellspring provided services to in 2018, 748, or 82%, came from a household with an income of $16,000 or less.
The Wellspring is working to lower that number…
Valerie Bowman, Director of the Domestic Violence Program from The Wellspring
“What we do is we help an individual that’s leaving a domestic violence situation to rebuild their lives,” says Valerie Bowman, Director of The Wellspring’s Domestic Violence Program. “We give them hope, we give them safety, we give them security.”
And their impact is already being felt.
“Well the first thing that we do is we save lives actually,” says Bowman. “We’ve seen a reduction in our homicide rate here for female victims killed by males.”
The Wellspring offers a number of free services for individuals dealing with domestic abuse.
“Maybe it’s something like just needing the emergency shelter,” says Bowman. “Maybe it’s needing ongoing counseling after they’ve ended a violent relationship.”
But by far the most important The Wellspring can say, is that if you’re a victim of domestic violence, call their crisis line at (318) 323-1505.
“If someone is in an abusive situation…reach out for services,” Bowman says. “Our services are confidential, and we’re hear for to help them end that violent situation, and no longer be abused.”
