Impact NW, Verizon team up for No More Week to raise awareness and encourage survivors to seek help
Domestic violence impacts one in three women. But most incidents of domestic violence go unreported. Even fewer people seek help.
Carmen is the exception.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), almost 1/3 of Oregon women reported experiencing some kind of intimate partner violence, stalking, sexual assault,
or physical assault.
After experiencing physical and verbal abuse by her fiance, Carmen sought help through Impact NW, a Portland-based nonprofit organization. Working with social worker Erin, Carmen, 41, rebuilt her connections with her sons, ages 9 and 11.
“Erin provided a loving, caring and open environment for them to be able to express themselves,” Carmen said about her children. “They began to trust her, mostly because of how she carefully interacted with them. She gave them respect. And in turn, they respected her.”
Combating Domestic Violence Together
Carmen’s story highlights the importance of seeking help after experiencing domestic violence. Impact NW is teaming up with Verizon this week, March 5-11, to raise awareness of domestic violence and to encourage speaking out and seeking help.
This week, March 5-11, is known as No More Week, a national effort organized by NoMore.org to raise awareness of domestic violence. Supported nationally by Verizon, No More Week encourages all of us to speak up, to give to programs that help survivors and to join with others who are making noise to raise awareness.
Verizon not only supports No More Week but also supports Impact NW’s work to help families such as Carmen’s. These efforts support families in healing from the trauma of domestic violence, strengthen parent-child bonds and end the cycle of abuse.
In 2014, Oregon sexual and domestic violence services received 131,050 calls for help. (NCADV)
Healing from Domestic Violence
“The boys and I are so happy and solid,” said Carmen, who lives in Northeast Portland. “With our own work, and work with Erin, we were able to get here today.“
Impact NW helped Carmen through its Parent Child Therapeutic Services. Erin met with the family regularly to talk about their experiences and feelings with the goal of healing the parent-child relationship following domestic violence.
“What is most worthwhile in our service is the amount of time we can take to get to know parents and provide information and support around traumatic experiences,” Erin said.
