Victims of violence have ready Advocates

Lisa Lee is executive director of Advocates to End Domestic Violence.

How long has Advocates to End Domestic Violence been helping the public?

Advocates was formed by concerned citizens in 1979, and began helping victims in 1980.

Do you assist men as well as women?

All of our services, from crisis intervention to shelter, is offered to all victims, without preference to gender.

Is there a common age or does domestic violence affect everyone?

Family violence happens to people of all racial, economic and religious groups. Families who are forced to seek the safety of the shelter are often without financial options that more affluent families may have.

What do you do with children who come in with a battered mother?

Children are often the most affected by experiencing family violence. Advocates' shelter strives to provide a home-like environment free from terror and violence so that families can rebuild their lives. Parenting classes and a children's program are designed to provide the necessary tools and skills families need on their path toward healing and moving forward.

How many clients to you assist a month/year?

Last year, nearly 7,000 nights of shelter were provided to victims and their children. Staff and volunteers provided crisis intervention to more than 3,400 crisis calls as well as assisted with 921 protection and stalking orders. Our Sexual Assault Response Team (SARA) assisted more than 400 victims through the crisis hot line and provided hospital advocacy to 33 victims of sexual assault.

These numbers don't represent the countless hours of counseling, support groups, parenting classes, teen dating prevention classes, court accompaniments and community awareness Advocates provides annually.

How are services paid for?

Advocates is able to provide services through fund-raising efforts, Classy Seconds Thrift Shop, grants and the generosity of the community of Carson City.

What other programs do you offer?

A 24-hour crisis hotline; 51-bed emergency shelter; 14-bed transitional housing; parenting classes; court advocacy; support groups; individual counseling; sexual assault crisis intervention; teen dating violence prevention; community education and awareness and Women To Work.

How many volunteers do you have?

Between the crisis hot line, court, SARA, office and Classy Seconds, Advocates has 133 trained volunteers who give their time and efforts to help others in need. In addition, more than 100 people volunteer annually to help produce Taste of Downtown, Advocates' largest fund-raiser.

How many paid staff do you employ?

Advocates' crisis intervention components staffs 10 full- and part-time positions. Volunteers play a key role in reaching and aiding victims and their families in addition to the countless volunteers who help make the thrift shop run.

How can the community help?

Advocates relies strongly on community support from volunteers to food drives. Throughout the year, Advocates turns to the community to support our Women To Work clothing drives, holiday food drive, Thanksgiving and Christmas family adoption and support of our various fund-raising events. It is only through community donations and support Advocates is able to reach out to those in need.