Non-Profit Spotlight:
Hope Harbour (Columbus Alliance for Battered Women)
For many of people in our community, there would never be a need to know about finding a shelter or looking for services to escape domestic violence. Unfortunately, for far too many people, this need exists. In fact, one in four women and one in nine men in the United States have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. And scarier still is the fact that Georgia ranks 9th in the nation for the rate which women are killed by men.
Available Services
Women (and men) who are victims of domestic abuse need help that goes beyond just simple shelter for a short period time. Hope Harbour provides comprehensive services to meet this need in Columbus and the surrounding areas that include:
- 24-Hour Emergency Shelter – Hope Harbour provides shelter to women and children in a secure, undisclosed location that is staffed 24×7. They are also able to provide shelter for men who are victims of domestic violence at an alternate location. If you need help, you can call 706.324.3850.
- 24-Hour Crisis Line – The crisis line is answered by trained staff and the calls are confidential. The phone number is 706.324.3850.
- Outreach Programs – All of the services that are available at the Emergency Shelter are also available for people who are outside the shelter. Clients are able to work directly with an Outreach Advocate by calling 706.221.4774.
- Legal Advocacy – Hope Harbour has a Legal Advocate who helps clients navigate the process of obtaining Temporary Protective Orders and helps assess additional legal needs and refer to additional resources as needed. The Legal Advocate can be reached at 706.221.4774.
- Community Support Groups – Hope Harbour hosts support groups for survivors of domestic violence at different locations in the community.
- Domestic Assault Response Team (DART) – This partnership between Hope Harbour and the Columbus Police Department allows for the free-flow of information and for advocates and law enforcement to work together to engage high-risk victims with support and services at the time of the crime.
- Community Education – Hope Harbour provides education to multiple groups in the Columbus area, tailoring their message based on the audience.
Volunteer Opportunities
If you have been looking for volunteer opportunities, there are many ways that you can support Hope Harbour. Whether it’s as a children’s aide, a shelter aide, administrative work, or working with special events – Hope Harbour needs you. There is also a Hope Harbour Auxiliary which is a group that helps with fundraising and being a community advocate.
For more about Hope Harbour’s volunteer opportunities, or about the services it offers, visit http://www.hopeharbour.org/.
For the most recent CDC statistics on domestic violence, you can access those here.
