WrittenbyScotneyYoung
WeAreDoorways
Astoryaboutwhoweareandwhatwedo
WrittenbyScotneyYoung
IllustratedbyWindyHutabarat
This book is dedicated to Judy Fiske Moak and Kevin Moak, who made Doorways’ Prevention Program possible.
Doorwaysisateamofpeoplethatworktogethereveryday tohelpotherpeoplewhohavehadhardexperiences.
Wecallthem survivors because theyhavesurvived,orlived through,somethingreallyhard, andtheyneedsupport.
Someofthesurvivorsthatwehelparegrownupswhohaveexperiencedsomethingcalled
Thismeansthegrown-up’spartner,forexample theirhusband,wife,girlfriend,orboyfriend, isdoingthingsthatarehurtingthem. Thisiswrongbecause peoplewholoveyou shouldn’thurtyou.
Othersurvivorsthatwehelparegrown-upswhohaveexperienced sexual violence.Thismeanssomeonehastouchedorhurttheir body,typicallyontheirprivateparts,inawaytheydidnotlikeor withouttheirpermission. Thisiswrong becausenoone shouldtouchyour bodywithout yourpermission.
Wealsohelpgrown-upsandtheirchildrenwhentheyare i i h l
orinacarbecausethey didnothaveaplacethat wasjustforthem.
Doorwayshasaspecialphonenumbercalleda hotline that anyonecancallanytime,dayornight, togethelp.
ThepeopleatDoorways workhardtohelpthese survivorsinalotofdifferent waysdependingonwhatthe survivorsaystheyneed.
Wehelpsomesurvivorsbyprovidingasafeplaceto stayforthemandtheirchildren,andeventheirpets!
Wekeepthemcompanyiftheyhavetogotothehospital andhelpthemdealwithlegalissues.
Wehave counselors sosurvivorsandtheirchildrenhave someonetotalktoabouttheirfeelings.
OtherDoorwaysteammembers helpthesurvivorsachievetheir goals,likefindingworkifthey needit,oranewplacetolive.
Wealsoteachgrown-upsand childreninthecommunityhow tohave healthy relationships.
Wedoeverythingwecanto helpsurvivorscreatethelife thattheywantsotheycan feelsafeandhappy.
Wealsodependonthecommunitytocollectmoneyanditems thatthesurvivorsmightneedforthemselves,theirchildren, theirpets,ortheirnewhomes.
Letmetellyouastoryaboutalittleboy namedJuan.
Juanwassixyearsoldwhenhe cametostayattheDoorways
Safehouseshelterwithhis motherandsiblingsafterthey experienceddomesticviolence andhadtoleavetheirhome.
Asthebigbrother,hefelthe neededtobestrongforhis siblingsandhismother.Hewas doinghisbesttoremaincalm, responsible,and“okay,”buthe wasexperiencingalotofstress andanxiety.
SoonafterarrivingatDoorways,duringoneofJuan’ssessions withhis children’s counselor,heshowedheralargedrawing hemadeofavolcanoerupting.
WhatdoyouthinkJuanwas feelingwhenhedrewthis?
Afterafewmonthsofworking withtheteamatDoorways, Juanandhisfamilymoved fromtheshelterintotheir veryownhome.
Meanwhile,Juanearnedpraiseatschoolforbeingoneofthe brightestandfriendliestkidsinhisclass.Juan’schildren’s counselorwasdelightedtoseeJuanthrivinginhisnew calmandviolence-freehome.
Inasessionwithhiscounselor,Juanchosetoexpresshimself throughartagain,butthistime,hedrewsomethingdifferent. Hedrewabigcolorfulhome withabeautifullandscapeof fountains,birds,andtrees.The lineswerestraightandclear, andheusedcalmcolors.
Whenhewasfinisheddrawing,helooked upathiscounselorandproudlysaid,
“That’smynewhome.”
Howisthisdifferentfromthe pictureofthevolcano?
If you or someone you know has experienced or been impacted by domestic violence or sexual assault, you are not alone.
We encourage you to contact Doorways’ 24-Hour Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline at 703-237-0881 for support, information, safety planning, and referrals to services.
Glossary
Counselors: Professionalswhosurvivorsandtheirchildrencantalktoabout theirfeelings. Children’s Counselors arededicatedtosupportingchildrenand families,andtheyprovidespecializedsupportforkids,suchasartandplaybasedtherapies.
Domestic Violence: Whensomeone’spartner,forexampletheirhusband, wife,girlfriend,orboyfriend,isdoingthingsthatarehurtingthem.
Healthy Relationships: Relationshipsthataresafe,mutuallyrespectful,and whereeachpartnerisequal.
Homelessness: Whenpeopleorfamiliesstayinplacesotherthanahome,like afriend’shouse,ahotel,oracar,becausetheydonothaveasafeplacethatis justforthem.
Hotline: Aspecialphonenumberthatanyonecancallanytime,dayornight, togethelp.
Sexual Violence: Whensomeonehastouchedorhurtasurvivor’sbody, typicallyontheirprivateparts,inawaytheydidnotlikeorwithout theirpermission.
Shelter: Asafeplaceforpeopleandfamiliestostaytemporarilywhenthey areexperiencinghomelessness,domesticviolence,and/orsexualviolence.
Survivor: Someonewhohassurvived,orlivedthrough,something reallyhard.
AboutDoorways’Preventionand OutreachProgram
Doorways’ prevention programming was launched in 2020 by the $300,000 Moak-Fiske Prevention Innovation and Investment Gift.
Doorways is extremely grateful to Kevin Moak and Judy Fiske Moak for making this gift in honor of Kevin’s mother, Evelyn Arnold Moak.
Doorways’PreventionandOutreachProgramaimstocreatea culturethatservestopreventsexualandintimatepartner violence.Basedontheprimarypreventionframework,Doorways’ preventioneffortsaimtochangethesocialnormsthattolerate andperpetuateviolenceviameaningfuloutreachandprevention curriculadevelopedforyouthofhistoricallymarginalizedgroups. Thegoalistocreateaculturewhereeveryonehasthetoolsto buildhealthyrelationshipsbasedonrespect,equality,andsafety.
Doorways’PreventionandOutreachprogramfacilitatesworkshops, activities,andeventseducatingindividualsintheArlingtonareaon topicsthatsupportthedevelopmentofhealthyrelationships. Torequestaworkshop,visitwww.doorwaysva.org/prevention. Formorehealthyrelationshipresources,visit www.doorwaysva.org/healthy-relationships.
