Love Should Never Hurt
photo by Jen Navarro
Genesis House Honors Domestic Violence Awareness Month Genesis House, Lorain County’s only domestic violence shelter, takes full advantage of October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month to spread awareness of this crime, its impact on our community and share services available to victims and perpetrators. Domestic Violence Awareness Month was first introduced in 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. It was created not only to bring more awareness but to connect and unify the millions of victims and their loved ones that had been affected due to this crime. Every year in the U.S., around 10 million people become victims of domestic violence, about 20 people every minute. In Lorain County, there have been more domestic homicides in the past year than in the past three years combined. This crime is often done in private; October is our opportunity to be loud with our efforts and remind survivors that we see them, we are here to help, and we care. It is also an opportunity to remind batterers that this behavior is unacceptable, we see them, and we are dedicated to holding them accountable.
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Since 1995, Genesis House has been working to provide a comprehensive range of family-focused services for Lorain County Victims of domestic violence. We strive to provide tools to both victims and loved ones to maximize the opportunity to survive and families to heal. We want survivors to obtain physical and mental well-being to minimize the trauma involved in coping with domestic violence while helping them gain independence.
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We serve as part of a collaborative community effort to provide a responsive system of care for victims, accountability and education for perpetrators, and raise awareness about domestic violence.
Genesis House provides shelter for adults and children fleeing from an abusive intimate partner. Aftercare Services are for survivors who have left the shelter and want to stay connected to us to increase their social system and gain additional knowledge and skills. The 24-hour hotline and chat line provide information and support. The numbers are (440) 244-1853 or (440) 323-3400. Support Groups are for survivors who want additional information and support. Legal Advocacy is for folks going through the justice system who could use support and accompaniment at court hearings or obtaining a protection order. A Children’s Advocate is available to work with kids in the shelter and facilitates a children’s art group for kids in the community who have witnessed violence. Our Community Education team is in the schools providing prevention and intervention programs to teach students what a healthy relationship looks like, red flags of a dangerous relationship, and how to ask for help. MAP (Men’s Anti-Violence Program) is a 26-week batterers intervention program focusing on accountability and the ideology of abusive men. We host a podcast called Love Shouldn’t Hurt, a safe and confidential way to learn about domestic violence for all community members.
