CULLMAN, Ala. – The stated purpose of Victim Services of Cullman, Inc. (VSC) is “to lead the community in the prevention of domestic abuse by providing emergency shelter, advocacy and education throughout Cullman County, all in an effort to break the cycle of abuse and help promote peace in every family.”
Executive Director Carol Horstman told The Tribune, “Domestic and sexual violence represents a significant public health problem in our community. As a provider of domestic and sexual violence crisis recovery services, Victim Services is committed to the mission of ending the cycle of violence in Cullman County. It is gratifying to watch the men, women and children we serve begin to heal and change as they participate in our programs. We believe that through helping individuals heal from the trauma of domestic and sexual violence, we are helping create a stronger and healthier community.”
By the numbers
VSC services provided in 2019 included:
- 521 calls to VSC’s 24/7 HELPline
- Emergency shelter to 134 adults and 47 children
- Domestic violence and/or sexual assault counseling for 212 individuals
- 80 participants in support groups for adults
- 37 participants in support groups for children
- 42 parenting class participants
- 296 safety plans
- 65 protection orders
- accompanied 22 domestic violence or sexual assault victims to medical appointments
- accompanied 34 victims at court or other law enforcement/legal interviews
- 204 referrals for housing, employment, other services
- 57 graduates of Domestic Violence Intervention Program
- 72 Community Education presentations
- 27 children sponsored for Christmas
- Volunteers contributed more than 4,500 volunteer hours.
Said Horstman, “(It) 2019 has been an exciting year of growth for Victim Services. We are continually looking for ways to better serve our community and improve upon our existing services and programs. Through grant funding from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs totaling $921,490.69 and local contributions of over $73,000, Victim Services has been able to continue and expand upon our abuse recovery services for individuals and families.”
New VSC services begun in 2019 included:
- Transition Shelter – Horstman explained, “Because many survivors of domestic abuse are not equipped to live independently when they have to exit our short-term emergency shelter, we opened a long-term transition shelter and established programs to help survivors get back on their feet and be able to support themselves and their children. While in the transition shelter, residents have access to counseling, support groups, life skills classes, parenting classes, job, education, and housing assistance and referrals. It is our hope that this program will decrease the likelihood of clients returning to their batterer or to homelessness.”
- Children’s Trauma Recovery Program – Said Horstman, “We believe that in order to complete our mission of ending the cycle of violence, early intervention is key. Children who witness abuse are far more likely to either become abusers or victims in the future which continues the generational cycle of abuse in families. To better meet the needs of these children, Victim Services has expanded our services to include age-specific support groups using the S.K.I.T. program (Supporting Kids in Transition) and therapeutic play activities for children while in shelter, as well as children of outreach clients.
- Spanish Language Outreach and Services – Horstman said, “To remove any obstacle to receiving services, we have added a 24-hour Spanish helpline and an on-staff interpreter to better serve our growing Spanish-speaking community.”
Community support a big key to success
Horstman explained, “We had amazing community support over the past year and are extremely grateful to our community partners, United Way of Cullman County, City of Cullman, Cullman County Commission and TJ Maxx, and the civic groups, businesses, churches and individuals who provided financial support. We are also thankful for those who gave their time and donated items to our agency. Monthly donations from Wal-Mart Distribution Center provided essential items that are used in our shelters and to clients as they move into their own home. We appreciate support from other local agencies such as Curt’s Closet who provides clothing to our families who many times leave their abuser with nothing but the clothes they are wearing, and the Cullman food pantry who has generously given meat and other food items to our shelters.
“Last year’s inaugural Masquerade Ball was a great success, raising over $6,000 for our shelters. It was so much fun to see members of the community get all dressed up (complete with masks) and enjoy food, drink and dancing in support of Victim Services. We were pleased to have such a great response from local businesses who contributed items for the silent auction. We are already making plans and looking forward to this year’s Masquerade Ball and expect even greater community participation.”
Planning for the future
VSC hopes to see its services continue to expand, and its wish list includes:
- Sexual assault examination room in Cullman County – “At this time, adult victims of sexual assault must travel to Huntsville or Birmingham for a sexual assault examination or rape kit,” said Horstman. “With increased funding, Victim Services could open a sexual assault examination room and employ a nurse who is certified to perform the exams so that victims can have the care they need here at home and not have to experience the additional trauma of having to travel an hour for care.”
- Satellite offices throughout the county to provide easier access to VSC services.
- A van or car to transport clients to and from work, appointments, etc., and to transport children to and from school.
Get involved!
How can community members help out VSC? Horstman had a few ideas:
“As with all nonprofits, funding is always a big need. We are grateful for any financial donations whether it be $10 or $10,000. Our financial officer knows how to make the most of any financial donations we receive!
“We are always happy to get items collected during food, toiletry or paper drives. This allows us to use the money that would go to those items to purchase other necessities.
“Volunteers are crucial and are used for all types of services – receptionist, housekeeping, repairs, lawn care, HELPline response, office help, outreach and fundraising events.”
The final word
Horstman concluded, “Cullman may be a small town, but our shelters and outreach programs rival those of larger communities across the state. I may be biased, but I believe we have the best, most qualified staff around. Victim Services’ administrative staff have countless hours of training and experience to go along with their degrees. Our shelter staff go through extensive training from the Alabama Coalition Against Rape and the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and are required to complete the National Advocate Credentialing Program provided by the Office for Victims of Crime. Survivors who come to Victim Services for help can be assured of receiving a high standard of care from well-trained, caring professionals.”
For more on Victim Services of Cullman, Inc., visit www.victimservicesofcullman.com or /www.facebook.com/victimservicescullman/ or call 256-775-2600.
Copyright 2020 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
