The Santa Clarita Domestic Violence Center (DVC) assisted with the needs of more than 500 call-in victims seeking help during the past 12 months.
Now there is a way for you to help serve the financial needs of the 21-year-old operation. The organization is listed as a charity on Ralph’s website. All you have to do is visit www.ralphs.com, click on the community contribution link, followed by the participant link and sign up your name and Ralphs card number. The NPO is 84341. Everything is automatic with funds being donated by Ralphs to the Santa Clarita DVC every time you shop at your local Ralphs and swipe your card.
Additional services provided by the DVC include support groups and temporary safe houses. During the past six months, 25 families have used the safe house option for shelter.
The number of volunteers who facilitate batterers’ programs for men and women has been declining over the past few years and DVC would like to see a fresh new corps of people willing to undergo a 40-hour domestic violence facilitator training program and lead these groups one night a week after serving one year as a trainee with an experienced facilitator. The batterers’ programs are mandatory 52-week sessions for men and women who have been convicted of or plead guilty to charges of domestic violence. Due to a lack of facilitators, the group sizes have been slowly shrinking to about 25 to 30 men and 15 to 20 women per group, yet the need still remains should there be more facilitators available.
The goal of the DVC is to raise public awareness of physical, emotional and sexual abuse in relationships in order to eliminate the cycle of violence. If you believe you or someone you know may be a victim of domestic violence, please call us at 661-259-HELP.
For further information or to volunteer at the DVC, visit www.domesticviolencecenterscv.org or call 661-259-8175.