GLASTONBURY, Conn. — The Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) is the lead agency tackling domestic abuse in our state, and they're boosting awareness as Domestic Violence Awareness Month is just days away.
They want people to know that help is available 24/7, and that there are resources available to help them take the first step to get to safety.
“We certainly know there are individuals out there experiencing abuse and may not even know it, that haven’t reported it. And we want to encourage people to reach out for help,” said Meghan Scanlon, President and CEO of CCADV.
All 18 member organizations across the state helped 37,000 people last year, Scanlon said. At their information and resource line, CT Safe Connect, 13,000 victims were helped.
New this year, the website has been revamped to provide even more resources for those who need them, including a description of the signs of different types of abuse. This, was after the entry system was created in 2019, just before the pandemic.
“We never had a main entry point into the system before. So, all of our 18 sites before Safe Connect, they all had their own hotline numbers. And essentially, you call the one that answered and there wasn’t really an organized way of going about that. And I can tell you since Safe Connect’s existence, the calls have increased,” Scanlon said.
And now, the calls they are getting seem to be getting more severe. At the same time, the 18 shelters across the state are over capacity by 150%, according to Scanlon.
Still, advocates say they will never turn a phone call or a safe place to stay, away.
“We are here to help. At any given moment that you are safe to make that call,” said Katherine Verano, CEO of Safe Futures, which serves the 21 towns and cities in southeastern Connecticut.
Verano said last year, they helped close to 10,000 victims and that need is also growing.
“Law enforcement in southeastern CT identified 522 victims at risk of being murdered. Not just re-offended, but murdered. And connected them immediately to services,” Verano said.
Those resources are what Cheryl, a survivor of domestic violence, said saved her life.
“They were a voice when I was like, ‘I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know.’ And they were like, ‘Yeah you can. You’re going to do it, let’s go.’ You know, and they were that nudge when I started doubting,” Cheryl said.
Cheryl reached out for help in 2017, when she said her now ex-husband tried to kill her. She said it was a typical day out on a field trip with her daughter when she came home to a drunk and very angry partner. When she tried to calm him down, she said he began to choke her, with the kids watching closely.
“In that minute, I was like, I’m going to die, my kids are going to watch, and I’m going to die,” Cheryl said.
Then, a neighbor stepped in and saved her life. Cheryl said the police then connected her to Safe Futures.
“It became apparent that I needed to focus on the kids. And they told me I had a bed and shelter and I went,” Cheryl said. “I was a shell when I walked in there and now, I feel like I made something of my life.”
For the next few years, Cheryl said Safe Futures helped her and her kids with everything they needed including housing, clothing, and help with court dates. An advocate helped her gain custody of her kids again. Now, she said she’s happier than ever and she wants others who may be in a similar situation to take that first step and reach out for help.
“I’m blessed that I can give them (the kids) a different future. And that I can show them strength. And I can give them that,” Cheryl said.
If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, visit CTSafeConnect.org or call or text (888) 774-2900. Advocates are available 24/7, and all languages are supported. If you’d like to remain anonymous, you can do so.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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