The Public Needs to Know: Draft Version

The local domestic violence shelters operate under four basic principles and philosophies. The four basic principles are also the four basic approaches, which include the philanthropic, therapeutic, activist and the bureaucratic, principles or approaches (Burnett, et.al 2015). The shelters, who follow the philanthropic approach, during the time of decision making give more emphasize to those problems that are related to homelessness and poverty. The shelters that follow the bureaucratic approach they emphasize more on the civil service, during the time of decision-making process (Kunkel & Guthrie, 2015). Therefore, these kinds of organizations providing shelter emphasize on having a coordination with those organizations or agencies that could provide service to those battered victims who had suffered from domestic violence. For instance, the organization, which is discussed in the particular article, “Abby’s House” is such an organization that provides shelters to the battered and the homeless women, whether they are married or not. The organizations that follow the therapeutic approach care more about the mental health of the people living in those shelters; these shelters give more emphasis to the counseling of the people staying in those shelter homes and houses. The activist approach of the organization allow the organization to think not only about the emotional needs of those people who, are taking refuge in those shelters but also the physical needs of the people are taken into consideration.  

One of the most important objectives of “Abby’s House” shelter is to provide home to the homeless woman. “Abby’s House is committed to ending homelessness. In this spirit, we have not expanded shelter services, but rather, have expanded the number of service-enriched, affordable housing units” (Abbyshouse.org, 2016).  

Among all the programs one of the important programs of the transitional home, “Abby’s House”, is associated to collection of the funds. Funds are being raised through donations and at times the friends of the victims as well as the near and the dear ones, who care for these survivors, provide funds to these shelters (Lantrip, et. al 2015).

The programs offered by the shelter include the length of the stay again is one of the most important thing that should be given importance at the time of decision-making. The length of the stay decides to how many victims the organization could provide shelter. At times, the organizations decide to limit the time, within, which the victims have to find their homes or any other alternatives. The step is taken only in case of an adult, such as a woman; and there are times when the organizations do not limit the stay of these victims in the shelters. Rather they hope that the victims will soon find an alternative quickly. At the time of decision-making process, it is also being made sure that the staffs are trained properly so that the works in the shelter runs smoothly (Kunkel & Guthrie, 2015).

The people suffering from domestic violence and domestic abuse is increasing day by day and the local shelter domestic shelters are those places, which could provide a safe solution to these people (McFarlane, et al. 2015). There are many study, and many research that have been conducted, in these shelters and the result of those research, is most of the shelters cater to the critical needs of those people who had face violence and abuse. Along with providing emotional benefits, the shelters provide, psychological, concrete, attitudinal, and educational as well (Chanmugam, Kemter & Goodwin, 2015). The organizations like Abby’s House are beneficial to the community as well because the service that is being provided to the community helps the community by empowering those who had to suffer from abuse daily.

Conclusion

The local domestic violence shelters actually allow the survivor to start a fresh life, forgetting the brutal past that they had experienced. If there were no transitional or the shelter homes then the people, facing abuse has to choose either a homelessness situation or a return to that old and violent situation, where they have to be always the butt of abuse and violence. The domestic violence shelters also empower the community as well.

References

Abbyshouse.org, (2016). Abby's House | Shelter • Housing • Advocacy. [online] Available at: https://www.abbyshouse.org/abbyshouse/ [Accessed 30 Jan. 2016].

Burnett, C., Ford-Gilboe, M., Berman, H., Ward-Griffin, C., & Wathen, N. (2015). A critical discourse analysis of provincial policies impacting shelter service delivery to women exposed to violence. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 1527154415583123.

Chanmugam, A., Kemter, A. J., & Goodwin, K. H. (2015). Educational Services for Children in Domestic Violence Shelters: Perspectives of Shelter Personnel. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 1-11.

Kunkel, A., & Guthrie, J. A. (2015). Survivor: Women's Stories of Navigation and Tensions in a Domestic Violence Shelter. Western Journal of Communication, 1-21.

Lantrip, K. R., Luginbuhl, P. J., Chronister, K. M., & Lindstrom, L. (2015). Broken Dreams: Impact of Partner Violence on the Career Development Process for Professional Women. Journal of Family Violence, 1-15.

McFarlane, J., Nava, A., Gilroy, H., & Maddoux, J. (2015). Risk of behaviors associated with lethal violence and functional outcomes for abused women who do and do not return to the abuser following a community-based intervention. Journal of Women's Health, 24(4), 272-280.

Murray, C. E., Horton, G. E., Johnson, C. H., Notestine, L., Garr, B., Pow, A. M., ... & Doom, E. (2015). Domestic violence service providers’ perceptions of safety planning: A focus group study. Journal of Family Violence, 30(3), 381-392.