HOPE Agency advocates for domestic violence victims

According to information from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, on average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During a year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.

One in three women and one in four men have been victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime. One in four women and one in seven men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the HOPE Agency can provide aid to those who fined themselves in a domestic violence situation. Agency director, Molly Lockhard, said the agency is state and federally funded and is currently only able to focus on domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. The agency advocates not only to current victims within those focal points, but also past victims.

The agency also coincides with Department of Family Services, and provides a 24-hour hotline people can call.

Lockhard said it’s mainly law enforcement officers who give out information about the HOPE Agency when they respond to domestic violence calls, though sometimes counselors and advocates also respond, bringing any resources a victim might need, whether it be clothing, counseling, food or shelter.

“We meet them where they are at, and get them to where they need to be,” Lockhard said.

Community support is very important in helping victims of domestic violence. Lockhard explained victims can feel shameful, and it’s important for friends and family to not only support those victims, but also supporting their coming to the agency.

On a month-to-month basis, Lockhard said the number of calls they receive at the HOPE Agency varies. Factors such as the season or holiday can have an impact, as these might bring about additional anxieties that can cause people to act out violently. On average, Lockhard said, they usually see one or two new domestic violence victims per month and two new victims of sexual assault per year. She emphasized these are new clients, though the agency also sees returning victims as well.

When people come to the HOPE Agency, Lockhard said, they are able to get information that can help them understand there is a problem in their relationships. The agency, she explained, is more about making relationships better and not about getting people to leave those relationships.

Abuse, Lockhard said, doesn’t have to be physical, as it can be mental and emotional as well. “It’s not one definition put in a box with a bow,” she said. Signs of abuse include your partner checking your social media, not allowing you to go out by yourself, not letting you talk to loved ones, putting you down, preventing you from working or threatening.

Those who think they are in a violent situation can call the hotline or 911 for help. Those with children can also develop a safety plan to know how they and their kids will react if a violent situation happens. Items to consider when putting together a safety plan include making sure money, keys, medications and important papers — such as identification and other legal documents — are handy in event of a quick leaving.

Talking to someone can also be beneficial, as part of the abuser’s power comes from secrecy of their actions.

Though things might get to the point where help for a relationship is no longer working and one person makes the decision to leave the other, HOPE Agency can help with that transition as well. Lockhard said some might feel they don’t want to leave a relationship because they are unsure whether they will make it financially. The agency provides a Financial Empowerment program, designed to help people manage their finances. The program is a few weeks long, and helps people take stock of what they have and their expenses.

People are invited to stop by the agency at 426 Big Horn during regular hours, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, for more information. The hotline is available 24 hours at 864-4673.