SafeHouses
The DVCC has two residences that provide temporary shelter for victims of domestic violence and their children. Our goals are, first, to ensure the safety of residents and, second, to help equip them for an independent and self-reliant existence after they leave the SafeHouse. Whether for a few days or a few weeks, DVCC residences offer a safe haven…Read more
Counseling Services
DVCC’s professional staff of counselors provides crisis intervention, safety planning and individual and group counseling in both English and Spanish to anyone who may be experiencing domestic abuse. Our counselors are sensitive to the special needs of victims of intimate partner violence and offer flexible schedule times and a supportive environment to help them work through the issues associated with abuse ....Read more
Children Services
Domestic violence affects each and every person living in an abusive home, and is especially detrimental to children. While children may not be the target of violence, living in an abusive household affects them deeply. We assist children in our programs through counseling, a nurturing environment and age-appropriate education about domestic violence ....Read more
EsperanzaCT
EsperanzaCT allows DVCC to provide comprehensive services to Spanish-speaking victims through a Spanish language service line available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and via a web-based services center that is culturally and linguistically appropriate to the Spanish-speaking community. Trained Spanish-speaking counselor/advocates are available 24/7 on the Service Line to answer questions…Read more
Legal Advocacy
Combining advocacy, assistance, counseling and home visits, our legal services provide victims of domestic violence with information, support and an understanding of their legal rights. DVCC Domestic Violence Victim Advocates in the Stamford and Norwalk criminal courts help individuals navigate the criminal justice ....Read more
Medical Advocacy
The Medical Advocacy Project promotes earlier identification of victims through the use of universal screening at point of entry to the health care system; provides on-site advocacy services to domestic violence victims in hospitals, clinics and medical offices; and implements a comprehensive educational training ....Read more
Housing Advocacy
DVCC's Housing Advocacy Project provides supportive services to victims of domestic violence in finding and retaining affordable housing. The housing advocate works with private landlords, local and state government housing groups and community allies in an effort to create and sustain housing options for victims ....Read more
Financial Advocacy
Next to dealing with the toll domestic violence takes on one’s physical, mental and emotional health, one of the biggest challenges faced by victims leaving a relationship is money. DVCC helps clients meet these challenges by offering training and information on financial management. Counselors give finance workshops for clients ....Read more
Education Advocacy
The DVCC looks for every opportunity to provide victims of domestic violence with the tools needed to move forward. One of our goals is to help them obtain the knowledge and skills needed for employment and self-sufficiency. Through offering our own classes and workshops and partnering with community agencies, we continually find ways to educate and empower our clients ....Read more
About PeaceWorks
PeaceWorks, a prevention education project of the DVCC, believes the prevention of violence in our society begins with the education of children. PeaceWorks provides tools for our pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade youth to help them learn how to solve conflicts peacefully and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships. PeaceWorks also teaches empathy, tolerance, self-awareness and respect towards all. Our professional staff provides…Read more
Teen PeaceWorks
Teen PeaceWorks recognizes the importance of teen leadership and advocacy.It gives teens in area high schools the opportunity to stand up against teen dating violence, an issue that affects so many teens in our communities. The student-led groups raise awareness about the issue of intimate partner violence and the importance of maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships. Teen PeaceWorks activities…
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Peace WORKShops
PeaceWorkSHOPS are conducted onsite at afterschool programs, faith communities, youth organizations and social service agencies for students in pre-K to twelfth grade.PeaceWorkSHOPS curriculum is interactive and age-appropriate and is an extension of PeaceWorks School Based Programs. Because PeaceWorkSHOPS programs are conducted over a period of weeks…
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CCR to Teen DV
The goal of the DVCC Coordinated Community Response to Teen Dating Violence is to increase access to services and ultimately reduce the recurrence of teen dating violence in the Stamford community. To achieve this goal, the CCR has begun to strengthen existing programs and communication among community systems in order to link services and provide teens with quality youth-focused resources…Read more
Training
The DVCC continually seeks ways to partner with members of the community in the effort to end domestic violence. Community-based initiatives provide awareness and prevention education through programs offered to a wide variety of audiences, including civic, government and social service organizations, businesses, PTO’s, faith communities and professionals in the law enforcement, medical and educational fields ....Read more
Volunteers
Volunteers are an integral part of the DVCC’s effort to serve victims of domestic violence. While volunteer projects and departmental needs are always evolving, the role that volunteers play in our agency is an ongoing and essential one.All prospective volunteers attend a 30-hour Educational Seminar, which provides information about the dynamics of intimate partner violence and ....
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Task Forces
Domestic Violence Task Forces in Darien, New Canaan, Weston, Westport and Wilton actively promote awareness about intimate partner violence within their communities. While many of their activities focus on October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, they meet throughout the year, offering a variety of presentations and forums on issues surrounding domestic violence and teen dating violence ....Read more
Board of Directors
DVCC is led by a volunteer board of directors drawn from the community we serve, with a broad range of corporate, legal, educational, financial, media, human resources and other professional backgrounds.Read more
Research
DVCC is committed to keeping current with best practices and the most up-to-date research in all areas that affect victims of intimate partner violence.From attending medical conferences on IPV to researching legal policies to incorporating educational best practices in our PeaceWorks programming, we are working to provide information that will best serve our clients, our partners and the communities we serve…
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Advocacy
DVCC advocates for victims of domestic violence in many ways, from providing direct support for individuals to promoting systemic changes in the way our courts and medical communities respond to victims to partnering with other entities to provide a better and more informed response to victims.Read more
Policy
Changes in policy result from research and advocacy. DVCC works to influence policy through advocating for laws that will benefit victims of domestic violence.We research best practices, write position papers, meet with law makers and provide testimony. Recent changes in state laws benefit victims of IPV, but we have a long way to go. Here we document policy updates….
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Partnerships
DVCC is privileged to have close relationships with government, social service and private organizations that enable us to reach out to victims of IPV where they are most likely to be and to offer them a full range of services. Our partnerships are both the result of advocacy and a vehicle for greater advocacy to further the rights of victims…Read more
DVCC Updates
Education Forum with Dr. Jacquelyn Campbell
The Domestic Violence Crisis Center is pleased to invite members of the community to a presentation by one of the foremost thinkers and a highly ... Full story
Client Voices
'The Experience Was Like a Horror Movie'
“In group, it’s good to talk about feelings. I felt so bad and didn’t want to talk to anybody. But when I heard other stories, I realized I wasn’t the only one to suffer abuse and felt more comfortable sharing.” ... Full story
DVCC 360
January 2012 Verve: The Need to Overhaul Connecticut’s Civil Restraining Order
When Connecticut’s 2012 Legislative Session begins in February, DVCC360, along with the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence and its member programs, will seek to have ... Full story
Peaceworks News
The Perils of ‘Puppy Love’ Bring Teen Dating Violence to the Forefront
“We ask kids, ‘What is respect? Is it okay to have someone tell you what to eat, how you should eat?’ We want to empower them to think, ‘I don’t deserve to be treated that way.’” ... Full story
Legal Advocacy News
New Director of Court and Legal Advocacy
One of Carrie Bernier's earliest memories as a volunteer with the Women's Crisis Center in Norwalk was a Valentine's Day party at the shelter, ... Full story
Counseling News
DVCC Counseling News
Over the past few weeks, DVCC counselors in Stamford and Norwalk have seen an average of 60 to 70 clients a week, a number that ... Full story
EsperanzaCT News
November 2011
In keeping with providing victims of domestic violence with a wide circle of critical resources, the DVCC is excited to announce EsperanzaCT, Connecticut's first Spanish ... Full story
Children Services News
Peaceworks Programs for Pre-K
PeaceWorks believes the prevention of violence in our society begins with the education of children and, as such, provides tools for our pre-kindergarten to twelfth ... Full story
SafeHouse News
Thank You
A special thank you from the DVCC to all who so generously have supported us and those we serve throughout the year. We truly appreciate ... Full story
Safety Planning
Stalking and Technology
More and more attention is being paid to the dangers of cyber stalking and the use of technology to monitor and control victims of domestic ... Full story
Partnership News
Pet Shelter for DV Victims
There are many reasons a victim of domestic violence may opt not to go to a shelter or safe house, but now the fear of ... Full story
Medical Advocacy News
Stamford Hospital Presents Embracing Workplace Wellness
Expert panel discussion on leveraging your wellness efforts for maximum results. October 12, 2001 ... Full story
Housing Advocacy News
Housing for Victims of Domestic Violence
A few months ago, DVCC Housing Advocate Katie Evans took a phone call from Kelly, a former client who was excited because she had received ... Full story
Financial Advocacy News
Financial Empowerment for DVCC Clients
"I learned how to handle my money, and for the first time learned that I had to handle MY own money - it wasn't ... Full story
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