Local help is available to victims of domestic violence

By Scott Kimbler, AccessWDUN.com

As a part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, AccessWDUN sat down with the Executive Director of Gateway Domestic Violence Center in Gainesville.

Jessica Butler said domestic violence affects one in four women in their lifetime. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, it also affects one in seven men.  Nationally, 20 people are touched by domestic violence every minute. That amounts to more than 10-million people every year.

Locally, the Gateway Center is available to women in need.  According to Butler, domestic violence often goes unchecked.

“It can be really difficult for people in the community to know how to respond,” Butler said. “So, we encourage people to learn more about the issue so they they can help out someone who may be impacted by domestic violence.”

She said the center offers a host of services for people in need.

“We will bring them in, see what they need and try to meet those needs,” Butler said. “For some people, it is participation in a support group. Other people may need a place to live. We (Gateway) can help with all of that.”

Butler went on to explain the center offers legal advice, housing, food, counseling and other services, all of which are bilingual and free. She said Gateway keeps all information provided by victims confidential.

She said the end of a relationship is not always the outcome.  Sometimes, Butler said women just need someone to talk to, to get an idea of what they should do.

To read the original article, published Oct. 16, 2017, on AccessWDUN.com, click here.