Alexandria Domestic Violence Program

Description

Professional staff and trained volunteers serve as advocates for victims of abuse, responding directly to help victims in an organizational context. All services of the Domestic Violence Program (DVP) are free and open to Alexandria residents who have been physically or emotionally abused, or threatened with abuse, and their children at no charge. The philosophy of the Domestic Violence Program is self-help and the right to self-determination. Battered individuals are adults who are making difficult choices during crises. They are often facing multiple material and emotional losses-the loss of a relationship, the loss of the comfort of home, disruptions for the children, the shame of admitting the abuse, and the exhaustion that comes from living in constant fear. Over time, the abuser strips away the victim’s sense of control and dignity. The Domestic Violence Program staff and volunteers work with each survivor to return her/him not only to their normal level of functioning, but hopefully to a higher level of functioning and one which is violence-free.