Aiding Women in Abuse and Rape Emergencies (AWARE), Inc. provides comprehensive services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and trauma and their dependents; and prevention, education and coordination to increase understanding of violence against women and children and to encumber cycles of violence.
There is an urgent and widespread need for services that both prevent and reduce the impact of domestic violence, sexual assault and child victimization on the residents of Northern Southeast Alaska, a need which places an enormous stress on communities and resources. During the last 5 fiscal years, AWARE provided an average of 5,461 nights of safe shelter. During the first three quarters of FY 12, AWARE has already provided 5,264 nights of safe shelter. AWARE serves the residents of the City and Borough of Juneau (population 31,275), and the communities of Haines (1,713), Skagway (920), Hoonah (760),Yakutat (662), Gustavus (442), Tenakee Springs (131), Klukwan (95), Pelican (88), and Elfin Cove (20). There is no roadway linking Juneau to thee communities; three are joined to a Canadian and Interior Alaska road system; the others are accessible only by boat or plane. Most are seasonal cruise and fishing destinations with very limited resources. AWARE recruits and trains volunteer advocates and safe home programs in each community, and offers training/ education for service providers. We transport victims/ survivors to AWARE for safety and comprehensive services. Four rural communities have city police departments and magistrates (Haines, Hoonah, Skagway, and Yakutat), Gustavus has federal law enforcement at Glacier Bay National Park for emergency situations; all others rely on Alaska State Troopers. There are no health clinics/aides in Tenakee or Elfin Cove; others offer health clinics of varying size; Haines stands alone in offering mental health counseling services. Tribal presences exist in Haines, Hoonah, Klukwan, Skagway, and Yakutat. There are no OCS workers in the rural areas we serve- reports of harm are investigated by caseworkers based in Juneau or Sitka. Intervention and prevention services are designed to meet the distinct needs of each community. Our toll free crisis line is conspicuous so both victims and service providers can access services 24/7, ensuring victim needs are addressed immediately and effectively. Our outreach efforts focus on working with existing structures to build community advocacy groups.
AWARE’s mission is to provide safe shelter and supportive services for women and children who have been subjected to domestic or sexual violence, and to effect the social, political and legal changes needed to eliminate oppression and violence against women and children.
We need support for ongoing operations of our emergency safe shelter and for implementation of prevention strategies. We are also raising funds for the construction of 6 units of transitional housing for women and families leaving our short term emergency shelter.
Name of Organization:Aiding Women in Abuse Rape Emergencies (AWARE)
Number of Paid Staff:14 Full-Time, 10 Part-Time
Number of Volunteers:200
Total Organizational Expenses:$1,291,569
% of Organizational Overhead Expenses:19%
AWARE is staffed with trained advocates to provide a broad range of services to address both the immediate needs and consequences of domestic and sexual violence victimization, and the long term effects, for adults, children and non-offending family members. AWARE staff provides immediate safety/safe shelter for victims of domestic and/or sexual assault and their dependents, victims of elder abuse, and child abuse victims and non-offending parents. Shelter includes warmth, food, a bed, toiletries, towels, etc., an advocate to listen and provide an intake to assess for lethality, suicidal and homicidal ideation, and assist each woman with detailed and specific safety planning for her immediate situation. We provide transportation to safe shelter (AWARE) or a rural community safe home, (or a safe hotel for male victims) a 24 hour toll free crisis phone line, shelter intakes and safety planning with children, advocacy with the medical, social, law enforcement and mental health systems, accompaniments with victims during forensic and/or medical exams, legal advocacy to assist with immediate needs or legal actions which will have impact on the victim; information and referral to ensure effective utilization of community resources, crisis counseling for children and supportive caregivers to provide emotional support and guidance to help them cope with a given situation and determine future goals and actions. Intervention services include housing and financial advocacy, long term safety planning, services coordination with other providers, civil legal stabilization, weekly support and education groups for women and for children.
AWARE provides and promotes community based education and programs to prevent future incidents of domestic violence and sexual assault, and professional training for community partners in Juneau and rural areas on domestic violence, sexual assault, and trauma-informed care. We provide community leadership and coordination of Juneau’s Violence Prevention Coalition, and work to identify and adopt evidence based practices and research based evaluation measures to ensure effective prevention strategies. We facilitate Juneau’s DV Task Force and other coordinated community response groups and task forces to address the coordinated response to domestic violence and sexual assault, and to shape community policy and attitudes by reducing tolerance for domestic and sexual violence. AWARE staff also provides public presentations to schools, civic groups and the general public regarding personal safety, domestic violence, sexual assault and trauma informed care. Additionally, AWARE has nurtured relationships with local media sources and meets monthly with community partners for Juneau’s Sexual Assault Response Team. We work in coordination with community partners to integrate prevention strategies into every day life, and to create norms in Juneau and the rural communities we serve where abusive behavior is not tolerated, and where there is an expectation that survivors and their children receive safety and support and offenders are held accountable.
Expected results of our prevention and intervention services include, for individuals: increased safety and safety planning, knowledge of and comfort in accessing community resources, including services for children, understanding and appreciation of individual rights, personal power and compassion, knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of domestic violence, sexual assault and trauma; decreased sense of isolation and increased knowledge of legal rights and the civil and criminal justice process. In addition, we expect to impact policies and practices and champion their integration into various community settings indicating: coordination of efforts to address safety for women and children, batterers being held accountable, a strong presence in supporting victims and their rights, and long term safety and stability for survivors and their families.
AWARE also coordinates and oversees the Juneau Batterer Accountability Program, a 48 week program for domestic violence offenders, with a focus on victim safety and batterer accountability.
Several times a year AWARE holds a 10 week Healthy Relationships Class for women. The curriculum focuses on skill building in the areas of identifying feelings, boundaries, healthy communication and assertiveness. Class participants reported the following:
• “I’m more aware of when I’m trying to control things.”
• “I’m more confident to enforce my boundaries in an assertive way.”
• “I’ve become stronger and understand myself.”
• “I’ve learned to value myself more.”
• “I’ve learned how to diffuse and not be so defensive.”
Clothing
Elderly
Freedom
Peace
Poverty
Self Esteem
1. Collect items on AWARE’s wish list. We are always in need of toilet paper, black pens, sticky notes, flashlights, towels, twin size bed linens, new sweat suits and women’s underwear.
2. Locally: office and janitorial work, support cooking, gardening, car cleaning.
3. Become FB friends of AWARE and share information about AWARE and our prevention programs, spread the word.
Name:Saralyn Tabachnick
Title:Executive Director
Address:P.O Box 20809, Juneau, AK. 99802
Telephone:(907) 586-6623
Email:saralynt@awareak.org
Website:www.awareak.org