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| The South Shore Women's Resource Center located in Plymouth, MA |
One night, a woman with a baby arrived on Jim Hardeman’s doorstep.
The woman had been a victim of domestic violence and she was seeking help. Jim
sat and spoke with her, but he did not know of any services that he could refer
her to. Unfortunately, the woman ended up returning to the domestic violence
situation. Jim was distressed over this woman’s circumstances, so he gathered a
group of volunteers and in 1978, The South Shore Women’s Resource Center was
established.
A few weeks ago, our
United Way headed down to Plymouth, MA to visit The South Shore Women’s
Resource Center and meet with Program Director, Kathy Spear. Kathy gave us a
tour of the facility and described the many services available for both men and
women in domestic violence situations.
The South Shore Women’s Resource Center offers an array of
programs that provide support, advocacy and counseling to victims of domestic
violence. Kathy noted that even though statistically, women are more likely to
be victims of domestic violence, men can be victims as well and the center
provides services for them too. The South Shore Women’s Resource Center works
from an empowerment model, giving victims the power of decision making and developing
their self-esteem. Financial
constraints, lack of child care and continued harassment from the batterer, however, can make it difficult for a victim to
come in to the center, so support is also provided over the phone and through a
24-hour hotline.
The South Shore Women’s Resource Center has five advocates working
in four different court systems. These advocates assist victims who are trying
to obtain a restraining order by giving them emotional support and by helping
them to complete paper work. Other services offered include a food pantry,
outreach work in schools, and a counseling program for family members and
friends who have lost someone to homicide.
Our United Way has been providing funding to the South Shore
Women’s Resource Center for many years. The money is currently being used for
domestic violence counseling, both within the agency and within the surrounding
community. It is also used for outreach educational prevention services in
schools. These outreach programs aim to educate students about teen dating
violence, substance abuse and healthy relationships.
Kathy began working as the Program Director for the South
Shore Women’s Resource Center in 2006 and has found it to be a very rewarding
experience. “I am very impressed with the staff here” says Kathy, “I don’t
think I’ve ever worked with a group of people that have worked so hard and who
have volunteered so much of their own time.” Kathy also enjoys witnessing
victims develop or reconnect with their own personal sense of empowerment.
The South Shore Women’s Resource Center has been aiding
victims for over 35 years. They are extremely dedicated to providing safety and
support, advocating for social change and ultimately bringing domestic abuse
and violence to an end. Kathy feels it is very important for people to
understand that domestic violence isn’t just a women’s issue or an individual
issue. “Domestic violence impacts all of
us,” she says “and we are all responsible for being part of the solution.”
- Jess Zaniewski, Marketing Intern
Check out our Interview with Program Director, Kathy Spear!:
If you’d
like to find out more about The South Shore Women’s Resource Center, please
visit their website: http://www.thesswrc.org
