Funding will help domestic violence survivors

Funding will help domestic violence survivors

New information -- more help is on the way for some of the people who need it the most in north alabama.

Domestic violence advocates say coronavirus can make it more difficult for some victims to escape their abuser.

Waay 31's grace campbell shows you how two of these groups are using a new state grant... and brining services to people who need help but can't leave the house because of covid.

Both the crisis services of north alabama and ashakiran plan to use the funds to make their virtual assistance safer and more easily accessable.

The ashakiran community outreach coordinator told me the grant will help them bring services directly to people on a laptop or phone.

Pkg: cara godlesky, ashakiran community outreach coordinator: "whether that is virtual counseling sessions, whether its to be able to talk to them remotely in a more confidential way, or having a safe online confidential server.

Things like that because without those in place people, again, cannot go to work then they cannot go and seek the help that they need."

Ashakiran is a statewide agency providing free resources such as counseling and shelter to trauma patients.

Its community outreach coordinator, cara godlesky told me a xx grantfrom the state will help provide more secure and private virtual assistance to clients who cannot escape their abuser.

Cara godlesky: "we really wanted to focus on updating our communications and our technology so that we can talk to clients or reach clients and other organizations remotely, and make sure they will not be exposed and make sure they are out of harms way."

The crisis services of north alabama offers similar services but will use its xx a little differently.

Devolopment manager, becky cecil, explained some money will go to telehealth counseling while the rest is spent on more ppe at its shelters.

'"we haven't stopped working since covid happened.

We've had to change things a little bit to accommodate, but we haven't ever stopped servicing the clients that need us in north alabama."

Coronavirus limits the number of volunteers and employees the crisis services of north alabama can have operating their phones, so they are working to find more safe services to provide their clients with the volunteers they have.

"with people being home more, we see a lot more calls but we're limited to how many we can take based on our volunteers.

So, the more volunteers we have, the more calls we can take."

In huntsville, grace campbell waay 31 news.

Coming up when students in north alabama will be able to get access to new technology for their online clases.