|
Domestic Violence Counts
The National Census of Domestic Violence Services
Executive Summary for
Arkansas
Download this report as a PDF file (56 KB)
"The complexity of the issues is very diverse - the lives we touch on a daily basis. How does one capture the joy of a woman finding
a job? How does one capture in one day the numerous systems we interact with, to advocate, to seek change? And how we do that
today is different than how it will look tomorrow."
-An urban program
On November 2nd 2006, 22 out of 29 identified local domestic violence programs (76%) in Arkansas participated in the
National Census of Domestic Violence Services (NCDVS). Designed to address the safety and confidentiality needs of
victims, the Census collected an unduplicated, non-invasive count of adults and children who received critical services from
local domestic violence programs during the 24-hour survey period. Since some local programs did not participate, this
Census provides a powerful glimpse but remains an undercount of the actual number of victims who sought and received
services.
VICTIMS SERVED
During the 24-hour survey period 164 victims of domestic
violence received housing services from a domestic
violence program, either in emergency shelter or
transitional housing.
327 adults and children were served in Arkansas.
- 111 adults and children found refuge in emergency
domestic violence shelters
- 53 adults and children were living in transitional
housing programs, designed specifically for
domestic violence survivors
- 163 adults and children sought non-residential
advocacy and services such as individual
counseling, legal advocacy, and children's support
groups
"We are really struggling with capacity issues right now.
We've had two months of turning people away more often
than not."
-A suburban program
LIMITED RESOURCES
Programs reported a considerable unmet demand for
services due to a lack of resources, including limited
staffing and overflowing shelters.
64 requests for services were tragically unmet due to a
lack of resources.
- 18 unmet requests for emergency shelter
- 2 unmet requests for transitional housing
- 44 unmet requests for non-residential services
HOTLINE CALLS
Domestic violence hotlines provide critical support and
information for victims in danger. 100 hotline calls were
answered, more than 4 hotline calls every hour.
PREVENTION AND EDUCATION
Local domestic violence programs implement prevention
and early intervention curricula at schools, and provide
trainings in the workplace and to the broader community.
- 65 people were trained during the survey day by local domestic violence programs.
LIMITED STAFF
Most programs operate with relatively few staff.
- 62% of participating local programs employ less
than 10 staff
- 10% employ 10-20 paid staff
- 28% staff numbers not provided
"We have NO paid staff. We function with all volunteers and
they are getting tired."
-A suburban program
COMMUNITY POPULATIONS
Across Arkansas, local programs provide support to
victims in a variety of communities.
- 52% of local programs are primarily rural
- 10% of local programs are primarily suburban
- 10% of local programs are primarily urban
- 28% community type not provided
Download this report as a PDF file (56 KB) |
