More About WC&S

As one of the first six shelters for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) victims in the nation, WC&S has been a leader in the Battered Women's Movement since its inception in 1974. WC&S began as a safe shelter and volunteer hotline in the South Hills. Subsequently, in 1976, the program moved to the basement of the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in East Liberty. WC&S then moved again in 1983 to a new East End facility with a shelter capacity of 32. In 1995, WC&S secured its current facility located in the Oakland/Shadyside area. In addition to expanding shelter capacity to 36 women and children, during this critical time, programs expanded to provide comprehensive prevention and intervention services to victims of domestic violence and their children who did not need to reside in shelter.

The mission of WC&S is to advance the safety and wellbeing of victims of IPV and prevent and respond to IPV through social change. Last year, WC&S served 6,508 individuals through all programs and services. By program, WC&S answered 5,263 hotline calls, served 3,881 legal advocacy clients, sheltered 259 women and 248 children, cared for 292 children in the children's program, provided crisis intervention to 149 medical advocacy clients, counseled 285 clients in a support groups and individual counseling, and delivered legal representation to 339 civil law project clients.

Women's Center & Shelter Programs & Services

The Children's Center
Children, too, suffer the effects of domestic violence. At Women's Center & Shelter, children receive counseling, learn alternatives to violent behavior and explore their feelings in age-appropriate support groups on-site as part of the Children's Counseling Center.

Children in shelter also receive on-site medical care and dental screening. Additionally, the Center offers child care free of charge, places children in feeder schools, provides clothing and school supplies and numerous other services.

Civil Law Project

The Civil Law Project's (CLP) goal is to fill existing gaps in free legal services available for domestic violence victims and to offer other specialized domestic violence legal expertise.

Education

Our Education Department offers prevention programs to schools, community education and outreach to increase awareness and understanding of domestic violence. Additionally, the Education Department provides professional training for child welfare professionals, clergy, healthcare personnel, therapists, human service providers and community groups to teach identification and intervention with adult and child victims.

Empowerment Center

Many victims may not need shelter, but benefit from other services offered at Women's Center & Shelter such as counseling, legal, medical and financial advocacy, and children's services. Victims can receive group support and children's services through the Empowerment Center.

Hotline 412-687-8005

A call to the Hotline is often the first step a victim takes towards a violence free home. The Hotline is answered 24-Hours a day by highly trained Hotline Advocates, who discuss with callers their feelings, legal options, counseling issues, safety plans and any other domestic-violence related issues the caller may have.

Legal Advocacy

Legal Advocates provide information, resources, counseling and support to victims of abuse as well as accompaniment throughout the complex and often overwhelming legal system. Legal Advocates also work with the many components of the justice system to improve policies and procedures and train police officers on domestic violence issues.

Medical Advocacy

Medical Advocates provide counseling and support to victims of domestic violence, early intervention in domestic violence-related situations, and training and support to medical professionals. By training medical professionals on the importance of screening each patient for domestic violence, Medical Advocates work toward creating greater awareness and support for victims of domestic abuse who are seen by the medical community.

MEN/s Group (Men Embracing Nonviolence & Safety)

WC&S offers MEN/s Group for men who need help with their violence or abuse. Each group meets for 24 sessions and focuses on stopping violence. It encourages men to change their attitudes and beliefs that perpetuate domestic violence, realize how they create many of their own conflicts, take responsibility for their actions, understand the impact of their behavior on themselves and others, and give up control tactics and their sense of entitlement to use them.

Shelter

Shelter is provided to women and child victims of domestic violence who are in immediate danger. In shelter, women are offered individual counseling and support groups, legal, medical and housing advocacy, employment assistance and children's services. WC&S houses up to 36 women and children at any time.

Accomplishments

The highlights of our work are as follows ~

• On November 1, 2014, the national version of the RUSafe App was released. This dangerous relationship assessment app helps users identify if they are in a potentially dangerous relationship and connect them to a domestic violence hotline in their area. The national spokesman for RUSafe is Pittsburgh Steeler, William Gay.
  
  
• In 2014, Women's Center & Shelter celebrated 40 years of service to the Pittsburgh Community. A commemorative 40th Anniversary event was held on May 2, 2014 at the Frick Art & Historical Center raising over $285,000 for WC&S' programs and services making it the highest grossing and most well attended event in the organization's history.
  
  
• In 2014, Women's Center & Shelter and Newton Consulting designed and launched a smartphone App called RUSafe. The App is a dangerous relationship assessment that invites the user to answer a series of questions about his/her relationship. The App then calculates the responses, and if there is cause for concern, will connect the user to 911 or the WC&S Hotline depending on the severity of the situation. RUSafe was conceptualized as an extension of Pittsburgh's work with the Maryland Lethality Assessment Program.
  
  
• Beginning July 1, 2013, Women's Center & Shelter's MEN/S Group is now 1 of only 2 Batterer Intervention Program (BIPs) in Allegheny County to be fully certified. The MEN/S Group is expected to increase from 3 groups to nearly 10 in the coming year, thus increasing safety for women and children.
  
  
• In 2013, Women's Center & Shelter worked closely with Pittsburgh City Council and other community groups to bring the Maryland Lethality Assessment Program to Pittsburgh. The program has the potential to result in a 40% reduction in domestic violence homicides and a 60% reduction in re-assaults based on the success in Maryland.