Dear Friends,

As we enter the New Year, it is hard to image that thousands of women and children will face abuse and fear for their safety this year. 1 in 4 women experience abuse during their lifetime.

At least 32 adults died because of domestic violence in Kansas in 2009 – that’s 26 percent of all adult homicides. In addition, 13 children died in relation to domestic violence during the year.

Since 1992, Catholic Charities Harbor House has provided a safe haven for hundreds of women and children and a 24-hour crisis line that offers safety planning for thousands each year. At the shelter, women find a welcoming facility and dedicated staff and volunteers who understand their needs. Women and their children stay in a room with a full bathroom, offering them privacy and space to begin the healing process. Onsite counselors are available to the women and to the children. While women work toward establishing a life without abuse, the shelter wraps them in supportive services to help ensure success – physically, emotionally, and financially.

As you make plans for the New Year, I encourage you to take time to count your blessings reflecting on the safety of your own home and family. I challenge you to learn about the signs of abuse and how you can help. Domestic violence is a community issue. Join us as we seek to empower the victim, but also the bystander.

Sincerely,

Janet Valente Pape
Executive Director
Catholic Charities, Inc. – Diocese of Wichita