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Domestic Violence does not discriminate in all types of relationships. In fact, LGBTQ+ and heterosexual couples can experience the same rate of domestic violence (VAWnet). Unique challenges some queer survivors face include the threat that no one will believe them because of their identity. During Pride Month, it is important to highlight the resources DASH and other D.C.-based organizations in the area provide for queer survivors. 

DASH is an inclusive space for all survivors. We make it a priority to highlight the availability of our services to members of the LGBTQ+ community. DASH also ensures that families can stay together in the same unit, regardless of the gender identity or sexual orientation of their children. 

Here are other LGBTQ+ organizations in the area that can support you:

The DC Center for the LGBT Community offers social peer groups and community resources in DC.

SMYAL is the largest LGBTQ youth housing provider in the DMV region. In addition to providing housing, their programs support residents with case management, food, and mental health resources.

The Wanda Alston Foundation specifically provides transitional housing to LQBTQ+ youth aged 18 to 24 in all eight wards of DC. 

Remember: You cannot be denied government housing services because of your sexual orientation or gender identity. If you have experienced housing discrimination for these reasons, please contact the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless or the Equal Rights Center. 

It’s also important to note that discrimination based on gender identity or expression is illegal in D.C., which means that any of the housing options available to female survivors are legally available to those who identify as women. 

To learn more about safe housing resources for the LGBTQ+ community, call our intake line at 202-290-2356. There is no need to feel ashamed to ask for help because you are in a queer relationship. 

Everyone deserves to be in healthy, loving relationships.

Stalking impacts 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men in the United States, and with January being National Stalking Awareness Month, DASH would like to raise awareness of this epidemic by highlighting the story of one of our stalking survivors, “Barbara.” 

Barbara is a single mother to one child who was involved in a domestic violence situation for several years with her child’s father. The last incident of physical violence occurred just a few days prior to Barbara getting in contact with DASH. She reached out to the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center and was placed in a safe house, eventually being housed through the Rapid Re-Housing Application, but her abuser managed to find her.  

Barbara requested a unit transfer through her Rapid Re-Housing case worker, and it was granted, however she could not move into the new unit for 2 weeks. She was fearful of remaining in the home because her abuser might come back. Thankfully, DASH was able to utilize our Safe Nights Fund Program to keep Barbara and her child safe until she could relocate. She was placed that day and has since moved into her new unit.  

Every year, 1 in 7 stalking survivors are forced to relocate because of harassment and in fear for their safety. Through its programs, DASH works around the clock to connect survivors to safety away from domestic violence.  

To learn more, visit the Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center (SPARC) which offers a variety of information related to stalking, including information on stalking, safety planning, and other resources. 

Techsafety.org offers a Toolkit for Survivors from the National Network to End Domestic Violence which contains safety tips, information, and privacy strategies for survivors when using technology. 

Or you can contact DASH by calling our intake line at: 202-290-2356. 

November is home to Trans Day of Remembrance, a day we use to memorialize those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia. While instances of trans mortality are higher across the board than their cisgendered counterparts, mostly due to lack of access to healthcare resources, trans individuals are also more than one and a half times more likely to be a survivor of any intimate partner violence, and two and a half times more likely to experience sexual intimate partner violence when compared to their cisgendered counterparts. These higher rates exist regardless of sex assigned at birth, with assigned-female-sex-at-birth transgender individuals having rates comparable to their assigned-male-sex-at-birth counterparts. 

It’s important to understand that sexual violence is not about sex, like most other forms of abuse, it’s about power and privilege. And there are few communities with less power or societal privilege than the trans community. This position puts our trans family at a uniquely high risk of being survivors of DV, IPV and SA. It is also most likely that a lack of legal protections against discrimination in employment, housing, and social services is what’s fostering this high risk. And the need for evidence-based interventions to prevent and address DV, SA and IPV in this incredibly vulnerable population couldn’t be more apparent.

DASH, as the largest provider of safe housing for survivors in the nation’s capital, is proud to offer our suite of services to all who need them. We also recognize the unique needs of the trans community when providing these services, and our programs are designed to keep in mind the specific needs of all survivors, but it doesn’t stop there.

DASH recognizes that transgender individuals should be explicitly included in the US Preventative Services Task Force’s recommendations promoting IPV screening in primary care settings. Interventions at the policy level as well as the interpersonal and individual level are urgently needed to address these epidemic levels of DV and SA in the trans community.

In addition to serving the trans population, DASH will continue to advocate and raise awareness for our trans family, a community which continues to demonstrate strength and bravery like none other.  

For more information on how you can help the trans community, click here and here. And check out our previous post on DV in the LGBTQ+ community here.

Donovan Trott, Manager, Development & Communications

This month in Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and in the spirit of raising awareness, we asked two of DASH’s direct service professionals what they wished the public knew about domestic violence.  

“What I wish people knew about Domestic violence is that healing is not linear. It truly takes a village coupled with many resources to begin the healing journey. It takes time, mistakes, and repetition. So, when survivors are finally out of a crisis that’s when the journey begins but that’s not when it ends. Healing is not a task one can simply check off, it’s a practice, A dedication that slowly is implemented into their daily lives, even in the “smallest” ways. Whether that’s getting out of bed, applying for jobs, using multiple resources to obtain assistance on a need such as Housing, Food, Security. It all leads up to the bigger milestone of healing. And even then … The journey is never truly over. It’s not a one stop shop with rainbow at the end.  Survivors of complex trauma such a Domestic Violence has a lifetime of healing and recovery to endure it takes a community to build one person. And It’s taking the one survivor to make a daily and active choice. Domestic Violence has no race, gender, religion, profession, economic status. It is does not discriminate. Therefore, because this crime is faceless, and it is not specific to any group.  We all play a role in ending domestic violence and refusing to collectively see the signs and end the cycle is a crime against humanity.”

“I wish people knew that domestic violence could happen to anyone at any time and it’s not something that can be easily identified. Picking up on warning signs and offering support to survivors is crucial. It is also important to have conversations and bring awareness to this issue. I wish people knew that domestic violence can negatively impact all aspects of an individual’s life and every survivor’s experience is different. ”

You can join both Tyissha and Jennifer on October 28^th for an honest discussion about how those not familiar with domestic and sexual violence can challenge themselves, and those around them, to create a society that does not propagate domestic violence or retraumatize survivors. 

Registration is free and open now: https://bit.ly/3Qpxs0b

Donovan Trott, Manager, Development & Communications

DomesticShelters.org has announced the winners of the 2022 Purple Ribbon Awards across 28 categories, as judged by a national panel of respected professionals from the domestic violence field. 

DASH has been awarded FOUR honors!

The Purple Ribbon Awards is dedicated to ensuring all heroic efforts to help victims of domestic violence receive acknowledgment and applause.  

Program/Shelter of the Year  

Cornerstone  

When DASH was founded in 2006, there were fewer than 50 beds for survivors in DC, just three years after opening, DASH tripled this number. Cornerstone provides low-barrier housing and services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their families from underserved communities, allowing them to rebuild their lives on their own terms. 

Employee of the Year 

Kandice Louis, Senior Director, Programs and Yeabsira Mehari, Senior Director, DISC   

Kandice & Yeabsira have worked in tandem to shepherd a passionate, reliable program for #DV survivors. They are two outstanding visionary leaders who have moved DASH to the next level, and together, they are transforming systems for survivors and creating a greater collective of care.   

Outstanding Youth Initiative of the Year  

Right to Dream  

DASH launched its Right to Dream scattered site housing program to support transitioning aged-youth (18-24) who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Right to Dream is the first program of its kind in the District of Columbia and surrounding areas, expanding the availability of youth-friendly, survivor-focused, long-term transitional housing and support services.  

Outstanding Advocate Training Program  

DASH Academy 

DASH provides housing and services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their families. Providing top-quality trauma-informed services requires ongoing training and exposure to cutting-edge techniques. The DASH Academy is our capacity-building program for Coaches—front-line staff. For the last year, it has offered trainings twice a month with top-tier presenters who deliver cutting-edge content. The Academy is raising the bar for staff development in the domestic violence field.  

This is an incredible honor, and we are humbled but not surprised, because we all know the caliber of DASH’s programs and the inspiring nature of its staff. Together, the awards we have received speak volumes of the leadership that exists not in one program or department, but in every single person at DASH. – Pierre Berastaín, Chief Strategy & Operations Officer, DASH

 A virtual celebration will be hosted by DomesticShelters.org on September 21, 2022 to honor this year’s Purple Ribbon awardees and $30,000 worth of grants will be awarded to stand-out recipients. The celebration will follow the Purple Ribbon Awards Inspire Webinar, a free-to-attend virtual conference where winners will tell their success stories, share advice for other domestic violence professionals and celebrate the work being done to help victims and survivors of abuse.  

 Registration to attend the Inspire Webinar and/or Purple Ribbon Awards Celebration is now open at www.purpleribbonawards.org.  

Donovan Trott, Manager, Development & Communications

Celebrating 2 Years of Right to Dream Through the Eyes of Survivors 

On the 2^nd Anniversary of DASH’s innovative Right to Dream program, the first two-year safe housing program for transitioning youth survivors (ages 18-24) in DC, we would like to share just some of the stories our survivors have shared with us. What they’ve overcome, how the program has helped them, and where they are today. 

Erica 

“Erica” entered the Right to Dream Program in October 2020. She is very proactive in her housing process, finding employment training and employment opportunities. She has completed a recent training program and is gainfully employed and states she is super excited for the opportunity. She’s grateful to DASH, and DHS, for helping her regain her independence. 

Letitia 

“Letitia” was one of the first Right to Dream participants. Prior to entering the program, she was homeless and found herself couch surfing, staying with friends/family, and when she could afford it, hotel stays, where she often faced unsafe situations.  

Despite her housing circumstances, her resilience allowed her to continue working her full-time job. She signed her first lease within a month of entering the program and had a smooth transition into her new home. For “Letitia”, having her own safe space, means she can focus on her overall well-being and no longer deal with toxic individuals from her past.  

Letitia will continue working on her goals and prioritizing her mental health and she hopes that her remaining time in the program will help her heal from the trauma she has endured.  

Alexis 

“Alexis” was the very first participant to enter the RTD program in October 2020. Prior to entering the program she was couch-surfing staying with friends and family. She moved into her new home and immediately established goals she wanted to accomplish. While she did face setbacks due to the pandemic because employers were taking longer to hire, despite her many attempts and rejections, she persisted. Now she is working towards her goals of starting a savings account and enrolling in a nursing program. 

To learn more about our Right to Program, send an email to righttodream@dashdc.org.  

Donovan Trott, Manager, Development & Communications

THANK YOU!!

Volunteers are essential and play a major role in fulfilling our mission.

With support from our volunteers new skills are learned, spaces are transformed, and basic needs are met for survivors and families. 

Thank you for choosing to spend your extra time with DASH. 

We appreciate each and every one of you!

With Gratitude,

The DASH Family

Click here to learn more about volunteering with DASH.