Spotlight

The statistics of domestic violence are disturbing. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime. Tulsa County has the highest number of domestic violence homicides in Oklahoma.

Thankfully, there’s a certified and nationally accredited nonprofit agency in Tulsa and Creek counties. Domestic Violence Intervention Services provides comprehensive intervention, prevention, and education services to families and individuals affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and adult sex trafficking.

The impact does not stop there, though. The single best predictor of children becoming either offenders or victims of domestic violence later in life is whether or not they grow up in a home where there is domestic violence. By acting before, during and after the crisis, DVIS helps create safe family environments today and in the future. The agency offers a variety of trauma-informed services, which are free for survivors and their families, and a 24/7 crisis line for survivors.

Families in crisis find temporary housing at the DVIS emergency shelter, with over 90 beds. This transitional housing program offers survivors a long-term housing solution while the families work towards self-sufficiency. Because domestic violence has such a profound impact on family members, DVIS offers a counseling center to help survivors of domestic and sexual violence, their children, and their family members.

Aside from housing and emergency services, the nonprofit assists survivors who are applying for a protective order. DVIS Legal has five staff attorneys to help with civil matters. Finally, the agency works to prevent violence by educating young adults in the Tulsa county school systems.
For more information and to learn how you can help DVIS rebuild lives affected by domestic and sexual violence, visit dvis.org.