Help Rescue 500 Battered Women And Their Children

ADVCL has created two new projects: the first is to assist American survivors of domestic violence overseas with relocation assistance. Battered American women who are abused in foreign countries by their partners often feel they have no choice but to flee back to the U.S. for the protection of themselves, and their children, in their search for safety. This is partly due to the barriers they face in the foreign countries including language, culture, and restrictive marital and child custody laws. Additionally, resources available in the foreign country are often non-existent and if there are some available, they are generally inadequate. Most often survivors say they feel the U.S. will have the most inclusive legal protection for them and their children. ADVCL helps with the logistics of relocation, danger to safety planning, and assistance with emergency needs. The second project focuses on assisting children of domestic violence survivors. In 2008, ADVCL provided services to 239 families with at total of 448 children in 56 different countries. Please visit both of these projects for more information on how ADVCL provides vital resources to this globally dispersed population.

We just completed our first 30 hour international crisis line advocate training of 2009! After completion of the training, advocates commit to a minimum of 1 year, six hours per week on the crisis line, or 312 hours. Most of our crisis line volunteers provide over 500 hours per year. The crisis line received 1182 calls or emails in 2008 from 56 different countries. Our volunteers are vital to the work we do. Because of their dedication and commitment, we are able to provide 24 hour service on the crisis line. We are always grateful for the financial support we receive through Global Giving because it enables us to conduct these trainings. We will be conducting 4 trainings this year, an increase from last year, and are planning our next one in May 2009.