Resources
A Story of Hope & Healing | PSA & Resource Booklet: Understanding Opioid Use & Addiction
A Story of Hope & Healing | PSA & Resource Booklet: Understanding Opioid Use & Addiction
Safety Planning
Safety planning can be helpful if you are in a dangerous situation. In order to ensure your safety and well-being, a plan can help reduce risk and provide you with options.
*Get help creating your personalized Safety Plan HERE.
The Sikh Family Center has created a New Sikh Danger Assessment tool to assess domestic violence (in Punjabi & English) in Sikh communities.
Safety at Home:
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Purchasing a cellular phone, if possible and keeping it in a pocket or in an accessible hiding place
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Keeping a phone near you at all times
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Pre-programming 911 or the number of a safe friend or relative in your contact list
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Removing sharp objects and weapons from sight
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Know the local resources around you (police departments, DV organizations, shelters)
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Planning and practicing an escape route out of the home and a safety plan for any children
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Changing the locks
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Preparing the children to respond to a batterer who comes to their school or to childcare facilities
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Teaching the children not to let the batterer in the home (unless the batterer has a legal right to be there)
Safety at Work:
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Identify who you will notify at work about your situation
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Provide a photo of your abuser for identification
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Have a safety plan to exit your workplace
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Have someone escort you while leaving
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Take different routes from home to work
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Keep copy of protective order at work
Safety on the Computer:
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Delete search history
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Change username and passwords
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Protect your location on devices
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Get a new device if possible
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Refer to the site below for additional tips
Safety Planning When Preparing to Leave:
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Identify a trusted and safe person that you can stay with upon leaving (friend/relative)
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Have a packed bag at this trusted person’s house with copy of important documents and change of clothing
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Notify your child’s school/your job of your situation
Victims Compensation
Every state receives Federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds from the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) to support programs that assist and compensate crime victims. Local resources are available to provide services for those affected by crime. You may qualify for crime victim compensation benefits, which can help cover medical expenses, mental health counseling, lost wages, and other costs resulting from the crime.
The official website to apply or file a claim in the state of Georgia is the Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program page. This Raksha page is not the official website for victims compensation and is only meant to provide a quick snapshot and tools on how to get information on seeking victims compensation with the help of visual guides and a Frequently Asked Questions section.
Identifying Abuse
Emotional abuse is consistently and persistently undermining a person’s sense of self-worth. Examples include constant criticism, belittling one’s abilities, name-calling, and damaging a partner’s relationship with the children. For more information about the different kinds of abuse, click here.
Am I Being Abused? (A Checklist)
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships
Am I Being Abused? (A Checklist):
Provided by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Look over the following questions. Think about how you are being treated and how you treat your partner. Remember, when one person scares, hurts or continually puts down the other person, it’s abuse.
Does your partner...
_ Embarrass or make fun of you in front of your friends or family?
_ Put down your accomplishments or goals?
_ Make you feel like you are unable to make decisions?
_ Use intimidation or threats to gain compliance?
_ Tell you that you are nothing without them?
_ Treat you roughly – grab, push, pinch, shove or hit you?
_ Call you several times a night or show up to make sure you are where you said you would be?
_ Use drugs or alcohol as an excuse for saying hurtful things or abusing you?
_ Blame you for how they feel or act?
_ Pressure you sexually for things you aren’t ready for?
_ Make you feel like there “is no way out” of the relationship?
_ Prevent you from doing things you want—like spending time with your friends or family?
_Try to keep you from leaving after a fight or leave you somewhere after a fight to “teach you a lesson”?
Do you...
_ Sometimes feel scared of how your partner will act?
_ Constantly make excuses to other people for your partner’s behavior?
_ Believe that you can help your partner change if only you changed something about yourself?
_ Try not to do anything that would cause conflict or make your partner angry?
_ Always do what your partner wants you to do instead of what you want?
_ Stay with your partner because you are afraid of what your partner would do if you broke-up?
If any of these are happening in your relationship on a consistent basis, talk to someone. Without some help, the abuse will continue. Spiral of Violence
Violence against Women: A Lifetime Spiral
Safety at Work:
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Identify who you will notify at work about your situation
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Provide a photo of your abuser for identification
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Have a safety plan to exit your workplace
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Have someone escort you while leaving
-
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Take different routes from home to work
-
Keep copy of protective order at work
Safety on the Computer:
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Delete search history
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Change username and passwords
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Protect your location on devices
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Get a new device if possible
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Refer to the site below for additional tips
Safety Planning When Preparing to Leave:
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Identify a trusted and safe person that you can stay with upon leaving (friend/relative)
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Have a packed bag at this trusted person’s house with copy of important documents and change of clothing
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Notify your child’s school/your job of your situation
Power and Control Wheel
The original Power and Control Wheel and Equality Wheel, developed by Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs in Duluth, MN is a model/diagram to show the various control tactics used by abusers.
Below are translated versions of the wheel in Arabic, Bangla/ Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
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Internet and Computer Safety
If you are in danger, please try to use a safer computer that someone abusive does not have direct or remote (hacking) access to.
In addition to the tips below, Technology Safety & Privacy: A Toolkit for Survivors, provided by The National Network to End Domestic Violence, along with the Safety Net Project offers a wealth of valuable resources, insightful tips, and invaluable information.
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If you think your activities are being monitored, they probably are. Abusive people are often controlling and want to know your every move. You don’t need to be a computer programmer or have special skills to monitor someone’s computer and Internet activities – anyone can do it and there are many ways to monitor with programs like Spyware, keystroke loggers and hacking tools.
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It is not possible to delete or clear all the “footprints” of your computer or online activities. If you are being monitored, it may be dangerous to change your computer behaviors such as suddenly deleting your entire Internet history if that is not your regular habit.
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If you think you may be monitored on your home computer, be careful how you use your computer since an abuser might become suspicious. You may want to keep using the monitored computer for innocuous activities, like looking up the weather. Use a safer computer to research an escape plan, look for new jobs or apartments, bus tickets, or ask for help.
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Email and Instant/Text Messaging (IM) are not safe or confidential ways to talk to someone about the danger or abuse in your life. If possible, please call a hotline instead. If you use email or IM, please use a safer computer and an account your abuser does not know about.
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Computers can store a lot of private information about what you look at via the Internet, the emails and instant messages you send, internet-based phone and IP-TTY calls you make, web-based purchases and banking, and many other activities.
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It might be safer to use a computer in a public library, at a community technology center (CTC), at a trusted friend’s house, or an Internet Café.
Tips and information provided by the Safety Net Project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence.
Economic Empowerment
Raksha’s Economic Empowerment Program
Driving and public transportation
Raksha’s Economic Empowerment Program
Raksha’s programs and services are designed to be holistic and support domestic violence survivors and their children from the moment they reach out for help until they are living independent and stable lives. This means providing the initial therapeutic counseling and advocacy to help survivors cope with the trauma of the abuse they have endured. It also means providing support throughout the transition from living in an abusive household to living in an independent, stable setting.
Raksha’s Economic Empowerment Program (EEP) serves approximately 50 to 60 women every year who need assistance in getting a job, overcoming transportation obstacles, women who want to pursue training or educational opportunities, clients who need assistance applying for jobs or finding better paying jobs.
The Economic Empowerment Program offers the following services:
Career Coaching
Raksha currently offers career counseling to its clients on an as needed basis. Raksha offers a wide variety of structured career coaching services to clients including interview training, job search skills, networking, and resume assistance. Individually tailored career coaching sessions enable individuals to clarify career goals, reflect upon personal values, identify skills, and systematically explore career options and opportunities.
Business Development Resources – Local & Online Markets.
Raksha’s Economic Empowerment Advocate connects clients with training and assistance from local business development organizations that assist clients in writing business plans, locating resources, and applying for start-up capital.
Resume Development
Raksha’s Economic Empowerment Advocate offers resume development skills training and a resume critiquing service. Raksha staff offers expertise in technical aspects of resume development (length of resume, fonts, paper color and type, section headings, etc.).
Transportation Options
Lack of transportation is a barrier previously identified by Raksha clients. As part of its economic empowerment program, Raksha identifies transportation options for clients. Public transportation in Atlanta and surrounding counties is far from sufficient, so this assistance can be invaluable in helping a client identify options including bus, train, or driving lessons & licensure. Expanding transportation options also expands the employability of each client. Raksha also has funds available to help certain qualified individuals who need extra support in obtaining driving classes, Marta tokens, etc. to help jump start their careers.
Scholarships
Many survivors may not qualify for scholarships due to their lack of education and work history in the U.S. For this reason, Raksha created an educational fund which provides support to clients in the form of scholarships. These scholarships can be used to also support English as Second Language classes, vocational training and certification classes. Clients are required to submit an application and write an essay to apply for scholarships from the educational fund.
Empowerment Resources
ESL Classes
I would like to improve my English skills. What should I do? Many community-based organizations, neighborhood centers, and public libraries offer free ESL (English as a Second Language) classes to interested individuals. Contact Raksha for information about an ESL class near you!
Driving and Public Transportation
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DMV is the Department of Motor Vehicles. Here you can find all the information related to driving licenses, vehicle insurance, vehicle insurance, vehicle registration, drivers’ education, ID cards, license plates, and much more. Click here to visit Georgia’s Department of Motor Vehicles’ website.
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MARTA is the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, which provides public transportation through its railways and buses that run through most counties in Metro Atlanta. To learn more about MARTA go to http://www.itsmarta.com/ or call (404) 848-5000.
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CCT is the Cobb Community Transit, which provides public transportation all through Cobb county areas. For more details regarding bus routes, schedules, fares, park and ride lots, please click on http://www.cobbdot.org/cct.htm or call (770) 427-4444.
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Carpooling is a great way to save gas, traffic, and time. Click on this link to find out more on carpooling and also to match any trip anywhere precisely and instantly:
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GCT is the Gwinnett County Transit that provides paratransit services for the people of Gwinnett County. Click on this link to learn more on routes and services or call (770) 822 5510.
Raksha is a Georgia-based nonprofit support and referral network that promotes a stronger and healthier South Asian American community through free and confidential direct services, education and advocacy.
Contact information: Helpline: (404) 842-0725 Office: (404) 876-0670; Website: www.raksha.org.