COVID-19 fallout challenges domestic violence victims, workers

By: Carole Sharwarko

HF Chronicle June 16, 2020

The executive director of a local domestic violence services agency said the low number of requests for services during Illinois’ stay-at-home order don’t tell the whole story about what victims experienced during that time.

Jennifer Gabrenya is executive director of South Suburban Family Shelter, a nonprofit in Homewood that assists families experiencing domestic violence. She said their hotline has been quiet lately, but of course that doesn’t mean incidents of domestic violence suddenly decreased.

“In the first few months, we were getting zero requests for new counseling. That, in itself, was really scary,” Gabrenya said. “What we’re worried about are people who can’t safely get to a phone. They can’t reach out because they’re in the house with the person who’s hurting them, 24 hours a day.”

Many SSFS clients must lie to their abuser in order to leave the house for counseling and other services, Gabrenya said. Women might say they’re going to church or to the home of a friend or family member. Since the pandemic closed establishments and restricted people’s movements, those excuses went away.

“One of my colleagues has at least one client who’s able to leave the house and go for a walk. That’s when she calls in for services,” Gabrenya said.

“If you’re afraid of the person in your home, you’re not going to be able to go in the bathroom and make a call. There’s no privacy, there’s no safety, there are no boundaries.”

An essential operation, SSFS continued its work when Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a virtual state shutdown in late March. The agency has maintained all its programs, except for medical advocacy, since hospitals wouldn’t permit non-patients to enter.

To continue counseling sessions for people experiencing abuse, Gabrenya said SSFS set up a system to connect with clients via video messaging. It had to be secure, discreet and simple — nothing requiring a client to set up an account or provide an email address — so it wouldn’t be noticed by an abuser going through his victim’s phone.

Even with a robust system, Gabrenya said she recognizes that connecting through technology isn’t the ideal way to share problems and feelings with a counselor.

“Of course, the virtual stuff doesn’t work for everyone. We’re very painfully aware that counseling, therapy and group services are more ideally served in person,” she said.

The counseling staff has been saddened and alarmed, Gabrenya said, to find certain clients unreachable. Some don’t answer their phone, while others’ numbers have been disconnected.

As SSFS staff has developed new and safe ways to connect with clients, Gabrenya said they simultaneously faced an enormous challenge in housing victims of domestic violence, which often include children as well as adults.

SSFS does not operate a physical shelter. Instead, it uses a system of hotelling for clients in immediate need. The agency rents hotel rooms to provide clients with emergency shelter. If needed, it then places clients at shelters operated by other domestic violence and nonprofit agencies.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, most of these congregant shelters have closed or stopped admitting new residents, Gabrenya said. SSFS staff were forced to use solely the hotelling system for clients who need a safe place to stay — a costly solution.

“We’ve experienced over a 500% increase in nights. It’s cost us $40,000 in the last two months,” Gabrenya said.

She’s thankful, however, that SSFS already had a structure in place for sheltering clients in hotel rooms. Gabrenya said other agencies with no such system have reached out for help setting one up, and SSFS has been able to advise them on billing and other logistics.

Though the constraints of the pandemic shutdown have strained the agency’s operations and finances, Gabrenya said she feels impressed by what her team accomplished while facing serious challenges.

“There were some amazing things that came out of this because you can see the innovation that the staff has,” Gabrenya said. “We have found people have talents we didn’t know they had. We’ve had to pivot and shift so fast, it’s amazing that we still have our head on our shoulders.”

SSFS continues services for those in domestic violence situations

By: Carole Sharwarko

HF Chronicle March 25, 2020

Although Illinois has a “shelter in place” directive, South Suburban Family Shelter (SSFS) is still offering services to individuals and families who are in domestic violence situations.

Kris Scott of SSFS said the bilingual 24-hour hotline is always open for those in crisis and in need of emergency shelter. The hotline number is 708-335-3028. The Crisis Intervention Program will continue to help individuals and their children obtain short-term emergency shelter through the 24-hour hotline.

SSFS court advocates will not be at the Circuit Court of Cook County Markham courthouse until April 7. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office is in place to assist victims with emergency orders of protection.

South Suburban Family Shelter provides caring and confidential help to victims of domestic violence. Scott said the professional counselors and advocates understand the dynamics of domestic violence and help clients identify and choose options in their life situations.

All services are free of charge for victims and are available in English and Spanish.

Financial support for South Suburban Family Shelter can be made online at www.ssfs1.org.

SSFS launches month of ‘change’ to fight violence

By: Carole Sharwarko
HF Chronicle October 11, 2019 – 21:39
Be the Change cards created by South Suburban Family Shelter offer a suggestion for each day in October Domestic Violence Awareness Month. (Carole Sharwarko/H-F Chronicle)
Be the Change cards created by South Suburban
Family Shelter offer a suggestion for each day
in October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month,
and were handed out during the Be the Change
Celebration. 
(Carole Sharwarko/H-F Chronicle)

With community sing-alongs and a swishing rainbow dress, the South Suburban Family Shelter kickoff event for Domestic Violence Awareness Month looked a bit different this year than its previous incarnation.

For years, Homewood-based SSFS has hosted a candlelight vigil near the beginning of DV awareness month, a solemn event with emotional speakers and recitations of serious statistics.
The revamped 2019 program, called Be the Change Celebration, still included the ever-present moment of silence to honor those who lost their lives due to domestic violence. However, the tone of the brief event at Marie Irwin Park in Homewood was upbeat and focused on positive action.
Throughout the event, Ahren Hawkin from Melody Mart led a community ukulele band, and motivational speaker Gina Bell cast a spell of positivity over the crowd.
“I’m excited about the new format this year,” said Kerry Hill, SSFS’s manager for community education and outreach. “I really like the shift to empowerment.”
The program opened with a sing-along of “Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson, led by Hawkin and the ukulele band.
Then the crowd heard from a woman named Angela, a mother of five who benefitted from SSFS’s Sanctuary program. Sanctuary services assist people who want to leave situations of domestic violence.
“I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for this organization. It got bad; I had no peace,” said Angela, holding her youngest daughter on her hip. “Do whatever you can to support this organization. We need this, our families need this, our girls need this.”
After Angela received a rousing round of applause, SSFS Executive Director Jennifer Gabrenya welcomed Bell to the stage. Bell is a motivational speaker and women’s empowerment coach from Dyer, Ind.
Motivational speaker Gina Bell inspires the crowd in her rainbow skirt, as South Suburban Family Shelter Executive Director Jennifer Gabrenya looks on. (Carole Sharwarko/H-F Chronicle)
Motivational speaker Gina Bell inspires the crowd
in her rainbow skirt, as South Suburban Family
Shelter Executive Director Jennifer Gabrenya
looks on.
 (Carole Sharwarko/H-F Chronicle)

When she took the stage, Bell told the crowd that night was the first time she ever spoke publicly about her own experience with domestic violence. She did so briefly, and then transitioned into her program where she encouraged members of the audience to spread positivity.

Everyone has an inner light, Bell said, though most people don’t want to show it. To represent this, Bell, who was dressed all in black, put on a big fluffy skirt made from a rainbow of tulle layers.
“Think about the light inside all of us,” she said. “You have the ability to shine your light out into the community.”
Bell led the audience through a participatory cheer of sorts, where they recited the words, “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.”
The quick presentation brought smiles to faces in the crowd. Then Gabrenya invited attendees to visit the resource table to get information, along with a Be the Change suggestions card and a purple light bulb to “Shine a light on domestic violence.”
The ukulele band closed the program with a sing-along performance of “Perfect” by Pink.