Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence News
KCSDV Fall 2021 Newsletter | Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (KCSDV)
Instead of thinking outside of the proverbial box, what if we completely got rid of the box? That is precisely what the Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services team in Hays did during the pandemic.
They cultivated their hidden potential by letting go of their self-imposed limits according to Executive Director Jennifer Hecker. Though they had been talking about adding digital alternatives to their offerings as a way to potentially reach more victims, Hecker said they talked themselves out of it so they could redirect those infrastructure funds to provide more direct services to clients.
When the phones quit ringing early in the pandemic, the Options team harkened back to some previous recommendations, which included a Smartphone application for Apple and Android, adding web chat and text messaging options for victims to have other entry points to reach advocates as well as the 24-hour helpline.
“When everyone else was closing their doors and not offering services, we knew if that was our response then people would die,” Hecker said. “Our response had to be the opposite. We knew as soon as the shutdown happened that it was going to mean even more danger for victims. It was only going to make matters worse. The cycles of violence would happen faster.”
Fortunately, previous research into the digital options showed a strong vendor partner already adept at providing confidential, anonymous, and secure services. That meant the project could be live within 6 weeks. They spent the most time determining a name, logo and keyword for the new services resulting in “text HOPE to 847411”.
Increased promotion and community outreach on the new digital offerings has yielded an ever-increasing number of victims using the services – reaching a high of 26 in June.
“The new technology offerings serve as an entry point, generally beginning with a single question about legal services or some other element,” Hecker said. “Our advocates build trust and keep moving forward to break down barriers leading to a longer relationship with in-person services.”