Editor's note: The date for the Options 40th anniversary and tree lighting has changed to Friday, Oct. 6.
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services will not only be observing the annual Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. It will be. celebrating 40 years of service.
Options started as a grassroots movement in the 1970s. Women were opening their own homes to provide shelter to women who were victims of domestic violence, said Jennifer Hecker, Options executive director.
One of Options' current board members was one of those people in the '70s who was providing safe haven to victims.
"What happened with those early folks is that they realized a room or space on the couch provided immediate safety, but there were so many services people needed that they did not have the capacity to give," Hecker said.
Through local support, including the University Women at Fort Hays State University, the Northwest Kansas Family Shelter was founded.
The name of the agency has changed over the years. Today Options offers a shelter and community services in 18 northwest Kansas counties, including a satellite office in Colby and mobile services across its coverage area.
Options will have a variety of activities beginning Sept. 22 with a Hays Chamber Chat to honor its anniversary and Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Below is a schedule of activities:
• 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2 - tree lighting ceremony at Goodland Regional Medical Center
• 7 p.m. Oct. 3 - tree lighting ceremony at Fike Park in Colby
• 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5 - tree lighting ceremony at Russell Regional Hospital
• 7 p.m. Oct. 6 - tree lighting ceremony followed by the 40th-anniversary celebration at Farmers Insurance, Chelsy Proehl-Kofoid Agency, 1012 Main, Hays
• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 12 - Paint the Town Purple, art therapy event, Colby Community College Student Union
• 2 to 5 p.m. Oct. 15 - Paint the Town Purple, art therapy event, Union Pacific Park in Downtown Hays
Oct. 19 - Wear Purple Day - Show your support for survivors of domestic violence by wearing purple
"Wear purple on Oct. 19 and stand in solidarity with victims who are still suffering in silence to really show there's a whole community of support out there for folks," Hecker said.
"Wear purple—purple hair, purple shirt, purple pants. Whatever you got, put it on."
Hecker said Options has five main programming elements—shelter, legal advocacy for victims, a rapid rehousing program, community support services and community advocacy. All services are free and confidential.
Options helps victims to navigate the criminal justice system if they choose to report crimes against them.
The goal of the rapid rehousing program is to get victims back into a home that is their own as soon as possible.
"Not everyone needs shelter, but they will still need services," she said of the community support program.
Some of the community awareness programs have included art displays, such as "Broken Brides" and "What Were You Wearing." "Broken Brides" is a display of products that a domestic violence victim might need like cream for cigarette burns.
"What Were You Wearing" is an exhibit that seeks to break the myth what victims were wearing contributed to their sexual assaults. It includes recreations and, in some instances, the exact clothing victims were wearing when they were assaulted.
Options also provides training for bar staff through the Safe Bar Alliance program. Employees learn to recognize signs of sexual predators and ways to keep customers safe.
Cut it Out teaches salon staff to recognize signs of abuse and gives them tips on how to talk to their customers about getting help.
Options can also help businesses write domestic violence policies, Hecker said.
Hecker said the number of people seeking assistance through Options has not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
"I've said this many times. I think the pandemic ripped the band-aid off of America's dirty little secret," she said. "Things happen behind closed doors, so I think it makes it really easy not to talk about it or pretend it's not happening."
The increase in the number of people seeking help to deal with domestic violence has been partially the result of an increase in the different avenues now available to access resources, Hecker said.
You can walk into an Options office at 2716 Plaza, Hays, or 1480 W. Fourth, Colby. You can call Options 24-hour helpline at 1-800-794-4624 or text HOPE to 847411.
A live chat option or a virtual video conference with an advocate is available on the Options website at https://help4abuse.org/.
The website has a safe escape button that will allow you to quickly close out of the website and erase your cookies so anyone who is on the computer after you would not be able to see that you have been on the website.
Options has a free app for Android and Apple devices called "My Mobile Options."
You can donate to help the Options online at https://help4abuse.org/donate/. Donations can also be mailed to 2716 Plaza, Hays, KS 67601.
In light of Options' 40th Anniversary, businesses in Hays are encouraging other businesses to donate $400 each to the organization.
"We are so grateful for the community partners who have seen the benefit to their employees or their customers and want to pay that forward," Hecker said.