Organizations for Deaf Survivors of Abuse

National Domestic Violence Hotline

IM: DeafHotline
Email: deafhelp@thehotline.org
TTY: 1-800-787-3224
Video Phone: 1-855-812-1001
Live Chat: www.thehotline.org

The National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) provides lifesaving tools and immediate support to enable victims to find safety and live lives free of abuse. The hotline has partnered with the Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services (ADWAS) to ensure Deaf advocates are available to respond through email, instant messenger, and video phone to those callers seeking help.

Justice for Deaf Victims National Coalition (JDVNC)
The mission of the Justice for Deaf Victims National Coalition is to end domestic and sexual violence in the deaf community through advocacy, awareness, and empowerment.

Organized below by state, programs that are formally established and providing services are listed here. The services provided vary from program to program.

California

• DeafHope - Oakland
  "DeafHope is a nonprofit organization, established for and by Deaf women in January 2003. Our mission at DeafHope is to end domestic and sexual violence against Deaf women and children through empowerment, education and services. This mission will be achieved on three levels - by providing services to Deaf women and children who are survivors of domestic and sexual violence; by educating our community and service providers about domestic and sexual violence; and by providing statewide training and technical assistance to establish more Deaf-run services for Deaf survivors."
• National Center for Deaf Advocacy - San Diego
  "The National Center for Deaf Advocacy has a comprehensive domestic violence program. We provide services to anyone who needs our help. We specialize in services for victims who are deaf, hard of hearing, and late deafened. We have Staff who are hearing, deaf and hard of hearing to assist victims and survivors with any related situation. Every effort is made to provide direct services in a client’s own language."
• Peace Over Violence - Los Angeles
  "Peace Over Violence is a non-profit, feminist, multicultural, volunteer organization dedicated to a building healthy relationships, families and communities free from sexual, domestic and interpersonal violence. To achieve this mission our agency manages five departments delivering the services of Emergency, Intervention, Prevention, Education and Advocacy."

Colorado

• DOVE: Advocacy Services for Abused Deaf Women and Children - Denver
  DOVE is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing services to Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Late-Deafened and Deaf-Blind victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.  DOVE’s purpose is to provide free services and education to Deaf victims, victim service providers and the general public. DOVE’s mission is to provide culturally accessible services that empower and offer hope to deaf and hard of hearing individuals who experience abuse.

District of Columbia

• Deaf Abused Women's Network 
  "DAWN is a Deaf-Women run community-based non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating the community about domestic violence and sexual violence. We are advocates, domestic violence/sexual violence survivors, volunteers and leaders who share a common language, American Sign Language (ASL), and strive to end the cycle of DV/SV. We serve Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, Deaf-Blind residents and families of the Washington, D.C. and the Metro area who have experienced DV/SV by providing crisis intervention, education, advocacy, and resource referral."

Illinois

• Chicago Hearing Society - Chicago
  "Chicago Hearing Society’s mission is to empower deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people to communicate with each other, thereby lessening the isolation which separates them." 

Iowa

• Deaf Iowans Against Abuse (DIAA) - Cedar Rapids
  "Deaf Iowans Against Abuse (DIAA) believes that every victim deserves accessible appropriate services, immediately. DIAA's mission is to serve as a harbor for all Deaf, Deaf-blind, and Hard of Hearing people who have experienced domestic and sexual violence and to provide a safe environment for empowerment and exploration of personal strengths. DIAA advocates for social change, partnering with other agencies to deliver education and professional training to end domestic and sexual violence."

Maryland

• Deaf Abused Women's Network - Washington, DC 
  (See DAWN)

Michigan

• Deaf Women's Advocacy Services (DWAS) - Detroit
  Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services (DWAS) is a small, non-profit 501 (C) (3) organization, dedicated to helping Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing women who are victims of domestic and/or sexual violence. DWAS was established in the early 1990’s with a mission to raise awareness in the Southeast Michigan Deaf community about domestic and sexual violence, and to provide support services to Deaf, Deaf Blind and Hard of Hearing women in our community.

Minnesota

• CSD of Minnesota Deaf Domestic Violence Program - St. Paul
  "CSD (also known as Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc.) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing broad-based services, ensuring public accessibility and increasing public awareness of issues affecting deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Through global leadership and a continuum of quality communication services and human service programs, CSD provides the tools conducive to a positive and fully integrated life."

New York

• Advocacy Services for Abused Deaf Victims - Rochester
  "Our mission is to provide support for Deaf and Hard of Hearing adults and their children who are or have been victims of domestic violence and or sexual assault. A safe environment of empowering, advocacy, and educational/training services will be offered to them."
• Freedom House Emergency Shelter - New York City
  "Freedom House is an Emergency Shelter for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities or survivors who have children with disabilities. We are equipped to serve people with all kinds of disabilities, from physical to emotional to recovering substance abusers. We have staff fluent in English, Spanish and American Sign Language."

Ohio

• Deaf Women Against Violence Everywhere - Central Ohio 
  "To establish a model agency to offer culturally affirmative advocacy and support services to survivors of domestic violence (DV) and/or sexual assault (SA) in Central Ohio's Deaf/hard of hearing community."

Oklahoma

• CSD of Oklahoma Deaf Domestic Violence Program - Oklahoma City and Tulsa
  "CSD (also known as Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc.) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing broad-based services, ensuring public accessibility and increasing public awareness of issues affecting deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Through global leadership and a continuum of quality communication services and human service programs, CSD provides the tools conducive to a positive and fully integrated life."

Oregon

• State of Oregon Domestic Violence/Disability Abuse Coordinator Deaf/Hard of Hearing Advocate 
  Contact: 541.754.0273 TTY 
  Phone Message: 541.754.0384 
  Contact Person: Gwinette E. Hamlett 
  Contact Email: GwinetteHamlett2000@yahoo.com

Texas

• Safe Place - Austin 
  "We provide individual counseling, support groups, advocacy and parenting classes by staff fluent in American Sign Language. We also provide training and education on topics related to domestic and sexual violence in the Deaf community."

Utah

• Sego Lily Center for the Abused Deaf - Salt Lake City
  "The Sego Lily Center for the Abused Deaf (SLCAD) is an advocacy agency designed to meet the specific needs of Deaf, Deaf/Blind and Hard of Hearing victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. It is modeled after the Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services (ADWAS) from Seattle, Washington."

Vermont

• Deaf Vermonters Advocacy Service 
  "The mission of DVAS is to enrich the lives of people with hearing loss by providing access to services, education and advocacy."

Virginia

• Deaf Abused Women's Network - Washington, DC 
  (See DAWN)

Washington

• Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services - Seattle
  "ADWAS is committed to providing services to Deaf and Deaf-Blind victims of sexual assault and/or domestic violence. The mission of ADWAS is a belief that violence is a learned behavior and it should not be tolerated."
  • Transitional Housing Program: A Place of Our Own features 19 individual units of transitional housing for very low income families who are homeless.

Wisconsin

• Deaf Unity
  "All Deaf people women, children and men have a right to a healthy, violence-free life."