In Southeastern Europe, in a small Russian-controlled Republic called Chechnya, there is a brutal genocide taking place. Members of the LGBTQ+ community are being systematically hunted, detained, tortured, and executed by Chechen authorities, civilians, and their own family members. Most people are completely unaware of this due to the fact that both the Chechen and…

Currently, there are millions of women who have their fundamental rights unwillingly stripped away from them by their partners. Every nine seconds in the United States, a woman is assaulted by someone who tells her that he loves her, by someone who tells her that it is her fault. One in four women will know…

What is PTSD? When a person experiences or witnesses a traumatic event, their brain enters what is called survival mode. In order to help them survive, their brain will switch off certain parts and turn on others, such as heightening senses and creating more adrenaline. The brain shuts down non-essential functions and focuses all its…

I thought I lost my phone the other day. I frantically searched under every pillow, every piece of furniture, and every drawer. I was frantic because my phone is my lifeline. Can you relate? Especially as a woman, my cell phone is integral for my safety. When it’s late and I’m walking to my car…

If you’re like me, when you walk into a room (or a Zoom meeting) with more than two people, your social anxiety might spike. So, when you hear the words group therapy, it might not seem appealing at first. And yet, group therapy is a widely-used therapeutic modality. So why does group therapy exist? What…

Magistrate’s Orders for Emergency Protection (E.P.O.) are often the first opportunity for a survivor of Intimate Partner Violence to receive legally enforceable protection from their abuser.  Even though an E.P.O. should not create a false sense of security for survivors, they remain a powerful tool in creating greater safety for them. These orders are intended…

Murder-suicides are a tragic, but common, occurrence in the news. Eleven murder-suicides occur in the U.S. each week. A husband shoots his wife and four children after dinner, then turns the gun on himself. A man kills his girlfriend when she gets home from work, then takes his own life. A 60-year-old man kills his…

Here at Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support, we work alongside survivors of domestic violence to help them find safety, support and healing from abuse. It is not uncommon for abusive partners to sabotage a survivor’s relationship with her friends and family, often isolating her completely. This makes the survivor more vulnerable and more dependent on…