A pattern of violence or intimidation in an intimate relationship by one intimate partner against another, designated to establish power and control over the victim. It includes but is not limited to physical, financial, verbal, sexual, and/or emotional abuse.

Our mission is to provide support for domestic violence victims and work toward the reduction and elimination of family violence.   The Domestic Violence Prevention Center, a United Way program, helps women recover from abuse, resolve personal conflicts, improve self-esteem and begin new lives.  The primary feature of this program is the Virginian Against Domestic Violence (VADV) certified shelter – located in a private, secure, and confidential place.  This program is one of only eleven certified facilities in the state.

The DVPC offers the following services:
	A 32 –bed emergency shelter for women and children in crisis
	A full-service shelter offering food, housing, and clothing to victims at no charge
	A 30-day transitional shelter for women and women and children
	Individual caseworkers, child caseworkers, court advocacy, hospital “on-call”, legal consultation referrals and transportation
	A toll free, 24 hour crisis hotline (1-888-528-1041)
	Confidential community referrals and information
	Volunteer training and community education

Remember: You are not alone! If you or someone you know is being abused call (434) 528-1041 or 1-888-528-1041 toll free. We can help.

For more information check out these links:
www.vadv.org

The VIP men’s group, a Virginia Certified Batterers’ Intervention Program, meets at the YWCA Town Center at 626 Church Street. The mission of the Batterer Intervention Programs is to eliminate domestic violence by providing services to batterers, by promoting safety and justice victims of domestic violence, and by effecting social change leading to cultural values that prohibit rather than support abuse within intimate relationships. The participants in our VIP are usually court ordered as an alternative to incarceration, but some do attend voluntarily. Our psychoeducational program currently has 3 groups, which last for 24 weeks. Topics covered include the domestic battering cycle, recognizing and controlling anger, communication patterns in relationships, assertiveness, stress management, substance abuse, depression and gender role stereotypes.

Currently, clients pay $20 for an initial assessment, and $20 per week, and are monitored for improvement and compliance. Please call the YWCA for details.

Our newest program provides a safe, child-friendly environment where children can visit their non -custodial parents or grandparents. Located on the bus line, the Center serves children in Central Virginia who need a secure location for supervised visitations. The goal of the center is to keep children and parents connected.

The Visitation Center offers the following services:
	Safe		Monitored		Child-focused

The Center serves families going through:
	Separation		Divorce
	Custody Proceedings		Neglect or Abuse Cases
	Reunification Processes

Families are usually court-referred but are also recommended by:
	Self-Referred		Attorneys
	Pastoral/ Counseling Staff		Social Service Agencies
	Other Community Agencies		DVPC

All visits are monitored by security cameras and/or security personnel.

Visitations are to be scheduled in advance by contacting the Visitation Center Coordinator at the YWCA.
Visitations are scheduled on Friday and Saturday as per availability, and are $25 an hour.  There is also a one-time $25 orientation fee.

It is our goal to protect victims of family violence by providing a secure place where visitation or exchanges can occur and to prevent further re-victimization of children and abused parents. By offering a safe place for families to meet, we are keeping families connected!