End the Violence Toolkit

Spokane County has the highest rate of domestic violence in Washington State. Providence Health Care has awarded the Spokane Regional Domestic Violence Coalition (SRDVC) $154,500 to support the creation and implementation of the End the Violence (ETV) Toolkit for businesses.

This last year has heightened the need for such a toolkit. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased anxiety and isolation in our community. Reports of domestic and family violence have gone up, as has the urgent need to provide support and services for families experiencing domestic violence in their homes. In 2020, our agency saw a 40% increase in calls to our 24-hour helpline alone.

SRDVC is partnering with YWCA Spokane and other community organizations to serve as content experts for the toolkit.

“YWCA Spokane is grateful for the support of Providence to allow us the opportunity to partner with SRDVC in the creation of educational materials to support local businesses in their efforts to End the Violence,” says Morgan Colburn, YWCA Spokane Director of Counseling, Advocacy and Outreach. “We look forward to working with the local business community to ensure we can create toolkit that is relevant, user friendly, and accessible. Thanks to the generous grant from Providence our community will have an opportunity to work together to create a healthy and safe community for all.”

The ETV Toolkit seeks to provide education on all forms of domestic violence for both employers and employees, as education is a critical component of prevention. The toolkit will provide resources and support for businesses and organizations in our community to help them recognize signs of violence and improve the way they are addressing and responding to domestic violence in the workplace. It will also direct employers and employees to support services, increasing community awareness and better coordinating the way we collectively address domestic violence.

The planning, research, and design phase is important to ensure an intentional and beneficial toolkit for the business community. Focus groups are currently underway to help inform the toolkit.

“In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, our community recognized a heightened need for such a toolkit,” says Peg Currie, Chief Operating Officer for Providence Health Care. “By partnering with Spokane Regional Domestic Violence Coalition, YWCA Spokane and the business community, we will help employers raise awareness of domestic violence.”

Domestic Violence Education Resources

In the mean time, if you are interested in learning more about domestic violence, here are some resources:

• Domestic Violence 101: Recognize. Respond. Refer. Training – ywcaspokane.org/training
• Prevention at Home Series – ywcaspokane.org/tag/prevention-at-home
• National Domestic Violence Hotline – thehotline.org
• Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence – wscadv.org
• Love Is Respect – loveisrespect.org

If you or someone you know is impacted by intimate partner domestic violence, know that confidential advocates are always available through our 24hr helpline services by calling 509-326-2255, emailing help@ywcaspokane.org, or texting 509-220-3725.

To learn more about accessing additional services through YWCA Spokane during the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit ywcaspokane.org/services. Thank you!