Advocacy Support

24-Hour Advocacy and Support Line

425-656-7867

Domestic Violence Shelter

We offer safe, confidential, short-term housing for survivors of domestic violence at our 13-room emergency shelter.  Our shelter is for individuals and families experiencing intimate partner abuse who are in high risk of danger from their abuser and who need to escape into a safe confidential setting.  The shelter offers trauma informed comprehensive advocacy and support focused on safety planning, stable housing, and acquiring the necessary resources so that individuals and families can live free of domestic violence. When there is an opening, an advocate will screen the survivor by phone. As openings happen at various times, we do not have a waitlist. To see if there is an opening for you and your family, please call our support line at 425-656-7867

Mobile Community Advocacy

Our trauma-informed mobile advocates are able to meet with individuals in a safe location anywhere in South King County, reducing the barrier of access by not requiring them to come to our offices for services. Advocates work in partnership with survivors to address a variety of needs including: on-going safety planning, support with shelter and housing search, information and access to resources, legal information and support, and support/programs for their children. Services are individualized to meet the unique needs of each person and they are provided through the lens of trauma-informed care. Our advocates speak English, Spanish, Ibo, Swahili, Russian, and Bulgarian, and we access interpretation to provide services in other languages as needed. Please call our support line at 425-656-7867  to be connected with the appropriate advocate. 

Mental Health Programs

DAWN offers short-term, one-on-one mental health support for survivors of domestic violence. Our on-site therapist understands the dynamics of abuse and the impacts on survivors, and partners with advocates to get clients the support services they need. To begin the referral process, please call our support line at 425-656-7867  to be connected with the appropriate advocate. 

Support Groups

Dawn offers multiple confidential support groups for our clients facilitated by mental health professionals and/or advocates. Groups are offered throughout the South King County community as a way to break down barriers of isolation and to provide a caring atmosphere and forum to discuss the impacts of domestic violence on individuals, families, and the community.

For more information about dates, times and locations for these groups, please call our support line at 425-656-7867  to be connected with the appropriate advocate. 

Legal Advocacy

Legal advocates provide information and support in regards to criminal and/or civil legal matters. While they are not attorneys and cannot represent you in court, they can help navigate the legal system and provide support and accompaniment through processes such as protection orders, divorce proceedings and parenting plans. DAWN partners with Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP) to provide an attorney working on-site at our offices for clients referred through DAWN. Free legal clinics and referrals to other free or low-cost attorneys are also available. To reach a Legal Advocate please call the referral line at 253-893-1630.  

Immigrant Survivor Advocacy

DAWN provides an advocate who is specially trained in the specific needs of immigrant survivors of abuse, to help lessen the additional barriers immigrants face in getting safe and accessing resources and support. Our advocate can support survivors with VAWA and the U-Visa processes. To reach our Immigrant Survivor Advocate please call 253-569-6664.

Children’s Programming

DAWN offers trauma-informed children’s programming, services, and advocacy for families through an in-home curriculum-based program for families. We offer on-going support for the non-abusive parent and their children to lessen the impacts of experiencing domestic violence.  The program objectives include individualized safety planning, conflict resolution skills building, anger education, emotional coaching and on-going advocacy. To access this program, please contact our children’s advocate at: 253-569-6629.

In addition, DAWN partners with Sound Mental Health through the Children’s Domestic Violence Response Team (CDVRT) to connect children and their non-abusive parent with individual mental health counseling and resources. This trauma-informed and empowerment-based service is provided by a team of professionals using a wrap-around model to offer integrated advocacy and mental health services, led by the survivor’s assessment of what is needed for their family. To access this program, please contact the CDVRT Advocate at 253-569-6773.

Youth Prevention Advocacy

This program is designed to prevent intimate partner violence in the community. Our Prevention Advocate works with groups like schools, faith institutions, sports teams, and other organizations to create and implement material related to helping youth develop healthy relationships. If you would like to bring this work to your community, please call our support line at 425-656-7867 to be connected with the appropriate advocate. 

TANF CSO Advocacy

Domestic violence advocates are available at every DSHS (Department of Social and Health Services) CSO office in Washington State. DAWN Advocates are co-located within TANF offices at the White Center and Renton offices to provide easily accessible advocacy and systems support to survivors accessing the public benefits/welfare system. Advocates can help survivors create a Family Violence Service Plan to meet their WorkFirst participation requirements, provide support with Good Cause of child support, and help with Time-Limit Extensions due to family violence. To reach the advocate at the Renton CSO please call 253-569-6811. To reach the advocate at the White Center CSO, please call 253-569-6702.

Physical Abuse
  • Pull your hair or punch, slap, kick, bite, choke, or smother you.
  • Forbid or prevent you from eating or sleeping.
  • Use weapons against you, including firearms, knives, bats, or mace.
  • Prevent you from contacting emergency services, including medical attention or law enforcement.
  • Harm your children or pets.
  • Drive recklessly or dangerously with you in the car or abandon you in unfamiliar places.
  • Force you to use drugs or alcohol, especially if you have a history of substance abuse.
  • Trapping you in your home or preventing you from leaving.
  • Throw objects at you.
  • Prevent you from taking prescribed medication or deny you necessary medical treatment.
Emotional and Verbal Abuse
  • Calling you names, insulting you, or constantly criticizing you.
  • Acting jealous or possessive or refusing to trust you
  • Isolating you from family, friends, or other people in your life.
  • Monitoring your activities with or without your knowledge, including demanding to know where you go, who you contact, and how you spend your time.
  • Attempting to control what you wear, including clothes, makeup, or hairstyles.
  • Humiliating you in any way, especially in front of others.
  • Gaslighting you by pretending not to understand or refusing to listen to you; questioning your recollection of facts, events, or sources; trivializing your needs or feelings; or denying previous statements or promises.
  • Threatening you, your children, your family, or your pets (with or without weapons).
  • Damaging your belongings, including throwing objects, punching walls, kicking doors, etc.
  • Blaming you for their abusive behaviors.
  • Accusing you of cheating, or cheating themselves and blaming you for their actions.
  • Cheating on you to intentionally hurt you and threatening to cheat again to suggest that they’re “better” than you.
  • Telling you that you’re lucky to be with them or that you’ll never find someone better.
Sexual Abuse
  • Force you to dress in a sexual way you’re uncomfortable with.
  • Insult you in sexual ways or call you explicit names.
  • Force or manipulate you into having sex or performing sexual acts, especially when you’re sick, tired, or physically injured from their abuse.
  • Choke you or restrain you during sex without your consent.
  • Hold you down during sex without your consent.
  • Hurt you with weapons or objects during sex.
  • Involve other people in your sexual activities against your will.
  • Ignore your feelings regarding sex.
  • Force you to watch or make pornography.
  • Intentionally give you or attempt to give you a sexually transmitted infection.
Safety Plan

WHAT IS A SAFETY PLAN?

A safety plan is a set of actions that can help lower your risk of being hurt by your partner. It includes information specific to you and your life that will increase your safety at school, home, and other places that you go on a daily basis.

 

HOW DO I MAKE A SAFETY PLAN?

Take some time to go through each section of this safety planning tool. You will be asked a series of questions to help you identify your safety options. You can use this tool on your own, or you can use it with a friend or an adult you trust.

At the end of the process, you will have a printable version of your personalized safety plan that you can reference whenever you need it. You can read it online, print it immediately, or have a link sent to your email. The link will be active for 24 hours; after that, your information will be deleted from the website.

You will also be given a pocket-sized emergency contact card that you can fill out with phone numbers and keep with you at all times so you always know how to contact the most important people.

KEEP IN MIND:

  • For this safety plan to work for you, the information you fill in must be honest and accurate.
  • Once you complete your safety plan, be sure to keep it in an accessible but secure location. You should also consider giving a copy of your safety plan to someone that you trust.
  • If you don't feel safe keeping the printed safety plan or emergency contact card with you, then you can still use the safety tips. Try to memorize at least one phone number of someone you can call any time.
  • You know your situation better than anyone else; trust your judgment and weigh your options before taking any steps.

    Click here to create a safety plan!

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