815-777-3680: 24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline

Need help? Want to talk?

Curious about what we can do for you?

Call us.

Find out about our services:
- information regarding all legal options
- emergency shelter arrangement and transportation
- service referrals
- counseling
- legal and medical advocates

Our volunteers undergo a rigorous training program and background check to ensure that every point of contact is empathetic and safe.

Need to get out?

Housing issues making you feel you have to go back?

Call us.

We will arrange for and transport you to safe temporary shelter.

If you choose to pursue legal action, our legal advocates serve as your liaison with the criminal justice system to ensure that your rights are protected. The advocate can assist you with orders of protection, accompany you to a police interview, sustain contact with the investigator for case updates, and attend all meetings and court proceedings with law enforcement, the victim witness coordinator, and the prosecuting attorney’s office with you, or on your behalf.

We have advocates available 24-hours a day to mediate interaction between you, emergency room personnel, and law enforcement. Our advocates concentrate on your best interests by providing information and listening to your needs, rather than asking questions and directing your behavior.

We provide case management services, including referrals and information about other social services you may need, we can accompany you to appointments with other agencies, and other services as needed. We also provide economic empowerment assistance, including, but not limited to, pre-employment and transitional skills needs to increase your financial stability.

See the "Additional Economic Empowerment" information at right for additional resources.

Our master degree clinicians provide individual and family counseling for you and your children. We also have weekly support group sessions. Our counselors understand that your social and cultural situation is unique. You are regarded as the authority on what is best, and the counselor collaborates with you to determine what all of the viable options are. You will have the opportunity to redefine yourself to reduce the effects of the trauma and to maximize your safety. Our offices have counselors specializing in child, adolescent, and adult therapy.

Riverview Center provides educational programming to tens of thousands of schoolchildren each year to help enact change in our cultural biases and assumptions, by addressing such topics as body safety, healthy versus unhealthy relationships, sexual harassment, sexting, gender stereotyping, bullying, cyberbullying, and Internet safety. But if our message does not reach parents, caregivers, and community leaders, not only do the adults not embrace our message, the information the children are learning could be contradicted in the home. To address this, we offer a variety of violence prevention presentations for adults in which we highlight positive role modeling and healthy parenting techniques, and strive to change attitudes and beliefs about gender roles, stereotypes, and violence in our society. We also provide the tools necessary to appropriately handle disclosures of abuse and recognize the possible physical and emotional consequences of being a survivor. Specialized training is also conducted for law enforcement, the prosecuting attorney’s office, and social service and medical personnel.

Please contact us if you would like to set up free programming.

How is your relationship?

Does your partner:
• Embarrass you with put-downs?
• Look at you or act in ways that scare you?
• Control what you do, who you see or talk to or where you go?
• Stop you from seeing your friends or family members?
• Take your money, make you ask for money or refuse to give you money?
• Make all of the decisions?
• Tell you that you’re a bad parent or threaten to take away or hurt your children?
• Prevent you from working or attending school?
• Act like the abuse is no big deal, it’s your fault, or even deny doing it?
• Destroy your property or threaten to kill your pets?
• Intimidate you with guns, knives or other weapons?
• Shove you, slap you, choke you, or hit you?
• Force you to try and drop charges?
• Threaten to commit suicide?
• Threaten to kill you?

If you answered ‘yes’ to even one of these questions,
you may be in an abusive relationship.

Created by The National Domestic Violence Hotline – www.thehotline.org

Technology is ever-changing, and it can be used to jeopardize your safety or as a means to ensure your safety.

• Did you know that you can monitor someone’s computer use without the user knowing?

• Did you know that a “history” cannot be completely erased from a computer?

• Did you know that cell phone use can be monitored?

• Did you know that a global positioning system (GPS) can be placed on your car, in your purse or in your cell phone?

• Did you know the some court systems are placing court records online and that they may contain personal information?

• Did you know that e-mail is like a postcard and can be intercepted?

• Did you know that you can find safe computers at www.ctcnet.org?

Technology is a powerful tool for someone leaving a domestic violence situation, and Advocates can help a caller, whether victim, friend or family member, plan to use all aspects of technology safely. For more information and support, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224.

OUR SAFETY PLANNING GUIDE IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PAGE

A safety plan can help you stay safer even when you think you won't leave and even if your abuser doesn't live with you. If you are concerned about your safety, develop a safety plan. Do it for yourself. Do it for the safer life that you and your children deserve.

A safety plan is a tool to help you think about what you can do to protect yourself from abuse. This information can get you started. To speak to someone about a personal plan that suits your situation, call Riverview Center at 815-777-3680.

The information here comes from the collective experience of domestic violence shelters, police, prosecutors, and other battered women. A safety plan is a tool that has worked for others, and it can help you think about ways in which you can stay safer. After you’ve reviewed this information, you may want more help. Confidential, free service is available to you when you call us at 815-777-3680.

OUR SAFETY PLANNING GUIDE IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PAGE

Overview and plans created by the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence – www.ilcadv.org

These orders provide you with legal protection from another individual being near you or certain locations. Click on the Legal Resources link to the right for your state.

For Dubuque, Delaware & Buchanan County Domestic Violence Support:

Dubuque Y Domestic Violence Program:

“You Deserve a Life Free From Violence”

24-Hour Crisis Line: (563) 556-1100 • (800) 332-5899
Buchanan/Delaware Counties (563) 927-6646

PO Box 1301 , Dubuque , Iowa 52004-1301
(563) 588-0048
http://www.dubuquey.org/dv/index.cfm

The Dubuque Community Y Domestic Violence Program provides safe and confidential services as well as emergency shelter for abused women and their children. All services are free.

• Crisis Line: Our crises and information line is available 24 hours, 7 days a week. We are here to listen and help.
• Crisis Intervention
• Referrals for mental health needs
• Education on domestic violence and its impact on the victim, children, family and community
• Legal/Medical Advocacy – Program staff is available to act as an advocate for victims of abuse in medical situations, in emergency legal situations, during court proceedings, attorney meetings, and social service agency meetings.
• 24-Hour Emergency Shelter – The program provides shelter to women and their children who are leaving an abusive relationship. Shelter provides women and their children a safe place to stay while they try to rebuild their lives. Staff provides help with goal planning and offer referral sources to empower victims and help them regain control of their lives.

If you are someone you know is in a Domestic Violence Relationship, please call the Dubuque Community Y Domestic Violence Program.