Create a Way Forward with ICADV

When Jessie first escaped her abusive relationship, she recalls feeling “like a dark shadow was cast over my name.” She could feel the weight of the stigma that comes with being a survivor as others question why they left, why they stayed and all the
questions in between. But something changed as Jessie journeyed through therapy and began to heal from the trauma. She says, “Now I see myself as a Warrior. I wear survival as a badge of honor.” Jessie believes surviving domestic violence has made her stronger, and her goal now is to help other survivors grow that fire in them, too.

Jessie gives a lot of credit to the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence for where she is today. “I got an elephant off my chest,” Jessie proclaims, referring to when ICADV paid for her attorney and all her legal fees. “My attorney met me in a local diner and made me feel like a real person and their real client,” not some victim for whom a program was paying the fees. She says that it was such a relief not to have to worry about legal expenses on top of the trauma she was healing from, and to know there was hope.

“It took a village to get me out of where I was. The Coalition was a huge part of that. I am super thankful for the opportunity to have you in my life!” Jessie describes, “ICADV is a map for survivors. If donors don’t support it, it would be a huge loss for survivors to be able to get out and to get to safety.”

Jessie is just one of many survivors that ICADV was able to support this year. We distributed over $334,000 in economic justice funding to 285 survivors and their 565 dependents seeking safety, stability and emergency relief. We provided legal assistance free of charge in 249 cases, 213 legal housing hotline calls and 72 legal clinics. ICADV’s Legal Team and Satellite Attorney Project have assisted 61 clients and crises and have expunged 11 evictions.

As you decide where to invest your year-end giving, we hope that you will join us in uplifting survivors and helping them heal from the trauma they have endured. Your contribution, no matter the amount, truly impacts the work of ICADV and the wellbeing of survivors across Indiana. Your financial gift helps us waive legal fees for survivors like Jessie, cover security deposits on a safe, new apartment so a survivor can escape their abuser, train law enforcement to respond effectively to domestic violence calls, and much more. Your Gift Makes a Difference!

Please consider donating today by visiting this link: icadvinc.org/donate/. You can visit our most recently released annual report to learn more about the work and impact of ICADV at icadvinc.org/annual-reports/.

From all of us here at ICADV – thank you.