The domestic violence helpline at Interval House rings constantly. It rings at night, and it rings on the weekends, and it rings so much, helpline employees and volunteers avoid bathroom breaks, just to make sure someone is always there to answer.
The calls are just one manifestation of the increased demand for domestic violence services in Connecticut. In 2007, the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence reported that together, advocacy organizations across the state answered 23,973 helpline calls and sheltered 977 adults.
Mary-Jane Foster, president and CEO of Interval House, a domestic violence agency in Hartford, said even little cuts can make a big difference to organizations operating on lean budgets and the possibility of rescissions breeds constant uncertainty about the organization’s financial future.
“It’s very hard to be effective in long-term planning when the threat of decreased funding is ever present,” Foster said.
Read the rest of the article on the Hartford Courant website. >>