WOMEN'S CRISIS SUPPORT TEAM

WOMEN'S CRISIS SUPPORT TEAM'S (WCST) PROGRAM SERVICES PROVIDE TEMPORARY SHELTER, HOTLINE AND CRISIS COUNSELING TO WOMEN AND FAMILIES AT RISK FOR DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE. EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND PROVIDE DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO WOMEN AND FAMILIES FLEEING INTOLERABLE SITUATIONS. WCST IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ENDING THE CYCLE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IN JOSEPHINE COUNTY THROUGH INTERVENTION, PREVENTION, AND SAFE SHELTER. WCST WAS FORMED IN 1977 AS THE WOMEN'S COALITION OF JOSEPHINE COUNTY, AND OPERATED ENTIRELY AS A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AND HOT LINE FOR RAPE VICTIMS. IN 1980 THE ORGANIZATION CHANGED ITS NAME, EXPANDED ITS SCOPE, AND INCORPORATED AS A 501(C)(3) NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, DEDICATED TO THE STRUGGLE AGAINST BOTH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. WCST HAS EVOLVED INTO ONE OF THE COMMUNITY'S MOST ACTIVE, RECOGNIZED, AND RESPECTED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. ONE THING WILL NEVER CHANGE; WCST'S COMMITMENT TO HELPING SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AND TO MITIGATING THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIETAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY VIOLENCE IN THE HOME. THE WOMEN'S CRISIS SUPPORT TEAM HAS BECOME A RECOGNIZED LEADER IN IMPLEMENTING PRIMARY VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY BUILDING CURRICULA IN GRANTS PASS AREA SCHOOLS AND IN THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. PRIMARY PREVENTION INVOLVES EFFORTS TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF VIOLENT ACTS AMONG A POPULATION BEFORE IT OCCURS. OUR STRATEGIES INTRODUCE NEW VALUES, THINKING PROCESSES, AND RELATIONSHIP SKILLS TO PARTICULAR POPULATION GROUPS THAT ARE IMCOMPATIBLE WITH VIOLENCE AND THAT PROMOTE HEALTHY, NON VIOLENT RELATIONSHIPS.WHILE QUANTIFYING THE SUCCESS OF WCST'S PARTICULAR PREVENTION STRATEGIES REMAINS DIFFICULT, WE HAVE BEEN FULLY RECOGNIZED BY SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS ALIKE AS A SIGNIFICANT ASSET TO THE COLLECTIVE GRANTS PASS COMMUNITY EFFORT TO REDUCE VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. THE WCST PREVENTION PROGRAM HAS ALSO BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING AN AMERICORPS VOLUNTEER TO THE GRANTS PASS COMMUNITY FOR THE PURPOSE OF OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY AND SCHOOLS TO END VIOLENCE AND BUILD COMMUNITY. IN DECEMBER 1998, WITH STRONG COMMUNITY SUPPORT, WE OPENED A SAFE SHELTER FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IN GRANTS PASS. WCST OPERATES TALSUNNE HOUSE, A 15 BED SAFE SHELTER FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN. THIS IS THE ONLY SHELTER PROGRAM CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS OF JOSEPHINE COUNTY. DURING THE LAST 18 YEARS, WE KEPT OVER 4,000 WOMEN AND CHILDREN SAFE FROM HARM.