INDIANAPOLIS — City of Indianapolis officials, law enforcement, and community partner organizations recently gathered to highlight the month of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
In their State of Domestic Violence Report 2020, Domestic Violence Network stated that on a given day in Indiana, prior to 2020, there were at least 1,807 victims/survivors served by direct service providers.
In January of this year, Danyette Smith was named Program Director of the Indy Champions for Domestic Violence Prevention, a key connector for victims and survivors.
The Indy Champions work collaboratively between survivors and existing organizations such as IMPD, the Prosecutor’s Office, DVN, Coburn Place, Julian Center, Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Firefly, Silent No More, and others. These groups, through frequent meetings, data sharing, and referrals, work collectively to help guide victims through all the stages of domestic violence: to first recognize a situation as abusive, leave that situation, and then navigate the challenges of finding and maintaining housing, childcare, employment, and financial independence.
Each Indy Champion is assigned zip codes affiliated with the highest volume of domestic cases recorded by IMPD, though their services reach every zip code in Marion County. From there they reach out to families and communities in the area to share information and resources. In addition to being connectors and advocates, Indy Champions also provide direct resources in the form of “Barrier Busters” for those fleeing, or those seeking assistance to flee, domestic violence. Some champions are Spanish speaking, increasing resident access to these critical services.
The Indy Champions invite those who want to connect with the program to call 317-210-0866. While anyone in life-threatening danger should always call 911.