Services
The Support Center has been serving victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and General Crimes for almost 50 years now, and it is the only accredited and qualified Sexual Assault Program and Crime Victims Service Center in Okanogan county. The Support Center works exclusively with primary and secondary victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and other Crimes or abuse.
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Services Available...
Crisis Intervention
Outreach Services
Individual & Group Counseling
for survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault occurs on a weekly basis.
Emergency Food & Shelter
Emergency Transportation
Emergency Financial Assistance
The support center has limited emergency financial assistance for eligible current clients.
Emergency Financial Assistance can be provided for any client in need depending on situation and circumstances, if you are a victim of crime in Okanogan County and are in need of help with a financial problem please contact your advocate today to determine if we can help you.
Some examples of Emergency Financial Assistance are but not limited to the following...
-Rent, Deposits or Utility Payments
-Bus Fair (Local) or Bus Tickets (out of area)
-Gas Vouchers
-Child Care (limited & special circumstances)
-Food & Personal Care Items
-Shelter
Medical & Legal Advocacy
Referrals to other Agencies
Other Related Services:
Immigration Services:
Immigrant women, whelther in the U.S. legally or illegally, face particular challenges when they find themselves in abusive relationships. Language barriers, cultural barriers, fearof authorities and threats from abusers to take their children, or turn them over to the authorities combine to make the already challening process of escaping abuse much more difficult.
Most importantly, if they are an illegal immigrant, they are informed not to reveal their immigration status to anyoneexcept an attorney who is working on their behalf, or a domestic violence advocate. As an advocate it is our responsibility to assist whether the abuse ihas been physically violent or not.
the following are the services provided to our immigratnts/refugees:
Safety Planning: assist with making plans before they leave.
Advise on how and where to make copies of important documents.
Referrals to local services like child support, and divorce issues.
Informing them to take protection order/custody over to childre's school so that they don't release the child to the abuser.
Arranging for shelter for the mother and children if necessary.
Assist with orders of protection.
Assist to get documentation of abuse, medical records, including filing police reports.
Providing and/or obtaining interpretation services for court or police.
Dealing with immigration issues; assist with the (VAWA) self-petition if the battered petitioner qualifies.
Distributionof immigration information, i.e. brochures, glyers, etc.
Networking with other agencies to coordinate services.
Follow-up in all of the above.
Domestic Violence:
Insult you in public and in private?
Put down your friends and family?
Check up on where you've been and who you talked to?
Limit where you can go and what you can do?
Destroy your belongings?
Threaten to hurt you, your family members or pets?
Make you have sex in ways or at times that are uncomfortable for you?
Touch you in a way that hurts or frightens you?
Crime Victim Services:
Arson
Burglary/Robery
Child Abuse
Fraud
Gang Violence
Hate Crimes
Homicide
Human Trafficking
Identity Theft
Missing Persons
Vehicular Homicide
Vehicular Assault
Core Services:
Crisis Intervention
Medical and Legal Advocacy
Systems Advocacy
Victims Centered:
Sexual Assault:
Sexual Assault is defined as any sexual contact without the express consent of the victim. It can be rape, sexual talk, or touching, the showing of sexual pictures, indecent exposure, or it can occur in many other forms.
Sexual assault victims suffer from severe emotional trauma as to the physical pain that accompanies an assault. Many victims feel powerless and are afraid to defend themselves while being attacked. More than half of all sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows.
If you have been raped, do not douche or destroy your clothing. Get medical attention as soon as possible after the assault. It is important to make sure that there are no internal injuries. Should you decide to press charges, a medical exam can provide important information and evidence. You DO NOT have to press charges to receive medical help or counseling.
To protect yourself if you are assaulted, you may be able to fight back if you think it will not cause you any further harm. You may be able to break a window in a lighted house, or throw something through your own window to attract attention. Be aware that actions to defend yourself could endanger you even further. There is no “right” response to being attacked. Every situation is different. One must take into account if weapons, physical force, or threats are being used, where the attack is taking place, what frame of mind the attacker is in, etc., before responding. It is not uncommon to be too afraid to respond at all.
Child Sexual Abuse:
Child Sexual Abuse is directed toward children. Child sexual abuse can have devastating effects on the child presently as well as after the child has become an adult.
The child suffers both physical and emotional pain from sexual assault. Some child victims suffer severe bodily injuries, while others may leave not visible signs at all. All abused children suffer emotionally, even if there are no outside scars.
If you suspect a child may be a victim of sexual abuse, contact the Police, Child Protective Services, and/or The Support Center as soon as possible. This is the first step to ensure the child’s safety. In order to make certain that the child is all right and has no internal injuries, a medical exam should be performed. This will also help to prosecute the person responsible for sexually abusing the child.
SURVIVORS of childhood sexual assault may not remember the abuse until they are adults. These memories often seem so real that it feels as though the abuse is happening all over again. There is help for survivors struggling to deal with the feelings that come with the memories. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! For further information, please email us at
information@thesupportcenter.org
or call us at 1-888-826-3221 toll-free.
This website is supported by 2212-44105 FVPSA DV Health Supports and COVID Mitigation & 2412-56779 CBDVP Emergency Shelter and Supportive Service Office/ Programs within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Neither the Administration for Children and Families nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration for Children and Families and the [ACF Office/Program]