Gender-based violence cuts across class, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, cultures and faith. We aim to empower survivors, engage communities, and elevate gender and racial justice.
At Apna Ghar, we are issue-based and community-focused. We have developed a three-pronged approach to ending gender violence.
- We provide comprehensive intervention and prevention services aimed at helping survivor participants achieve safety, stability and self-sufficiency. In addition, we provide services to those who have caused harm to be accountable and repair the harm.
- We conduct outreach, provide community education, training and technical assistance in an effort to raise awareness about gender violence while providing resources and information on appropriate responses.
- We conduct systems and policy level advocacy in partnership with advocacy groups to improve overall conditions for the survivors we serve.
Services
We have a commitment to Survivor-Centered Services. We believe every person has the right to safety, stability, and self-sufficiency.
24-HOUR CRISIS LINE
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Crisis support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone, text and email. The crisis line addresses the immediate safety needs of callers who can connect to our services, get referrals to other programs, and get information about domestic violence and the protective options available to them.
Phone: (773) 334-4663
Text: (773) 899-1041
Email: [email protected]
EMERGENCY HOUSING
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Our safe home provides survivors and their families who are escaping abuse a home-like atmosphere where they can reclaim control of their lives. Care is taken to maintain a culturally sensitive, secure and healing environment.
Residents are supported 24/7 by trained agency staff members, while they are able to follow independent schedules, prepare their own meals, and care for their children in a supportive environment.
TRANSITIONAL HOUSING
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We provide second stage housing aimed to provide stable and permanent housing through scattered site independent apartments throughout the Chicago area. We cover the costs of rent, utilities and moving expenses. Our transitional housing apartments provide stable, long-term housing for the families we serve so they can achieve their goals of stability and self-sufficiency. Residents are supported throughout their stay by our trained staff through weekly visits and continued provision of all needed services.
CASE MANAGEMENT
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Case management aims to empower survivors. Case management services help survivors develop action plans for safety, stability and self-sufficiency. Goal-setting, guidance and support is provided through in-depth case management. Our trained staff help program participants identify and address critical needs and connect to resources to achieve their housing, health care, employment, educational, financial and other goals.
COUNSELING
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Domestic violence counseling helps both adults and children program participants to process and heal from the trauma of abuse by:
- teaching awareness about what abuse is/looks like
- developing healthy coping mechanisms
- building on their personal strengths and assets
LEGAL ADVOCACY
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Our advocates guide program participants through the U.S. legal system, inform them of their rights and options, and help access available legal remedies. Advocates assist in securing free or reduced cost attorneys.
Advocates help survivors access legal remedies when available, which might include:
- orders of protection
- divorce and child custody
- immigration and special visas through protective statutes such as the Violence Against Women Act
- police reports or pressing criminal charges
- crime victims’ compensation
SUPERVISED VISITATION & SAFE EXCHANGE (SVSE)
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SVSE creates a safe place where parents and children can interact in the presence of a trained facilitator and helps reduce conflict and increases safety and harmony for the children.
We also have a feelings management group to build more positive parent-child relationships.
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
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Financial abuse severely limits survivors. Apna Ghar’s economic empowerment programming includes:
- food justice to ensure access to culturally specific and nutritious food
- economic assistance for essential needs and medication
- access to education, vocational and academic training, job placement, financial literacy, savings plans and self-help groups
MEDICAL ADVOCACY
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Medical advocacy is about access to physical and mental healthcare, connections to medical services, and community health outreach to ensure access to information, resources and services.
Outreach
We have a commitment to survivor-centered Outreach. We do this thorugh awareness, access and action.
We raise community awareness about gender-based violence and provide information and training on available resources. We educate communities and schools on domestic violence and how we can support survivors and work together to end gender-based and family violence.
We provide a variety of levels of trainings and technical assistance to partner organizations offer trauma-informed and culturally-inclusive services. Trainings include the 40-hour domestic violence training, language advocacy training, and technical assistance. Contact us at [email protected] if interested in learning more about available trainings.
Advocacy
We have a commitment to survivor-centered advocacy, around empowerment, encouragement and equity. We are on the frontlines of informing policies and laws that impact survivors.
We partner with coalitions, organizations and advocacy campaigns to promote policies and institutional changes to remove barriers survivors encounter in achieving empowerment.
We conduct institutional and policy advocacy to work on improving overall conditions for the survivors and communities we serve. We work with legislators, advocacy and community groups, community leaders, and the general public to raise awareness, make systemic and policy changes to improve current processes, responses and remedies, and increase options available to survivors.
