Cleveland's YWCA hands off domestic violence program

After 32 years, the YWCA of Greater Cleveland has transferred its Domestic Violence Outreach Program to the Domestic Violence Center of Greater Cleveland.

The program was home to educational workshops to help women understand the cycle of domestic violence, help them access community resources and plan for the safety of themselves and their children. The services will not change under the Domestic Violence Center’s umbrella.

“By transferring our domestic violence educational services to the Domestic Violence Center, women in abusive relationships will be able to access a full complement of services through one agency,” said Barbara Danforth, the YWCA’s president and CEO.

In the past, many women were referred to the YWCA for the workshop and then on to the Domestic Violence Center for more programming, which didn’t enable the YWCA to have a long-term impact on the women, Ms. Danforth said. The YWCA recently completed a strategic planning process in which it determined every program it offered must have a long-term impact, and the domestic violence program didn’t fit the mold, she said.

However, she said the educational programs are still important, especially as domestic violence spikes during economic downturns. In the first quarter of this year, domestic violence complaints were up 30% in Cuyahoga County, compared to the same period last year, Ms. Danforth said.

The YWCA will not be transferring or canceling any other programs, she said.

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