Harbor House of Central Florida offers much-needed support to victims of domestic violence.

No matter where it happens, domestic violence is an inexcusable crime—but it becomes particularly shocking when it takes place in what’s billed as one of the happiest places on earth. Making matters worse is that, based on the most recent statistics from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, domestic violence occurs in Greater Orlando more often than anywhere else in the state.

In 2015, the last year for which data is available, nearly 15,000 cases of domestic abuse were reported in our region, including 8,901 in Orange County alone. Orange even reported slightly more cases than Miami-Dade County, despite having less than half the population of its southern cousin. And every day, new statistics— each representing an abused individual—get added to the pile.

All of which makes Harbor House of Central Florida’s ongoing mission so important to our community’s well-being.

“We started 40 years ago,” says Tekoa Pouerie, Harbor House’s chief development officer. “It started with a group of individuals who wanted to help women. At that time, it was called Spouse Abuse Inc., and over time the name has changed to Harbor House of Central Florida because we want to protect the confidentiality of the clients that we serve.”

Perhaps it starts with a shove, or a slap to the face. Maybe there’s no violence at all, instead involving verbal, economic or even sexual abuse. No matter what form it takes, though, Harbor House stands ready to help—and they’ll gladly accept assistance from anyone who wants to join that mission.

Helping the Victims

“You hear the name ‘Harbor House,’ and most people think that we’re just a shelter,” says Pouerie. “One of our services is that we provide emergency shelter. If there is someone in a domestic-abusive relationship and has nowhere to go, we provide an emergency shelter where they can stay. But we actually provide more than shelter.”

Arguably more important than the shelter is Harbor House’s 24-hour crisis hotline, which can be reached at (407) 886-2856. “We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so if someone has a question or wants to get out of a relationship, they can call and speak with someone confidentially,” says Pouerie. “Their names won’t be released, and they’re able to go through a safety planning on what to do when leaving a relationship.”

Complementing the hotline is Harbor House’s website, HarborHouseFL.com, which provides a wealth of information and resources for those looking to end an abusive relationship. Similarly, the organization’s R3 smartphone app, available for Android and iOS devices, helps people determine if they or others are in an abusive relationship, and if so, the location of the closest domestic-violence shelter.

If an individual does come to Harbor House for support, one of the main services they’ll benefit from is counseling, both in the form of individual and group sessions.

“…I’m glad I came to these groups,” says T.J., a Harbor House client who requested anonymity. “I learned so much, and I really like the support that we got from staff and the other ladies. But also, I didn’t feel judged.”

A.J., another client who prefers to remain anonymous, concurs. “I was able to talk about my situation, even though in the beginning I didn’t really want to,” she says. “But I’m glad I did, because I realized I was not alone when the other survivors shared their stories.”

Harbor House provides legal aid and advocacy for survivors who need it, too, whether it’s going through a divorce or filing an injunction. The organization recently hired two new attorneys to help with this aspect, and they have advocates stationed at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Orlando Police Department to provide legal services, counseling and anything else a client requires.

Understanding that many victims of domestic abuse have children and/or pets, Harbor House also offers child care and a pet kennel. “We don’t want a mom to ever have to think of leaving a child behind or worry about the child being safe,” says Pouerie. “When they come to the shelter, they can actually leave their child in child care if they need to go back to work, or they’re looking for a job, or just to run an errand.”

That facility looks like a normal, everyday child care center that anyone would go to, and children are provided with hot meals and snacks. The pet kennel provides a similar service and, in some ways, is even more beneficial for children than for the parent.

“The pet kennel serves as therapy because a lot of times, kids don’t want to be away from their family pet and, in some cases, their friend,” says Pouerie, adding that volunteer veterinarians assist kennel operations. “So, they can walk over to the kennel and pet their animal.”

Speaking of children, the organization even strives to bring its message to the next generation. Pouerie says, “We have prevention programs where we’re working with middle-school and elementary students so they understand the definition of healthy relationships versus unhealthy.”

Joining the Cause

Per Pouerie, Harbor House’s ultimate goal is to break the cycle of domestic abuse, with a major focus on Orange County. “It is our hope to achieve this and create a new pathway of awareness so that individuals react to domestic violence in a different way and they become more proactive,” she says.

For those looking to help, Pouerie says that talking about the problem is the first step, but there are many other ways to assist, including volunteerism—not just at the Harbor House facility, but also with their annual fundraisers. These include the Purple Door Breakfast, Paws for Peace Walk, and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, details for which can be found at the organization’s website.

Like all nonprofit organizations, Harbor House also relies on donations from the community, but Pouerie notes that supplies, particularly day-to-day necessities, are just as important as money.

“These women, they leave everything just to save their lives [and] their [children’s] lives,” she says. “They come to us in most cases with just the clothes on their back. … [We] ask individuals that want to partner with us: buy an extra towel. Buy an extra sheet. Pick up an extra case of diapers. Because there are families that don’t have any of that.”

If you’re looking to help someone else escape an abusive relationship—or leave one yourself—Pouerie says the first step is to call the Harbor House hotline.

“That’s where it begins,” she says. “There is someone waiting on the line to help them with safety planning. It’s so important. Because we may have someone [call] that’s not ready to leave at the moment, but we provide them with safety plans so that when they’re ready to leave the relationship, they have all the tools they need to leave safely and with their life.”

To learn more about Harbor House and how you can help, visit them online at HarborHouseFL.com. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse, call their 24-hour hotline at (407) 886-2856.

This article originally appeared in Orlando Family Magazine’s February 2017 issue.