Domestic abuse support group starts up
 | Author:
Linda Kent, MT43 News Correspondent
MT43 News Correspondent |
Domestic Abuse Support Group starts up
Linda Kent
MT43 News Correspondent
Isolation from family and friends. Emotional manipulation to create dependence or fear. Physical and sexual assault. Cutting off access to financial and other resources.
None of these are what one expects to experience in an intimate relationship, but they are the daily reality of victims in abusive relationships.
Like Libby Olsen, social and emotional isolation can make those who find themselves in or on the other side of an abusive relationship feel they are the only ones going through the experience.
“I needed support,” Olsen said, reflecting on leaving her abusive relationship of more than 20 years. “And what better way than to start a support group.”
Called Survivors of the Storm, the support group meets Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Locations change to help ensure members’ safety. Olsen said she can meet with individuals who want support but can’t make the regular meetings.
Olsen emphasized the group does not offer counseling services. Instead, the purpose is to connect with others who have been in or are currently in abusive situations. Both women and men are welcome to participate.
“Everybody in the group has been through this in one way or another,” Olsen said.
Despite the gravity of the group’s central mission, Olsen said they try to end each meeting on a positive note, asking members, “What did you do for yourself this week?”
Survivors of the Storm also has the support of the Friendship Center in Helena.
The Friendship Center is a non-profit resource for individuals in abusive and stalking situations, providing around-the-clock emergency assistance, including a women’s shelter, for those who need a safe haven. It is the only such resource serving Broadwater, Jefferson, and Lewis and Clark Counties.
According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 41 percent of women and 26 percent of men have experienced intimate partner abuse at some point in their lives. That violence can be deadly: “over half of female homicide victims are killed by a current or former male intimate partner,” the CDC reports.
To learn more about Survivors of the Storm:
● Email: kjp06051994@outlook.com
● Facebook Group: Survived the Storm
● Phone: 406-204-9934
The Friendship Center of Helena can be reached at 406-442-6800 or through their website, thefriendshipcenter.org.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides a variety of resources through its website, thehotline.org. Those seeking information or assistance can also call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
