A note from Pat Kelleher, President & CEO
The work FCR has been doing and will continue to do over many more months is of critical importance. Physical, emotional and sexual violence has and will increase. The trauma and anxiety individuals feel can become unbearable. Depression takes over people's lives. The closing of safe spaces for survivors and children – their workplaces, schools, day cares, and houses of worship has meant increased isolation. Not only the loss of income but also the loss of support systems of co-workers, friends, clergy and family members and the stress it has caused, has led to unreported increased violence and emotional abuse and increased suicide.
FCR’s community based programs may be the only place survivors have to turn for help. While in our immediate catchment area, across the state and nation, the number of survivors seeking support has decreased, as well as the number of reported child abuse cases, the number of referrals to our program for men who choose violence has increased. Survivors have reported feeling trapped and held hostage, not wanting to leave their home and risk illness while immigrant victims need to continue working to support their families. And then there are the children who are the silent victims that no one hears or sees. We know that as our neighborhoods and communities re open, survivors will be seeking safety and children's voices seeking help will once again be heard.
The amazing staff at FCR have been working remotely to support and care for all who reach out to us for help. Our goal is to continue providing all the services to survivors that we always do, just in this new and different way for now.
We are keeping our ears and hearts open to how we can help, and yet keep safe. We hope you will do the same. Thank you.
