Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois

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Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois

The Violence Prevention Center works to eliminate domestic violence in individual lives and society as a whole.

We believe that all people have the right to be free from harm, to be respected, and to determine and pursue their own goals. Men or women and their dependent children fleeing abusive relationships may be accepted at the shelter to receive crisis/stabilization, self-esteem building, empowerment and self-sufficiency skills. While staying in the shelter, clients receive individual counseling, support groups, art therapy, court advocacy, medical services, and educational services.

31/07/2025

Healing doesn’t happen overnight. It happens moment by moment — through small choices, safe spaces, and people who remind you that you matter.

To every survivor reading this: You are not alone. You deserve safety, healing, and hope. And we’re here to help you find it. 💜

30/07/2025

Last year, the VPC provided over 7800 nights of safe shelter for survivors and their children.

Behind each number is a person rebuilding their life — with safety, support, and a community standing with them.

When you donate, volunteer, or share our posts, you’re part of this story too. Thank you for helping us turn fear into hope.

29/07/2025

MYTH: “If it’s that bad, they’d just leave.”
FACT: Leaving is never simple — it’s dangerous, complicated, and expensive. Survivors often face isolation, threats, and financial barriers when they try to escape.

At VPC, we provide emergency shelter, housing support, counseling, legal advocacy, and more — because safety shouldn’t depend on how many obstacles you can face alone.

Leaving is brave. Survivors shouldn’t have to do it alone. 💜

28/07/2025

Mental health is domestic violence prevention.

When we talk about keeping survivors safe, we can’t stop at physical safety alone. The impact of abuse doesn’t end when the doors close — it lives on in minds and bodies long after.

That’s why we believe in investing in healing, not just shelter. Counseling, advocacy, support groups — these help survivors rebuild trust, find their voice again, and break cycles of harm for future generations.

Safety and mental health go hand in hand. Survivors deserve both. 💜

25/07/2025

When someone leaves an abusive situation, where they land next matters just as much as leaving itself. A safe space for survivors isn’t just four walls — it’s a foundation for healing.

Three things every safe space for survivors should include:

1️⃣Privacy: A place where they can rest, breathe, and feel safe from harm.

2️⃣Security: Measures that protect survivors from further violence and give them peace of mind.

3️⃣Support: People and resources that help survivors rebuild — from counseling to housing assistance to community connections.

At the VPC, we work every day to make sure the survivors we serve have all three. Because everyone deserves a home where they feel safe, seen, and supported.

💜

24/07/2025

Did you know The Shelter Shop helps fund VPC’s services for survivors of domestic violence — and provides essential items directly to clients when they need them most?

Right now, we’re especially in need of men’s clothing and accessories — jeans, shirts, hoodies, belts, shoes, and new socks and underwear. Your donations keep our racks full for shoppers and help ensure survivors and their families have what they need to rebuild.

Donations accepted Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Drop off your gently used men’s items during these hours at The Shelter Shop. Every item makes a difference.

Thank you for shopping, donating, and spreading the word. Together, we help survivors take their next steps toward safety and hope.

💜

23/07/2025

Myth: Trauma ends when you leave
Fact: Leaving is just the beginning

Survivors often hear that once they’re out, they should be fine. But trauma doesn’t vanish overnight. Healing takes time, safety, support, and community.

At the VPC, we stand with survivors long after the door closes on abuse — because everyone deserves the time and care they need to heal for good.

💜 Healing is possible. You don’t have to do it alone.

22/07/2025

Why didn’t they just leave?
Why did they go back?
Why didn’t they tell someone sooner?

Survivors of domestic violence carry layers of trauma. Sometimes that looks like fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. Sometimes it looks like choices that don’t make sense to people on the outside looking in.

Trauma responses aren’t character flaws — they’re survival instincts. Survivors don’t need our judgment. They need our understanding, our patience, and our support.

💜 Be gentle with survivors. Be gentle with yourself, too.

21/07/2025

Leaving isn’t the end — it’s the beginning.

At the VPC, we help survivors take that first step and the next ones, too. Through rapid rehousing, we connect individuals and families to safe, stable housing fast — because escaping violence shouldn’t mean facing homelessness.

When you support the VPC, you help survivors find more than safety. You help them find home.

18/07/2025

“Home” Should Mean Safe — For Everyone

When we think of home, we think of safety, comfort, and rest. But for many survivors of domestic violence, home is where the harm happens — and leaving is the bravest, hardest step they’ll ever take.

Finding safe, stable housing is one of the biggest barriers survivors face. Rent is expensive. Childcare is hard to find. The fear of being unhoused keeps many people trapped.

At the VPC, we work every day to break that cycle — by providing immediate shelter, helping families secure new housing, and standing by them as they rebuild.

💜 Everyone deserves a home that’s safe. If you or someone you know needs help, call our 24/7 crisis line: 618-235-0892.

17/07/2025

Emergency Shelter vs. Rapid Rehousing: Why Both Matter

When someone escapes domestic violence, a safe place to stay is just the beginning. Survivors need immediate safety and long-term stability. That’s why the VPC provides both.

🏠 Emergency Shelter:
A safe, confidential place to go right away — a bed, support, and safety from danger when someone needs it most.

🚪 Rapid Rehousing:
Once the immediate crisis has passed, survivors need a home of their own. Rapid Rehousing helps them move into safe, permanent housing quickly with rental assistance and support — so they can rebuild their lives without going back to danger.

Safe tonight. Secure tomorrow. Survivors deserve both.

💜 If you or someone you know needs help, call our 24/7 crisis line: 618-235-0892.

16/07/2025

Feeling anxious or overwhelmed?
Grounding techniques help calm your mind and body by bringing you back to the present moment — especially for survivors coping with stress or trauma triggers.

Here are 3 simple grounding techniques you can try this week:

1️⃣ Name & Notice
Pick an everyday object near you (like your keys or a mug). Describe it in detail to yourself — its color, shape, texture, weight. This shifts your focus from racing thoughts to the here and now.

2️⃣ Temperature Change
Run cool or warm water over your hands, splash your face, or hold an ice cube. Feel the sensation fully — this can interrupt spiraling thoughts.

3️⃣ Box Breathing
Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat slowly until you feel calmer.

💜 You deserve moments of peace and safety. Save this post for when you need it — and remember our 24/7 crisis line is always here: 618-235-0892.

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+16182350892

Website

http://www.vpcswi.org/

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