Domestic Violence shelter still serving victims amid coronavirus

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The Shelter in place order implies you are safer-at-home, but what if you're not?

What if a home is just as dangerous? That is the reality for domestic violence victims.

According to dosomething.org, every nine seconds in the U.S. a woman is assaulted or beaten. one in every four women worldwide will experience domestic/dating violence in their lifetime.

Women Haven, a center for family solutions in El Centro says that they are still open and now more than ever are here to help.

"We have a mission to serve victims of domestic violence and we need to make sure we can still do that safely for our staff but as well as safe for those that we serve and so it was great to see we could continue to provide those services even though we are in a crisis," said Gina Vargas, Executive Director of Woman Haven.

Vargas also says that they are still offering mental health services for those that may need it. 

"There are individuals that may be going through a moment to where they need counseling and we have a wellness department and a counselor if you need someone to talk to. We are also providing telehealth services."

Telehealth services are medical services you can access online. Vargas emphasizes that it is important that your home is a safe space.

“Home needs to be a safe place at all times even though we’re going through trying times home needs to be a safe place,” she said.

If you need help you can call 911 and they will assist you or you can call the Woman's Haven or even show up to their door.