My experience with this shelter and DVRC started with hope, but ended in deep disappointment and emotional harm. I was a survivor of abuse, fleeing a violent and dangerous situation with my child and pets. When I first arrived, I was relieved — I thought we’d found a safe place. But that safety was quickly overshadowed by judgment, gaslighting, and inconsistent support from staff. At one point I was told that I probably wasn't a victim BY the director. I confided in a staff member named Kathleen, thinking I could trust her. I shared deeply personal and traumatic information — things I hadn’t told anyone else — and she turned around and used those conversations against me. Without warning, she contacted the shelter director, Amy, who from the beginning had shown no warmth or empathy. Amy spoke to me with a cold, clinical tone and treated me more like a liability than a human being in crisis. There was no compassion, no effort to understand my situation, and no transparency in how decisions were made. Despite expressing clear boundaries — especially around my discomfort with law enforcement — Amy repeatedly implied that police involvement might be necessary, which left me feeling threatened and retraumatized. I was told I was being removed from the shelter for “safety concerns.” They gave reasons — but they weren’t rooted in truth or fairness. No one ever asked for my side, and there was no compassion for the trauma we had survived. I was removed from the shelter and placed in a hotel with no notice and no solid plan beyond that. I felt discarded by the very people who were supposed to help survivors like me find safety and stability. What hurts the most is that being in that shelter was the first time in a long while I had felt even a glimpse of safety. But instead of support, I was met with suspicion and judgment — not just from Kathleen, but especially from Amy, who used her authority to dismiss me rather than uplift me. If you're a survivor seeking support, please proceed with caution. Not all shelters operate with trauma-informed care, and sadly, not all staff are trustworthy or trained to handle complex trauma respectfully. I’m sharing this because I don’t want anyone else to feel as isolated, scared, or betrayed as I did. Survivors deserve support that heals — not harm disguised as help.

What they can offer is better than nothing, but keep in mind that SOME people working here are just working a job, they don’t necessarily care about the issue or the lives of people affected by domestic violence (DV) or intimate partner violence (IPV). SOME people got Into this line of work for the paycheck and are not particularly invested in the issue. I got minimal support for my situation and was brushed off and told to call 911 if I had an emergency. But having grown up around DV, I know that can sometimes make things worse. Emergency services aren’t always equipped to help when you need it most, nor can they always keep you safe. In some cases, they can even escalate situations. They usually won’t come until after an incident has occurred. There are limitations when it comes to involving strangers in personal crises, even when it is their job. What’s frustrating is that I at least expected the employees to understand that. If you need help, don’t lose hope, but don’t blindly trust this place either. Don’t expect them to truly care about the issue or about you personally, but you can try to hold them accountable to do the job they’re paid to do.

These people use grants and government funds and they really don't help all the victims. They pick and choose who they want to help. Meanwhile, the bosses that run the center are making over 100 grand "working from home" I did some research and they're a non profit like many others that take our tax money claiming they're non profit while they are all getting paid. I wish there was more government over sight on these type of scams.