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Meet the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Through this regular feature, the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) will be introducing you to our member coalitions. Read the rest of our Meet A Coalition features here.

 

Meet the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence:

What is it like to do domestic violence work in Arkansas?

Domestic violence efforts in our state vary widely by region. Programs do a large amount of work with very few resources. Arkansas has a significantly high rate of domestic violence in relationship to our population. The need for a wide variety of services including emergency shelter is huge. Programs here communicate well with each other and have really created a community within themselves of referral and service provision.

What impact does your Arkansas context have on this work?

We have a couple highly populated areas among a vastly rural landscape. This makes it challenging to provide consistent services across the board. Arkansas is a unique combination of farmland, agriculture, and worldwide corporations. We have a significant Latino/a population as well as a booming Pacific Islander population. While this adds new challenges to making services accessible to everyone, it also adds beautiful dimension to our culture.

What are the biggest barriers that survivors face in Arkansas?

There is very limited access to affordable legal aid for victims of domestic violence. In many of our rural areas, access to shelter programs is limited.

What’s happening in Arkansas that you’re excited about? Proud of?

Law enforcement agencies and our Coalition have partnered together for additional trainings. We are looking forward to statewide efforts in the area of violence prevention. We recently began a project with Community Health Centers of Arkansas and Futures Without Violence. Project Catalyst is a great new endeavor to pair up domestic violence service providers with health providers for the prevention of violence.

Are there any champions in your Arkansas that you’d like to thank or celebrate for their record or work on domestic violence?

Representative Charlene Fite has been a champion for victims of violence in Arkansas over the last legislative session. She sponsored bills that generated revenue for shelters, as well as improved education about domestic violence statewide.

How is your coalition working to end domestic violence? 

We partner with shelter programs, law enforcement, and victim rights groups to increase education about domestic violence, as well as assist with resources for victims of violence. It is our goal that every family becomes a safe family.

If your coalition was a musician or music group, who would you be and why?

While our musical tastes are too eclectic to pick one musician or group, we love Pink, especially her song Just Like Fire. It’s kind of our theme song.

Learn more about ACADV: